Conor Clarke

That number tells a story that is common among young jockeys working their way up: the rides are there, but the quality of horse beneath you makes an enormous difference, and at this stage of a career, you tend to be aboard horses that need everything to go right. Clarke's win rate has also nudged downward, slipping from 3% last season to 2% this time around, which is the wrong direction — though the margins at this level are small enough that a handful of winners could shift the picture quickly.

His most regular partnership has been with trainer Emmet Mullins, where he has had 14 rides without a winner. That is a significant chunk of his season going without reward from what should be a key relationship, and it will need to produce results if Clarke is to build momentum. The one area where the numbers hint at something more promising is on wet or muddy ground, where he has won 1 from 15 races — a 7% win rate, more than three times his overall average. That is a slim sample, but it at least suggests there is a version of Conor Clarke that can get the job done when conditions suit.

At four years in, the clock is not yet ticking loudly. Most jockeys take time to find their footing, and the fact that he is getting regular rides means yards still see enough to keep putting him up. But the next twelve months will matter. Winners build confidence, confidence builds better rides, and better rides build careers. Right now, Clarke needs that first domino to fall more regularly.