'It’s a life-changing amount of money' - Harry Skelton heads to Cheltenham in pole position in the David Power Jockeys' Cup

Harry Skelton believes he is “in a strong position” to claim the £500,000 first prize when the inaugural David Power Jockeys' Cup (DPJC) comes to a close at Aintree next month.

Skelton is 42 points in front of Harry Cobden in the standings with riders earning points based on their finishing positions in races broadcast on ITV Racing until the final contest on April 4.

Next week’s Cheltenham Festival is likely to prove crucial in deciding the title with 24 races being shown on ITV – four more than last year – and only five days remaining in the competition following the conclusion of the meeting.

David Power Jockeys' Cup standings (ITV races)

Harry Skelton 312 points
Harry Cobden 270
Sam Twiston-Davies 230
Nico de Boinville 214
Sean Bowen 194

Skelton, who finished second in the leading jockey standings at last year’s festival with four winners and a second, said: “We’ve got a good lead at the minute. There are only nine days left but there’s plenty of racing and plenty of points to be picked up along the way. 

“We’re in a strong position, the horses are in good form and we have a lot of fresh horses still to run. I think that will be really helpful, and obviously we will be running as many as we can in all the ITV races from now until the end.”

Speaking in his role as an ambassador for Star Sports, Skelton re-emphasised his point made when the DPJC was announced in November that the £1.5 million of prize-money on offer had the potential to be “transformative” to riders.

The prize fund covers payouts to riders finishing in the top ten of the competition, the two leading conditional jockeys, plus the trainers and stable staff who provide those riders with the most points during the DPJC.

“I’ve been lucky that my name is on the jump jockeys’ championship and I’d love to be able to win a David Power Cup,” Skelton said. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for National Hunt jockeys to have a chance of winning this sort of money. 

“The prize-money is unbelievable. I think tenth wins £10,000 and that’s the equivalent of a jockey winning a £100,000 handicap, so it just shows you how good the prize-money is. 

“I would be very grateful for half-a-million quid, that’s for sure. It’s a life-changing amount of money really – I’ve now got a family, and it can change a lot of things.”

On Monday, Harry Cobden, who started as favourite for the DPJC with Paddy Power, said he was excited about the prospect of challenging Skelton during Cheltenham but that he would “need lots of luck and to be on the right ones”.

David Power Jockeys' Cup betting
Paddy Power: 2-5 Harry Skelton, 5-2 Harry Cobden, 8 Nico de Boinville, 10 Sam Twiston-Davies, 25 Sean Bowen, 50 Gavin Sheehan

Read more:

Harry Cobden eyeing £500,000 David Power Jockeys' Cup and riding 'as well as I have done all season' 

Impressive Trials day winner Sixmilebridge set to be disqualified after failing dope test - but Cheltenham Festival still the aim 

Fading force: how the British challenge at the Cheltenham Festival has declined in recent years

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