Donagh Murphy(7)

The most interesting thread in his record so far is the relationship with trainer Richard Hughes. Of Murphy's 33 rides for the Hughes yard, 4 have won — a win rate of about 1 in 8, which is noticeably better than his overall average. That kind of regular booking from an established trainer is often the clearest sign that someone in the weighing room is being taken seriously. When a trainer keeps putting you on horses, it usually means they like what they see.

One detail worth watching is how Murphy performs when the weather turns and the ground gets wet and heavy. In those conditions he has won 2 races from just 11 rides — roughly 1 in every 5 and nearly double his usual rate. It is too small a sample to draw firm conclusions, but it hints that he may have a natural feel for riding on a softer surface, the kind of thing that tends to get noticed as the season wears on.

At this stage of his career, the numbers are less important than the trajectory. Eleven winners from a first full year of riding, a growing partnership with a respected trainer, and a possible edge in tricky conditions — that is a decent hand for any young jockey to be holding.