The contenders for the May Jockey of the Month award are Oisin Murphy, Frankie Dettori and Rossa Ryan.
There has been superb performances during the whole of last month from a number of jockeys but these three stood out from the crowd after big race victories and their incredible consistency since the start of the Flat Jockeys’ Championship since 1st May.
Want to be reminded what each of the three nominees achieved last month? Scroll down below the poll to find out more.
The voting has now closed and the winner by a massive 79% of the vote is top young jockey Rossa Ryan. Huge congratulations!
Frankie Dettori
Who says you can’t be at the top of your sport at the age of 50!? Frankie Dettori continues to show the world how brilliant he is in the saddle, and he wasn’t the only sporting hero at the age of 50 to win big in May. In Golf, Phil Mickelson won his sixth Major title at 50 with a victory in the PGA Championship. Goes to show age is just a number!
Frankie started the month off in fantastic style, winning the QIPCO 1000 Guineas with Mother Earth. It was Frankie’s 20th British career classic and he’s now 10 behind the great Lester Piggott’s all-time record.
The Italian said, “The 20th [British] Classic for me, 50 years old. I’m only 10 behind Lester, I’ve got plenty of time. Lester was 56 [when Piggott won his last Classic], so I’ve got six years yet. And Johnny V [Velasquez, who won Saturday’s Kentucky Derby] is 49. Come on the oldies.”
Frankie didn’t stop there and recorded a number of big race victories later in the month including the feature race of the Chester May Festival – The Chester Cup with Falcon Eight.
A week later Frankie won the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes with a brilliant Palace Pier. The top-notch performance from the pair of them means they’re now strong favourites to win the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in two weeks’ time!
The third Group race victory in May for Frankie came last weekend at Haydock with Kincross in the Group 3 Betway John Of Gaunt Stakes.
Oisin Murphy
The defending Champion Flat Jockey has started this year’s Flat Jockeys’ Championships in sensational form. Oisin has established an early lead with 25 wins last month and sits five winners ahead of William Buick in second.
Murphy will be looking to join an elite group of jockeys to win three consecutive Champion Flat Jockey titles this season and his early form certainly shows him to be a major player. The last four jockeys to achieve the incredible feat were Richard Hughes, Kieren Fallon, Pat Eddery and Lester Piggott.
The 25-year-old jockey’s biggest winner of the month was Starman in a thrilling Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes (Group 2).
STARMAN shines in the Duke Of York @ClipperPlc Stakes 🤩
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) May 12, 2021
A blistering success under @oismurphy secures victory in the Group 2 contest for the @edwalkerracing team ⭐ pic.twitter.com/yo6iZneE7I
Oisin also claimed listed success in the Betway Achilles Stakes last weekend at Haydock and his most successful day in terms of winners was at Nottingham on the 18th claiming a top treble.
Rossa Ryan
The 20-year-old Irish jockey moved over to the UK in 2017 and he’s been improving and impressing year-on-year.
The rising star had an excellent month, winning 15 races including a treble at Salisbury on 13th May. In addition, he achieved listed success at in the tote+ Pays More At tote.co.uk Buckhounds Stakes at Ascot on 8th May.
How easy was that? 👏
— Great British Racing (@GBRacing) May 8, 2021
Albaflora takes out the Buckhounds Stakes for Rossa Ryan and Ralph Beckett! pic.twitter.com/mhMYgBksF0
Rossa briefly led the Flat Jockeys’ Championships and was looking very impressive and full of confidence in his riding, however unfortunately he suffered a fall resulting in a broken collarbone that will see him face a period of time on the sideline. With that being said, the top youngster is hoping to be back race riding for Royal Ascot in two weeks.
He said, “these things happen and if I can get back for Ascot it would be great. It’s a long shot but it’s not impossible. And at least I’m fortunate to be in a position where I can come back, and the rides are still there for me.”
Don’t forget to vote for May Jockey of the Month in the poll above!
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