I’ve made my best ever start to the season, I’m on 18 winners already and am well up on rides too.

Usually at this point of the season I have a handful of winners to my name, but I’m going all out this year with a century of winners and more Group 1 success the main aims.

I probably could have sealed 100 winners in 2015, but accepted an invitation to the jockeys’ challenge in the Caribbean, which was a great experience and it was an honour to be selected. Hopefully this year I can reach that landmark.

I am also feeling healthy and I’ve never been fitter. I owe that to Dr George Wilson, who works at Liverpool John Moores University.

George has worked with other jockeys, such as Franny Norton, and has been a huge help with my diet. I used to have to work quite hard in trying to control my weight with much time spent in the sauna. It's been a different story this season. My weight has never been so level and has been easy to manage.

He also has devised a fitness plan, which combines everything from running, cycling to walking, and has made me think about when to exercise too – as soon as you wake up is the best time apparently and it’s certainly working for me. I couldn’t speak highly enough of George, especially as jockeys' diets and health are very topical at the moment.

It means I can concentrate solely on my riding. I feel very focussed and raring to attack the season. Michael Dods, my principal trainer, has his biggest string now, with more than 100 horses and we are up on the quality too.

Aside from Mecca’s Angel, who supplied me with my first Group One winner at York last year, and Easton Angel, runner-up to Acapulco in the Queen Mary, our two big hopes, we also have another angel. Literally.

Another Angel made her debut at Redcar a few days ago and we think she could make into a really nice two-year-old, while Ambriel, who was fourth to subsequent Racing Post Trophy winner Marcel at Newcastle in August is another to watch out for. She went on to win at Ayr and is a filly we really like.

Lord Of The Rock is a horse I flagged up in the column a few times last year and a horse we have always thought the world of. He’s been gelded over the winter and it’s been the making of him.

He won the Spring Mile in a faster time than the Lincoln earlier this month and he really could be anything. Hopefully he’ll be making his mark in pattern races.

In the more immediate future, I have picked out two at Thirsk today.

Hernandoshideaway, one of the leading fancies for the Melrose at the Ebor Festival, has been found a good starting spot for the season in the Eileen House 80th Birthday Handicap.

Things didn’t go his way at York that day and he might have had enough by the time he ran at Newmarket. He’s had a fantastic winter and has been working nicely.

Pomme De Terre, who lines up in the Book At thirskracecourse.net For Discounted Entry Handicap, will love the ground and he’s wintered well too. Michael’s horses are pretty forward so I’d expect two good runs.

Looking further ahead, keep an eye out for My Name Is Rio, who runs in the Riu Palace Meloneras Handicap at Pontefract in Monday. He needed his first run back when fourth at Doncaster and has come on a lot for it. He will be hard to beat.