Ben Jones (photographed) was the jockey calling the tune at Ascot on Saturday as he bagged another big winner on The Jukebox Kid. It formed part of a double for the Welsh rider at the Berkshire track as he continued his superb start to 2026.
Up until Sunday, Jones had ridden 24 winners since the turn of the year at a strike rate of 28 per cent. And his double on board The Jukebox Kid and Mondoui’boy at Ascot took his seasonal tally to 73.
Both his Saturday winners were for his main retainer Ben Pauling. The Jukebox Kid was the highlight of the pair, making all the running to land the valuable Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase in the style of a high-quality stayer.
A crack at the Irish National could be on the agenda in the spring.
Jones’ first win came on the odds-on shot Mondoui’boy in a novice hurdle. He took charge before the last flight and won comfortably by seven lengths.
Sean Bowen edged ever closer to the 200-winner milestone for the season when landing a handicap chase at Haydock on The Bluesman. The Olly Murphy-trained seven-year-old looked the winner all the way up the straight and Bowen did not have to work hard as he pushed him out for a three-and-a-half length success.
Gwent trainer Grace Harris has her runners in fine shape and she claimed a double at her local track Chepstow on Friday.
The Big Reveal has been in good form all season and won his second race of the campaign when gamely batting to victory in the three-mile handicap chase in the hands of Tom Bellamy.
Little more than half-an-hour later Harris was back in the winner’s enclosure thanks to Inion Tiogair. His victory was much more comfortable than that of his stablemate as he stretched nine lengths clear to score in a two-and-a-half mile handicap hurdle.
It was a good day all-round for the Welsh. Evan Williams’ Juby Ball gained his second novice chase win of the season when running out a wide-margin winner of his four-runner contest under Ben Jones. He has now won five of his eight career starts.
Sean Bowen rode a sort-priced double on Aqua Bleu and Jalisco Star, and Katy Price – who trains on the Wales-England border – took the concluding staying handicap hurdle with Face d’Music.
Ffos Las officials will be hoping for a break in the wet weather ahead of the Carmarthenshire track’s meeting on Friday 20th February.
Last week’s fixture was called off after torrential rain left parts of the course waterlogged.
One of the main talking points could surround the David Rees-trained Esperti, who was one of 13 entries for the opening three-mile handicap chase at the six-day stage. The nine-year-old has developed into something of a course specialist and has been victorious on his last three visits to Ffos Las.
The seven-race card has attracted runners from the Welsh yards of regular Ffos Las visitors Evan Williams, Rebecca Curtis, Debra Hamer and Tim Vaughan, though there are also entries from the stables of Olly Murphy, Jamie Snowden and Warren Greatrex. The first race is due off at 1.52pm.
The next fixture is St David’s Day, Sunday 1st March.
