Back Hanagan for Every ride

(Champion?: Hanagan is closer than ever to top jockey)

Paul is Hanagin' on

Maybe a career in tipping racehorses is what I should do, instead of trying to attract potential employers with blogs about racing. After Hanagan's mount Harrison George obliged last week and I had written about it in the last post it is easy to say "I told you so!". But sometimes it isn't so difficult to find that winner this year.

If you had backed all Paul Hanagan's mounts this season from 559 rides so far you would have made a profit of £10.57 for £1 stakes. Not much you might say, but bearing in mind that Ryan Moore and Richard Hughes, the second and third in the championship this year it would have cost £37.94 and £22.16 respectively. The fact that Hanagan appears to like to win on fair priced horses is a good thing for his supporters. Take yesterday for example, while Richard Hughes rode the best horse Hannon has ever trained Canford Cliffs in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in a thrilling event Hanagan was pushing all out on the 10/1 priced Mortitia later in the afternoon.

Interestingly four jockeys, Hanagan, Moore, Hughes and Dettori all have a 20% strike rate this season but Hanagan has had more rides, still, it is the prices that count for the punter. With Hanagan's prize money exceeding £592,ooo and Ryan Moore's amounting to over £2 million it is clear that Hanagan just wants to win, regardless of the prize money, or how important the race may be. Hanagan my still be overlooked somewhat for the major rides in the major races but surely this is all set to change.

With Ryan Moore yet to complete the ban he picked up on Saturday this could leave even more time for Hanagan to surge forward in the championship table. Priced up around 1/2 for the title he will have to maintain the desire to win on every horse he sits on as Ryan Moore creeps ever closer with the winners. The bookmakers suggest Hanagan will win but they are careful to only offer the 6/4 mark for last years champion. However, this week suggest that Richard Hughes is still not out of running with his partnership with Richard Hannon proving deadly so far during this glorious Goodwood meeting.