Harry Atkins(7)

The number on his back tells part of the story. The "(7)" next to his name is a claim — an allowance that means he carries less weight than a fully established jockey, making him an attractive booking for trainers looking for an edge. That claim is earned through experience, and Atkins has been accumulating it steadily since 2021.

His most significant partnership is with trainer Dan Skelton, one of the leading yards in Britain. From 47 rides together they have produced 3 winners — winning roughly 1 in every 16 races — which on the surface looks modest, but the volume of rides tells a different story. When a yard of that size keeps putting a young jockey up, it signals trust, and trust in this sport is currency.

The most eye-catching number in his profile is on wet and muddy ground, where he has won 1 from 6 races — a 17% win rate, nearly double his overall average. That's a small sample, but it hints at a rider who doesn't shrink when conditions get difficult. Some jockeys ride more conservatively when the ground is heavy and the risks are higher. Atkins, at least so far, appears to do the opposite.

Six winners in a season won't make headlines, but the direction of travel is the point. A win rate climbing from 6% to 9%, a growing relationship with one of the sport's top trainers, and a hint of something extra when the weather turns bad — these are the building blocks of a career going somewhere. He's not a name most racing fans would recognise yet, but that may not be true for long.