The Lesters 2024 – in association with World Pool
The leading jockeys in Britain, on the Flat and over Jumps, were honoured on Sunday 22nd December at the Lesters Awards 2024, in association with World Pool, in front of an audience of over 300 guests at Newbury Racecourse.
Hosted by ITV Racing presenters Adele Mulrennan and Luke Harvey, eight Lesters were presented at the prestigious awards ceremony which celebrates the achievements of Jockeys over the past twelve months.
Graham Lee made history, becoming the first jockey to win both the RWK Goodman Jump Jockey Special Recognition and PJA Flat Jockey Special Recognition awards. To mark this unique achievement, Graham was presented with a special Silver Lester trophy, normally reserved for winners of the Flat or Jump Jockey of the Year award winners.
Champion flat jockey Oisin Murphy won his fourth career Lester award when taking home the World Pool Flat Jockey of the Year award after winning the same award in 2018 and 2019 as well as Apprentice of the Year in 2014. Sean Bowen was voted the winner of the Champions: Full Gallop Jump Jockey of the Year award. Sean appeared to be running away with the champion jockey title before injury struck at Aintree on Boxing Day. His subsequent six-week spell on the sidelines opened the door for his rival Harry Cobden to clinch the title, but Bowen’s first Jump Jockey of the Year award is a fitting recognition from his colleagues of the season he had.
Following a very tight battle for the title throughout the flat season, current champion Sean D. Bowen won the JockeyCam Apprentice Jockey of the Year award following a breakthrough year for the jockey who had only ridden in Britain once prior to the start of the year. Scottish jockey Patrick Wadge claimed the Great British Racing Conditional Jockey of the Year award after becoming only the third rider from Scotland to be crowned champion conditional jockey.
The Sky Sports Racing Jump Ride of the Year went to conditional jockey Joe Anderson who performed miracles to stay aboard his mount Transmission at Plumpton with almost two circuits to go, and delivered a big leap at the last before clearing away for a memorable victory. David Nolan’s ride took the plaudits in the Racing TV Flat Ride of the Year for a paint-scraping ride at Chester in which he showed skill, patience and strength to deliver a narrow victory aboard 20/1 shot Garfield Shadow at the Boodles May Festival. It marks the second time Nolan has won the award having been successful in 2015
The PJA congratulates all of the winners and thanks all those who attended to make it such a special evening. We would also like to say a huge thank you to all of the evening’s award sponsors and Arena Racing, who sponsored the champagne reception, without whom the event just wouldn’t be possible. We would particularly like to thank World Pool for their headline sponsorship – they have been fantastic partners not just for this event but for the sport as a whole.
We are currently working on plans for the 2025 event and further updates will be posted on this page in due course. For further information or queries, please email lesters@thepja.co.uk.
Full List of Lesters 2024 Winners:
- JockeyCam Apprentice Jockey of the Year: Sean D. Bowen
- Great British Racing Conditional Jockey of the Year: Patrick Wadge
- Racing TV Flat Ride of the Year: David Nolan, Garfield Shadow, Chester, 08/05/2024
- Sky Sports Racing Jump Ride of the Year: Joe Anderson, Transmission, Plumpton, 07/01/2024
- PJA Flat Jockey Special recognition award: Graham Lee
- RWK Goodman Jump Jockey Special Recognition Award: Graham Lee
- World Pool Flat Jockey of the Year: Oisin Murphy
- Champions: Full Gallop Jump Jockey of the Year: Sean Bowen
Photos from the 2024 event can be previewed below and are available to purchase from the event photographer. Please contact him directly on dan.pix@btinternet.com with a screenshot of the photo you would like to purchase.
