Mr P W Mullins

The partnership with trainer W P Mullins — and yes, the shared surname is no coincidence, this is very much a family affair — has been the engine room of his career. From 112 races together they have won 33, a win rate of 29%, which works out at nearly one in every three rides. That kind of trust between a jockey and a yard is earned, not handed out, and it speaks to how consistently Mr P W Mullins delivers when given the right horse under him.

What really sets him apart, though, is what happens when the weather closes in. On wet or muddy ground he has won 9 of just 21 races — that's 43%, or nearly one in every two rides. For context, anything above 25% is considered strong in this sport. Whether it is something in his riding style, his patience, or simply a knack for getting horses relaxed when conditions get testing, the numbers suggest he is genuinely a different proposition when the ground is soft.

Then there is Downpatrick. Five winners from six races at that track is the kind of local dominance that starts to feel like something beyond coincidence. Some jockeys simply click with certain tracks — the bends, the camber, the rhythm of the place — and Downpatrick appears to bring out the very best in him.

Still only four years into his career and already a winner at Cheltenham and Aintree, Mr P W Mullins looks less like a jockey still finding his feet and more like one beginning to operate at a level that will define him for years to come.