Flat Jockey and Trainer Championship Ante-Post View

Jockey Selection - Tom Marquand 8/1

The jockeys championship this season could be one of the most hotly contested event the sport has seen for some time with plenty of faces in with a shout.

Last year's winner Oisin Murphy is the rightful favourite at odds on 4/7 as he will pick up the most rides during the season and also have the chance to add to his ever growing roster of Group One winners.

Danny Tudhope (5/1) pushed Murphy all the way last season, taking over the north and picking up doubles and hat-tricks at the tracks that Murphy was not racing at.

However, it was not enough for him to win it but he was a valiant second and just behind Tudhope was the three time previous winner Silvestre De Sousa (6/1) that also had another good season but with his move to riding for King Power racing wasn't having as many winners as usual.

All the usual suspects along with previous winner Jim Crowley (25/1), William Buick (33/1) and all weather championship winner Ben Curtis (25/1) could all be in the frame this year in what looks an open race for the title but there is one name we have left out and that is our selection.

Tom Marquand is one of the most up and coming jockeys in the sport, riding his first two Group One winners in Australia during the off season and now looking to be the first choice for some of the top trainers in the sport.

He could have a huge breakthrough season after landing over 100 winners last year and now this term he could take that to knew heights proving his worth in the bigger contests.

He was 16/1 last month and now can be backed at a best price of 8/1 which looks huge value in this current field of jockeys.

Trainer Selection - Aidan O'Brien 2/1

The trainers championship is very different to the jockeys title with only two men really in with a shout of taking home the trophy because of the arsenal of horses they have acquired.

John Gosden and Aidan O'Brien have been best trainers in the sport for the last five years, going back and fourth with taking the big Group One races throughout the seasons.

With horses being retired you would think that this would come to an end but this is not the case and both the handlers have another strong team for the season ahead.

There is not much to split them at the top of the market with John Gosden being 1/3 odds on and Aidan O'Brien being 2/1 and overall, we think the Irishman is the person to go with, being a better value price and having a stronger team of runners.

The sires that coolmore have acquired is second to none and we should see some exciting offsprings take on the big classic races this season and we think that will be the turning point for the Ballydoyle man.