Josh Williamson(5)

The most telling number in Williamson's record is how often he wins when riding for trainer Gordon Elliott. From 88 rides together, they have combined for 15 winners — that's 17 wins in every 100, or just under 1 in every 6. For context, that's noticeably better than his overall rate, which tells you this isn't just a jockey getting lucky on good horses. Elliott is one of the shrewdest operators in the sport, and he doesn't keep putting an inexperienced rider up unless he's seeing something he likes in training. That kind of trust from a big yard is one of the clearest signals that a young jockey is genuinely progressing.

There's also an interesting pattern emerging when the ground turns soft underfoot — wet, testing conditions that many riders and horses find uncomfortable. In those 26 races on softer ground, Williamson has won 5 times, a win rate of 19%, or close to 1 in every 5. That's a meaningful step up from his usual numbers and suggests he rides with a certain patience and confidence when the race slows down and tactics matter more. It's a small sample, but it's the kind of detail that sticks in a trainer's mind when they're deciding who to call.

At 34 career winners and three years in, Williamson is still very much a work in progress — but the trajectory is encouraging. The partnership with Elliott gives him access to quality horses and big occasions, and his numbers on wet ground hint at a rider who thinks as well as he rides. The 5lb claim he carries is an advantage that won't last forever; the interesting question is whether he's building the foundations to keep winning when it's gone.