Liam Quinlan

The last twelve months tell a story of hard graft. Eight winners from 115 rides — roughly 1 in every 14 — is not the kind of number that makes headlines, but it reflects the reality of life as a jockey working their way up. Every ride is a chance to impress a trainer, and Quinlan has been putting in the hours to earn those opportunities.

His most important professional relationship is with trainer Ray Hackett, and it is one built on volume and trust. Three wins from 53 rides together — winning about 1 in every 18 — might not sound spectacular, but the sheer number of times Hackett has put Quinlan up speaks to a genuine working partnership. When a trainer keeps booking you for more than fifty rides, they believe in what you bring to the job. That loyalty matters in a sport where reputation is everything.

Where Quinlan looks most comfortable is on normal ground — the kind of conditions where a horse can stride out properly and a jockey's hands and rhythm make the biggest difference. His record of 4 wins from 36 races on a normal surface, winning roughly 1 in every 9, is meaningfully better than his overall numbers and suggests he is at his best when the ground is fair and races run to a proper pace. It is a useful calling card for any trainer looking to place a horse on a good day.

One number stands out for different reasons: eleven races alongside Roc My Haarth without a winner between them. A partnership that long without a win is unusual, and it raises more questions than it answers — but the fact that they keep lining up together suggests there is something the team sees in that combination, even if the results have not arrived yet.

At 36 career winners in four seasons, Quinlan is doing the quiet, unglamorous work that most riding careers are built on. The big days may still be ahead of him.