Miss Imogen Mathias(7)

The "(7)" next to her name is worth explaining: it means she claims a 7-pound weight allowance, a concession given to less experienced riders to help them compete. Trainers booking an apprentice or conditional jockey are essentially getting a discount on the weights their horse has to carry, which can make a real difference in a race. It is one of the tools available to younger riders trying to get a foothold in the sport.

What makes this season harder to read is that she was finding the winner's enclosure last year — a 4% win rate translates to roughly 1 winner in every 25 rides, which is modest but real. Wins on the board mean trainers remember your name. Zero wins means you have to work harder to keep getting the calls. She is not yet in a position where she can afford a prolonged quiet spell, and 23 races without a winner is exactly that. The hope, for her sake, is that the second half of the season turns things around before the momentum from those previous wins fades entirely.