Kieren Buckley

The most telling number in his record is what happens when conditions are normal underfoot. On standard ground, Buckley wins 10 from 63 races — 16%, or roughly 1 in every 6. That is nearly double his overall rate, and it suggests he rides with more confidence and timing when the ground isn't playing tricks. Plenty of jockeys thrive in testing, muddy conditions, but Buckley appears to be at his sharpest when the track is fair and predictable.

His most important professional relationship is with trainer Gavin Cromwell, and between them they have combined for 4 wins from 61 races — about 1 in every 15. That win rate of 7% might look modest, but 61 rides for a single yard is a significant vote of trust. Cromwell keeps putting him up, and in racing, that kind of steady loyalty often means more than a flashy one-off result. It is the sort of partnership that quietly builds careers.

There is, however, one stubborn footnote in his record. Buckley has ridden Come On The Lads six times and come away without a single win. Six chances, six blanks — it is the kind of run that becomes a talking point in any weighing room, and you can be sure fellow jockeys have noticed. Whether it is the horse, the timing, or just one of those frustrating streaks that sport throws at you, it stands out against an otherwise improving profile.

At 71 career winners and still improving season on season, Buckley is not yet a name that casual racing fans will know. But the trajectory is pointing the right way, and jockeys who keep nudging their win rate upward year after year tend to make people take notice eventually.