'I've been getting better rides and better chances' - shift in focus paying off for Ben Curtis

Ben Curtis is relishing the prospect of a strong book of rides at Haydock on Saturday after a mid-season change in approach helped him rediscover the winning thread.

Curtis is among the most in-form jockeys in the weighing room, with 17 winners from his last 58 rides at a strike-rate of 29 per cent. As a result of his run of form, the rider has catapulted himself into sixth in the Flat jockeys’ championship with 58 victories.

Last year, Curtis missed the final months of a season after undergoing shoulder surgery and rehab. Having only returned in April, the rider said he felt owners and trainers had been understandably seeking assurances that he was fully over the injury before booking him for rides, which contributed to a slower-than-desired start to the season.