The most interesting number in Fairley's early career is not his overall record but what happens when he rides for trainer Ewan Whillans. That partnership has produced 4 wins from 23 rides together — roughly 1 in every 6 — which is nearly three times better than his wider average. That kind of chemistry between a young jockey and a specific yard is worth paying attention to. When a trainer keeps putting the same jockey up, it usually means they trust what they see at home on the gallops, not just on race day.
Fairley has also shown a particular affinity for Wolverhampton, winning 3 of the 10 races he has ridden there. For context, that is a 30% win rate at that track alone — striking for any jockey, let alone one still in his debut season. Wolverhampton is an all-weather, floodlit circuit that runs year-round and suits horses and riders who can handle its tight, turning nature. Fairley clearly handles it well.
There are early signs too that he performs above his average when conditions turn soft underfoot — 1 win from 6 races on wet or muddy ground gives him a 17% win rate in those conditions, matching his numbers with Whillans. It is a small sample, but it is a detail to file away as his career develops.
Five winners from 77 rides in under a year tells you this is a jockey at the very start of his story. The overall numbers are modest, but the patterns within them — a productive trainer partnership, a track he dominates, and a debut season already on the board — suggest there is something genuine here. Most careers that go somewhere start with exactly this kind of quiet accumulation.
| Course | Races | Wins | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle | 32 | 1 | 3.1% |
| Musselburgh | 14 | 1 | 7.1% |
| Wolverhampton | 10 | 3 | 30% |
| Ayr | 8 | 0 | 0% |
| Southwell | 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Hamilton Park | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Carlisle | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Thirsk | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Redcar | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Newmarket | 1 | 0 | 0% |