Jack Kearney

This season, though, has been a tougher chapter. Kearney has won 24 races from 291 rides — roughly 1 in every 12 — which represents a dip from the 1 in every 9 he was managing last year. The volume of rides is clearly there; it's the converting that has become harder. Whether that reflects trickier assignments, a run of bad luck, or something in his riding to iron out, the answer is probably a mix of all three. What it does show is that stables keep booking him, and in this game, that matters.

His most important professional relationship is with trainer Stephen Thorne, and the numbers there tell a much more flattering story. From 104 rides together, Kearney has won 19 times — that's roughly 1 in every 5, or an 18% win rate. That kind of partnership suggests Thorne knows exactly how to use him and puts him up on horses that suit his style. When a trainer trusts a jockey with over a hundred rides, it's not just habit — it's confidence.

One area where Kearney looks notably sharp is on fast, dry ground. He's won 1 from 5 races in those conditions, which works out at 20% — well above his seasonal average. It's a small sample, so it shouldn't be overstated, but it's worth watching as the summer comes around.

The one partnership that hasn't clicked is with Inishfallen, where four races together have produced nothing. That happens in racing — sometimes a horse and jockey simply don't bring out the best in each other, and no amount of good intentions changes it. For Kearney, the bigger picture is more encouraging: 85 winners in four years, a trainer who backs him heavily, and still young enough that a return to his better numbers is well within reach.