Harry Atkins(5)

The claim on the number after his name — the "(5)" — means he still claims a 5lb weight allowance, a perk given to less experienced riders that makes their mounts carry less weight and can be a genuine advantage for trainers looking to give a promising young jockey opportunities. That allowance won't last forever, and the clock is ticking, which makes this current run of form all the more timely.

His busiest partnership has been with trainer Dan Skelton, one of the most active yards in the country, where Atkins has ridden 51 times and picked up 4 winners — roughly 1 in every 13. That win rate of around 8% is below his overall average this season, which tells you the Skelton rides are often tough assignments in competitive fields, and simply getting the rides at a yard of that quality is a mark of trust. Volume matters too: 51 rides in a single yard is a real working relationship, not just the occasional call-up.

Twenty-one career winners in four seasons is a reminder that life as an apprentice jockey is a grind. Rides are hard to come by, winners are harder, and most of the learning happens in races you don't win. The fact that Atkins has now found a higher gear at 12% — winning roughly 1 in 9 — suggests the experience is starting to pay off at exactly the right moment.