Joshua Thompson(5)

His most important professional relationship is with trainer Micky Hammond, one of the north's most respected yards. From 75 rides together they have combined for 5 winners — about 1 in every 15, or 7% — which sounds modest until you consider that Hammond runs a large, competitive operation and that simply being the yard's trusted claimer is a meaningful vote of confidence. When a trainer keeps putting you up race after race, it tells you something.

Kelso is quietly emerging as Thompson's happiest hunting ground. Three winners from 15 rides at the Scottish track — 1 in every 5 rides there — is a noticeably better return than his overall average, and that kind of course form is exactly what more experienced trainers look for when deciding who to book. Jockeys who can consistently deliver at specific tracks become genuinely valuable, because racing is often won in the details.

The one notable blot in an otherwise encouraging picture is his record aboard Shadowfax Of Rohan: five races together, no wins. That sort of partnership can happen for all kinds of reasons — bad luck, unsuitable conditions, or simply a horse that has not found its form — but it is a reminder that even the most promising young riders cannot always make things click.

Overall, Thompson is at the stage of his career where the pieces are starting to come together. The win rate is climbing, the track record at Kelso is building, and the Hammond connection gives him a steady platform of rides. Twenty-five winners in four years is a decent foundation. The next question is whether he can turn steady progress into something more eye-catching.