RCA Summer Jumps Championship Midway Update

The RCA Summer Jumps Championship has reached its midway point and the races to be crowned champion summer jockey, summer trainer, small summer trainer and summer owner are hotting up.

Crowds flock to Hexham Racecourse enjoy summer jumps racing (image courtesy Hexham Racecourse/Grossick Racing)

After 59 fixtures at 16 racecourses, the league tables across all four categories are beginning to take shape. With 23 fixtures remaining, there is still opportunity for all manner of twists, turns and glory ahead of the grand finale at Newton Abbot on Friday 19^th September.

Leading Summer Jockey

Sean Bowen has taken a commanding lead in the Summer Jockey category, amassing am impressive 343 points so far recording 38 winners. Three-time Champion Jockey Brian Hughes sits in second place, whilst Sean’s brother James is just one point behind Hughes in third. Both Brian Hughes and James Bowen picked up some much-needed maximum point races in the final week before the midway break, meaning Sean Bowen can’t quite begin planning his victory celebrations just yet.

Leading Summer Trainer

James Owen is in pole position to be crowned Champion Summer Trainer with 228 points so far with 26 winners. In his first season holding a full trainers’ licence, Mickey Bowen is the best of the rest with 178 points, whilst Olly Murphy, Jamie Snowden and James Moffatt make up the remainder of the top five.
 

Leading Summer Small Trainer

A six-time leading trainer at Cartmel Racecourse, James Moffatt is bringing this form to summer jump racing across Great Britain as he leads the way in the Summer Small Trainer category. Sam England is leading the challenge from the pack, with Warren Greatrex and Gordon Elliott eye-catching chasers. Ryan Potter makes up the top five with 49 points amassed to date.

Leading Summer Owner

J P McManus has claimed the vast majority of prizes in jump racing, and champion Summer Owner looks like it could be heading his way too with 43 points so far. With the top five being separated by just 13 points, the champion summer owner is the closest category in the Championship, with Bill Hawkins, Nigel Twiston-Davies, the Pitchall Stud Partnership and A C O’Keeffe ready to take the crown.

Perth is one of two Scottish racecourses to host summer jumps racing

Kevin Walsh, Racing Director at the Racecourse Association, commented: “The results from the opening half of the RCA Summer Jumps Championship have given us the first indications of where the prizes will be going come September and provide an exciting, additional narrative to the summer jumps season.

“One of our aims when creating this Championship was to highlight the opportunities provided by summer jumps racing at all levels of the sport. I’m pleased to see such a variety of names involved at the top of the league tables, from international giants of the sport to smaller, local businesses, and look forward to seeing how the remainder of the Championship plays out ahead of the finale at Newton Abbot on Friday 19^th September.”