Jockey Sammy Jo Bell making a noise this season

Having blazed a trail when sharing the apprentices’ title in 2005, even Hayley Turner is this season having to hand top billing to another rider, but it’s not her old rival Cathy Gannon who has been the most successful female so far in this season’s newly-shortened jockeys’ championship.

Not only is Sammy Jo Bell the leading lady so far in this season’s championship, but the 24-year-old is also the leading apprentice overall with 14 victories from just 63 rides – her impressive 22 per-cent strike rate putting her ahead of Cam Hardie - having ridden four winners in two days last week while most eyes were on Royal Ascot.

Bell is realistic about her chances of maintaining her advantage in the apprentices’ title race all the way to QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot, but is nevertheless relishing her current hot streak of form.

“I would never have believed I would be in this position at the start of the season, but it’s been brilliant and I’m loving it,” she told Sporting Life. “Ultimately my aim is obviously to ride out my claim and make it as a professional, but I’m keeping my feet on the ground. The championship is only decided on winners, and obviously I’d also like to be getting on nice horses in bigger races too, so it’s not the be-all and end-all, but it’s a massive thrill.

“I was talking to my Mum the other night and she said ‘How are you going to keep it going from here?’ and I said I didn’t know, but that I’d rather have got this far and had the chance to do it than never had the chance at all. We’re only a couple of months in and it’s going to be hard to keep the winners going now, but I’m giving it everything and I’ve got my agent Richard Hale helping me out too.”

Bell is no overnight success, having been based with Richard Fahey’s Musley Bank stable since the start of 2013 after learning her trade in Ireland.

“I left school when I was 17 and spent six months with Jim Bolger. It was an amazing experience and Mr Bolger is an incredible man, but with hindsight I’m not sure it was the best place to start off as I was a bit inexperienced and had to learn a lot in a short period of time,” she explained.

“After that I spent three and a half years working for Kevin Prendergast at the Curragh. It was a brilliant time, I learnt a lot, and Mr Prendergast gave me opportunities to ride and I rode 10 winners for him.

“In 2013, I was looking for a chance to ride in Britain, where there is more racing and greater opportunities for apprentices, and that’s how I came over.

“Life is great at Richard’s although he does keep you busy – I ride about eight lots a day! I don’t ride out for anyone else, but we have a large number of horses at Musley Bank, so there’s always lots to do. I live just down the road, so it’s not as if I’ve got far to travel. Sometimes it’s hard to get up early in the morning when you’ve been riding the night before at an evening meeting and you don’t get back home until late, but it’s just what you’ve got to do.”

A big contributer to Bell’s success has been sprint handicapper Arctic Feeling, with whom the rider has developed a relationship based upon a mutual affection!

“He’s just an absolute legend and I’ve won five races on him, including a big sprint at York last October,” she said.

“He’s a horse who really helped get things going for me and I’m very grateful to have been given the chances to ride him. It helps that he’s such a gentleman too and I love him to pieces. Every jockey needs a horse like him who keeps giving you his all and helps get your name noticed.”

Just as delighted with Bell’s slick form is Fahey himself, who has watched her improve as a jockey since joining the stable.

“I’m thrilled because she works hard for it and deserves the chances,” said the trainer. “She’s been getting some help from her coach, Tom O’Ryan, on the Equicizer and I think that is reaping its reward.

“We’re not short of horses for her to ride and I just hope she keeps riding winners for me!”

Bell agreed that the extra coaching from O’Ryan, whose brother Robin is Fahey’s right-hand man at the yard, had proved valuable, but admitted that her own worst critic was closer to home.

“I record every race I ride in and watch them back again and again – I don’t think I’ve watched a ride of mine yet that I’ve felt really happy with!” she said. “I know some might find it a bit silly, but trying to improve every element of your riding is important, and I’m still learning!”

Bell rides next at Leicester on Tuesday evening. Whether she can add another win to her total or not remains to be seen, but the TV will evidently be recording in any case. Such attention to detail can only be admired.