His profile was such that he began to be in demand at northern racecourses like Manchester and Newcastle, riding for Malton-based trainer John Scott. In a manner more akin to his modern day counterparts than some of his contemporaries, he would regularly travel up and down the country to take rides. On one occasion in 1840 he won the Chester Cup one day and rode at Newmarket next, a remarkable logistical achievement given the transportation of the time. This strategy bore fruit in the number of winners he was riding. In 1840, he rode 50 winners; in the period 1846-1848 he was creating new records year-on-year, peaking at 104 wins in 1848, the sport's first century of winners.