'Disappointing' - Jason Hart accuses Great British Racing of north-south divide with Cock O' The North snub

The Group 1-winning rider is due to collect the famous cap and prize for the north’s leading rider at Doncaster this afternoon – having won it for the second year running.

But he was shocked to discover that GBR would not be promoting the achievement or providing the traditional winners’ cap, which has been won in the past by the likes of Eddie Hide, Kevin Darley, Joe Fanning, Paul Mulrennan and Danny Tudhope.

The award is given to the jockey with the most wins at the 15 northern and Scottish Flat tracks – Chester, Beverley, Catterick, Doncaster, Pontefract, Redcar, Ripon, Thirsk, Wetherby, York, Carlisle, Newcastle, Musselburgh, Hamilton and Ayr – and Hart feels the north doesn’t get a far crack of the whip.

He told The Yorkshire Post: “It is disappointing because of the fact that when it comes to Great British Racing there is so much of a north-south divide.

“They never seem to give the north any attention whatsoever. There’s a lot of good jockeys, a lot of good trainers and a lot of good owners in the north, you can include Scotland in that as well.

“There’s a lot of good people and I think Great British Racing have really let themselves down with the divide they have created.

“A few southern jockeys at the start of the year would be asking ‘who is going to be the Cock O’ The North this year?’

“It is a prestigious award that has gone on for years. Joe Fanning has won it plenty, Paul Mulrennan, Danny Tudhope, but they have shown they only really cater for one side of the divide.”

Fortunately, thanks to some frantic work behind the scenes, there will be a cap for the Hawick-born rider to collect at Town Moor today.

He said: “I think a lot can be learned from the situation. Great British Racing are there to promote great British racing, not just southern events.

“It is only a small thing but shows what they are about.

"For them to pull out of it, well I think they have really let themselves down.”

Great British Racing have been approached for comment.

Looking back over the season as a whole, Hart, who had 89 winners ahead of yesterday’s meeting at Newcastle, said: “It’s good to win it for a second year, I have proved one year wasn’t a fluke and it is nice to do it again.

"It’s a thing that has been going on for a long time and some good jockey have won it so it is nice to have done it twice.”

Hart credits his long-standing agent Alan Harrison with helping him get on the right rides.

He said: “I have been with my agent since the start and we have a good understanding. He knows I like to work hard and he is the same and does a tremendous job to keep everything smooth.

“There are times where I could ride three or four horses in the race and he does a good job of picking the right one for me whilst not upsetting the others I could ride for.”

Hart, who famously rode Malton trainers’ John and Sean Quinn’s Highfield Princess to all four of her top-level victories is hoping he can discover another star ride next season.

He said: “I have probably been lacking a horse to complete on that kind of stage. Those kinds of horses are hard to come by and they tend to be in the same king of yards.

“But there have been some good winners along the way and as long as I am busy I am happy."

Having landed the northern crown again, Hart is ready for a short break but is already looking ahead to January when everyone’s stats go back to zero and he sets off in search of the hat-trick.

He said: "It would be nice wouldn’t it?

"Hopefully, we can find a couple of nice horses for next year and we can give it another crack.”