Tudhope favourite to beat the rest for second place

Bookmakers believe jockeys are only playing for second place in this year’s Stobart Flat title race behind runaway leader Silvestre de Sousa, with Danny Tudhope favourite to fill that berth ahead of bigger names such as reigning champion Jim Crowley and former three-time winner Ryan Moore.

While Tudhope is the outsider of the chasing quartet at 66-1 to overhaul De Sousa for the actual crown, the layers make the less-heralded rider favourite in the markets without the championship leader.

The champion is crowned on October 21 at the end of British Champions Day at Ascot and bookmakers have virtually handed De Sousa –29 winners ahead of his nearest pursuers – the title at odds of 1-10 or shorter.

Tudhope, supported by trainer David O'Meara, is locked on 47 winners with Ryan Moore and only two ahead of Jim Crowley and William Buick.

Ladbrokes go longest about Tudhope at 2-1 to finish second while Hills are just 6-4 despite being wary of another Crowley charge. They go 3-1 about the champion, who is as big as 9-2 elsewhere.

Nicola McGeady, of Ladbrokes, said: “Usually at this stage of the season betting on the jockeys' title tends to attract a flurry of interest, but this year it's been something of a dead market. With De Sousa's odds being so short from very early on, it is essentially a closed book now.

"The more interesting market is who can finish second-best, with any of four jockeys looking to be in with a real shout."

Bookmakers also believe Aidan O'Brien cannot be caught for the trainers' title, so much so that Paddy Power are only betting on whether he can beat Bobby Frankel's all-time record of 25 Group 1 wins in a year, for which he is 6-4.