Ben Jones

The headline moments have come thick and fast in early 2026. Three wins at the top level — two at Ascot and one at Cheltenham — in the space of four weeks in January and February tells you this is not someone who goes quiet when the big occasions arrive. Quite the opposite. He now has 20 top-level wins to his name at some of Britain's most prestigious venues, including Kempton Park and Sandown Park. These are the races that define careers, and Jones has been winning them before he has even reached the age most jockeys consider their prime.

The partnership with trainer Ben Pauling is worth paying close attention to. Sixty wins from 306 races together — again, roughly 1 in every 5 — suggests this is more than a convenient working arrangement. When a jockey and trainer find a rhythm like that across more than 300 races, it means they are making the same decisions at the same moments. The yard clearly trusts Jones with their best horses, and Jones clearly knows how to deliver for them.

There are two other details that jump out. On fast, dry ground, Jones wins half his races — 2 from 4, which is a tiny sample but an extraordinary one. And at Windsor specifically, he has turned 3 winners from just 6 races, giving him a 50% win rate at that track. Small numbers, yes, but in racing, patterns like these are exactly what punters and trainers file away. Some jockeys simply click with certain tracks or conditions, and Windsor on a summer's day looks like it suits Jones very well indeed.

At just four years into his career, the trajectory here is striking. Nearly 280 winners, 20 top-level victories, a thriving stable partnership and a string of big-race performances at the sport's most famous venues — Jones is not one to watch for the future. He is one to watch right now.