Lewis Stones(3)

The most compelling detail right now is his recent form. Over the last two weeks he has ridden 1 winner from just 5 rides, a 20% win rate that is more than double his season average. In racing, a jockey coming into form at the right moment is exactly what trainers and owners are looking for, and that kind of short-term momentum matters.

His most regular partnership is with trainer Olly Murphy, one of the stronger jumps yards in the country. Two wins from 29 rides together works out at roughly 1 in every 14 — not a headline figure, but a steady, established relationship. Volume of rides with a yard of that calibre is itself a sign of trust; trainers don't keep putting up a jockey who isn't delivering something.

Where Stones genuinely stands out is in wet and muddy conditions. He has won 3 races from 20 in those circumstances — 15%, or roughly 1 in every 7 — compared to his overall rate of 1 in 12. That gap is significant. It suggests either that he times his races particularly well in testing conditions, rides with more confidence when the ground gets soft, or simply that his main the yard place him on horses well-suited to that type of ground. Whatever the reason, when the rain comes down, Stones is a name worth remembering.

At 56 career winners and still claiming, he is at exactly the stage where conditional jockeys either push on and turn professional or fade from view. The current form suggests he is building momentum at the right time.