Murray Dodd(7)

The "(7)" next to his name is worth explaining to anyone new to racing: it's an allowance, meaning he gets a small weight advantage over more experienced jockeys because he's still learning his trade. It's the sport's way of giving younger riders a fighting chance while they find their feet. Dodd has been riding since 2021, so he's still relatively early in his career — but that last-season form shows he knows how to win, which matters.

There is one bright spot worth noting. On slightly wet ground, Dodd shows a noticeably better touch — 2 wins from 15 races at 13%, or roughly 1 in every 8. That's more than double his overall rate this season, and it suggests he either rides with more confidence when the ground is soft, or he's simply been placed on better horses in those conditions. Either way, it's the kind of detail that trainers pay attention to when they're deciding who to call.

The honest picture is that this is a rebuilding season. Three wins from 61 rides won't be what Dodd or anyone around him was hoping for, and the gap between last year's numbers and this year's will be something he needs to close. But four years in, with a proven ability