Competition for jockeys with £1.5m prize pot launches

Harry Cobden rode Monmiral to victory in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival

A new competition for jump jockeys with £500,000 for the winner will launch on Friday.

The David Power Jockeys' Cup, which runs from the Cheltenham meeting starting 15 November until April's Grand National meeting, will have a prize fund of £1.5m.

Jockeys will earn points in any race televised on ITV Racing with 10 points awarded for a win, eight for second, six for third and four for fourth.

The jockey who collects the most points will be crowned the winner and scoop the top cash prize, while second place collects £200,000 with £100,000 on offer for third spot, plus awards all the way down to 10th place.

Harry Cobden, the current champion jump jockey, is among those who are set to take part along with Harry Skelton, Nico de Boinville and Rachael Blackmore.

Cobden said: "It's a huge amount on offer and I'm sure will create some great competition as we'll all be trying to win as many of those ITV races as we can."

Skelton added that the cup will be the "pinnacle in the sport" for jockeys in National Hunt racing, with a "transformative amount of money" on offer.

Blackmore, who is currently injured, said the competition "adds a massive layer of excitement" to what "already promises to be another highly competitive season".

"It's great to see this level of innovation and investment in racing, particularly towards jockeys," said Blackmore, who won the Grand National in 2021 and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2022.

"The prizes on offer are incredible. It's a fantastic opportunity to showcase the very best of the sport."

The competition is named after the co-founder of bookmakers Paddy Power, whose parent company Flutter are backing the competition, along with the Jockey Club, Great British Racing and the Professional Jockeys' Association.

Trainers, racing staff and the two leading conditional jockeys will also have the chance to win prizes.