Most successful siblings in British racing

Features | 8^th April 2018

The phrase ‘it runs in the family’ is wholly appropriate when it comes to horse racing as both the past and the present is littered with family combinations landing many of the most coveted prizes in the sport.

Many of the siblings have been in direct competition with each other, fighting for the same titles and are often in the same races.

Today we walk through a few of the siblings in racing’s present that have gone to the very top.

Hayley, Jamie, Ryan and Joshua Moore

Jamie and Joshua are both jump jockeys with Ryan plying his trade on the Flat. Hayley was also a top amateur jockey on the flat and she experienced big wins including the Ladies’ Handicap at Ascot.

The siblings are highly competitive but it’s hard to argue against Ryan being the top jockey in the family. Many in the racing world regard Ryan as the world’s leading jockey on the flat, a reputation consolidated by having an astonishing 20 Group Ones in 2017.

Jamie and Joshua do race each other regularly in many of the top Jumps races around the UK which adds that extra little spice to things.

Not your average game of cards!
Watch as Jamie and Josh Moore reveal all ahead of Saturday’s Betfair Tingle Creek. #JoshOrJamie pic.twitter.com/cZUGdbuDvJ
— Great British Racing (@GBRacing) December 1, 2016

Katie and Ruby Walsh

Ruby is one of the most recognisable jockeys on the National Hunt circuit and the leading Cheltenham Festival rider of all time with over 50 wins.

Sister Katie has been a trailblazer in her own right over recent years, with her victory in the 2015 Irish Grand National and 3rd place finish in the 2012 Aintree Grand National being the principal highlights.

Ruby and Katie have strong connections to the racing industry with father Ted being an amateur jump jockey, trainer and TV pundit.

Ruby and Katie have gone on to achieve great things, and as a collective they are only the third brother and sister pair to win at the Cheltenham Festival.

Harry and Dan Skelton

Sons of the legendary equestrian rider, Nick Skelton who triumphed in the Rio 2016 Olympics with a Gold medal after a 44 year wait!

Dan has made a very fast start as a trainer since departing Paul Nicholls’ yard as assistant trainer in 2011. Dan is in his early 30s but he has already notched up over 450 wins, including 29 Graded and Listed winners and he has already had 150 winners in the 2017 / 2018 season.

Harry has had a lot of high and low points in his career, at one particularly low point a few years ago brother Dan was a massive help. Harry said “Dan training came along for me at the right time. He put his belief in me. To a jockey that means more than anything.”

Richard and Michael Hills

The twin brothers have been huge figures in flat racing for over 30 years with both retiring in 2012.

Michael was stable jockey to their father Barry for many years; wracking up over 2,000 winners in the process. His greatest moment in the saddle came in 1996 as he landed his only Classic win aboard Shaamit in the Derby.

While Richard never managed to win the Epsom Derby, he definitely holds the aces over Michael when it comes to Classic winners. During his lengthy spell as retained rider to Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, he managed to win a total of five classics in the famous Blue and White silks (see pictured).

Michael reflected on his and Richard’s retirement, “it’s an end of an era. It’s very sad but all good things must come to an end!”

Willie and Sam Twiston-Davies

Racing is a big thing in the Twiston-Davies household, father Nigel is a hugely successful trainer who has won the Grand National twice and mum Cathy is a former amateur jockey.

There wasn’t a lot of choice for Sam and Willie as they were put atop a horse at just three-years-old. Both grew up loving racing and have been successful young jockeys, older brother Sam is currently fifth in the Stobart Jump Jockeys’ Championship and the 25-year-old is a potential champion jockey in the making.

Willie had success in both Flat to Jump racing, and he is the only jockey to have ever ridden a winner at Royal Ascot, Champions Day, Cheltenham and over the Grand National fences (when 16 years-old in the Aintree Foxhunters’ Chase!)