Image shows a racehorse and jockey framed in a golden light.

Are Jockeys a Goldmine?

Those who read last month’s article will already be aware that we found a bit of a goldmine looking at the top five jockeys by number of winners in 2025, going one step further and looking at which trainers gave them the biggest profits – fingers crossed those numbers continue.

I had originally planned to continue from trainers to tracks but I ran out of spaces please consider this “Part Two” and a continuation of the June article.

You can use them together if you want, or separately – the decision as always is yours (it’s your money at the end of the day).

The concept remains enough, take the five top jockeys by races won on the Flat for the whole of 2025 (believe it or not finding an official list is close to impossible so I ran my own query), then digging deeper to see if we can find “tune” to make ourselves a profit.

The figures below apply to the last 10 years - let’s see where that takes us (again) shall we?

NOTE* As always, all profits are to a fictitious £1 unit and are after the standard Betfair commission of 2%.

I am using the top five jockeys numerically from 2025 – but the numbers quoted below are from 1st January 2016 to 31st December 2025 inclusive.

Top Five Jockeys from last year’s final table – rides and winners etc are from the last 10 years

Absolutely nothing wrong with those numbers and a good profit figure but I am quite aware some will see that as too many bets so we fine-tuned it with trainers last month – and will do the same with racecourses this time around, top 5 only by profit – minimum 40 rides at a track to be included.

A very poor return relatively with a Return On Investment of just 22.95% but we need to remember we are talking about an up and coming young jockey who can only get even better.

A very poor return in my eyes with a Return On Investment of just 22.95% but we need to remember we are talking about an up and coming young jockey who can only get even better.

Better profits but from more bets, though a one in five strike rate stands out as a pretty decent return.

Better profits but from more bets, though a one in five strike rate stands out as a pretty decent return. A very similar ROI of 23.56% is acceptable if not earth shattering.

. Plenty of profit in £, an acceptable strike rate, and an ROI of over 50%, what’s not to like?

I am beginning to think that I have been criminally underrating Rossa Ryan and that I need to wake up.  Plenty of profit in £, an acceptable strike rate, and an ROI of over 50%, what’s not to like?

Not our biggest profit figure but easily our biggest ROI figure of 88.36% and if you can survive the average one in seven strike rate there has been money to be made in the past and hopefully into the future.

Not our biggest profit figure but easily our biggest ROI figure of 88.36% and if you can survive the average one in seven strike rate there has been money to be made in the past and hopefully into the future.

By fluke we round off with the highest profit figure of close to £1000 and an ROI of an amazing 172.13%

By fluke we round off with the highest profit figure of close to £1000 and an ROI of an amazing 172.13% - I really do need to reassess my view of who the top jockeys are as a punter because it seems I am living in the past.

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Sean Trivass has been involved in racing for close to 40 years, starting at the local paper and moving on via Timeform, Alan Brazil Racing, Betdaq, Shadowfax Racing (Sir Ivor), The Independent (Hyperion) and many others as a freelance.

Currently the racing editor of the Daily Sport, he is also the UK correspondent for Thoroughbred News Australia, works on the racing desk at the Press Association, contributes regular international articles for Racing Ahead magazine, runs his own website (Writesports.net), contributes to the Post Racing Podcast with Ron Robinson on a regular basis, and is the current chair of the Horseracing Bettors Forum, the only recognised body representing the day to day punter.

Living near East Grinstead, his local tracks include Lingfield, Goodwood, Plumpton, Brighton and Fontwell (where he held his wedding reception), while his father owned Northmore Stud who bred St Leger runner-up Kite Wood who raced in the Godolphin colours.

Away from his daily work he loves football, plays pool (badly) and has had numerous statistically based books on making money from racing published and still available via Amazon!

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