An Interview with Harry Skelton

Brotherly love doesn’t run deeper than between Dan and Harry Skelton. They shared a Warwickshire childhood full of ponies, showjumping and racing in equal measures.

Having won the Champion Jockey title in 2020-21, Harry, 34, rides with the best of his generation. He ticked off many big winners during his time with Paul Nicholls, including the 2019 Champion Chase and 2020 Tingle Creek on the popular grey, Politologue.

These winning ways have been carried forward in his partnership with his brother, Dan Skelton. Together they have achieved a number of Cheltenham Festival winners, which include the four already on the board for this year.

The last two seasons have been absolute crackers as the brothers have captured many top races with the likes of Protektorat, Le Milos, Ashtown Lad, Nube Negra, Langer Dan and Grey Dawning.

Harry married fellow Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey, Bridget Andrews, in 2019. They live in Warwickshire alongside their two whippets and currently have a baby on the way.

How horsey was your childhood? I was always around ponies. My Dad, my brother and myself all learnt on the same pony, Oxo. In fact, he was all of ours first pony. I did a lot of showjumping on ponies and had good 12.2s.

How did you get into racing? When I was fifteen, my dad took me to the late Reg Hollinshead to ride out. Basically, my dad had broken his neck and we didn’t know if I’d continue showjumping or go into racing. At the time, we didn’t have many showjumpers in so I went to ride out at Reg Hollinshead’s and never looked back.

What trainers have you worked for? When I left school, I went to Richard Hannon’s to try and ride on the Flat but I grew a bit heavy so then I went to Paul Nicholls’. I was there for nine years and then Dan started training and that’s when we teamed up together.

Favourite racecourses: I love Warwick. It’s a great test of jumping over fences, it’s very local and we seem to do very well there. Also, there’s no place like Cheltenham – it has amazing atmosphere and where anyone dreams of riding winners.

As a boy, which jockeys did you look up to? When I was really young, Dad was always good friends with Adrian Maguire so we always followed his career. I will always remember Barton Bank missing the last in the King George and coming down in the King George. When I started out riding, AP McCoy and Ruby Walsh were the ones I looked up to.

Growing up, what type of big brother was Dan? My mother and father spilt up when I was very young but Dan was always there and brought me up as well. I owe a lot to him; without him, I wouldn’t have been where I am today.

What was it like when your Dad won an Olympic gold? It was an amazing feeling; there was a lot of emotion when he won in Rio. To finally achieve when he set out to achieve at the back end of his career was the icing on the cake.

How much interest does your Dad have in racing? As a family, we’ve always had racehorses. My Grandad always had a few and my dad had racehorses and always trained a good few point-to-pointers. Racing has always been in the background as well as showjumping.

Dad has always been very interested in the racing – he actually wanted to be a jockey but success took him down the showjumping route and that was that. He owned a good race mare called Certainly Strong who won the Grade 1 at Sandown, the Henry VIII chase.

Horses to follow: Kateira, Asta La Pasta and Etalon. Race you’d most like to win: Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Were you ever given any memorable advice? To always work hard. Plus, my dad always said it’s what you achieve in a lifetime, not a day.

How competitive is your homelife with Bridget? We’re not always riding in the same races obviously but we both want to achieve as much as we can. It’s a good atmosphere to be in.

If you hadn’t been a jockey then what would you have been? A showjumper.

Favourite meal: Roast beef.

Favourite drink: Ribena.

Favourite snack: I love a cup of tea and biscuits.

Favourite music: Roxette.

Favourite holiday destination: Sainte Maxime in the south of France.

Hobbies: Cycling in the summer.