Oliver Searle

His most regular berth comes alongside trainer Rod Millman, with whom he has shared 57 rides and picked up 2 winners. It is a working relationship that speaks to consistency and trust, even if the results this season have not always reflected that. In a sport where getting on decent horses depends entirely on reputation and relationships, maintaining that kind of regular booking through a difficult run is itself a sign that the people around him believe in what he can do.

The most genuinely encouraging number in Searle's profile is what happens when the rain comes. On wet or muddy ground, he has won 2 races from just 10 — that is a 20% win rate, or 1 in every 5, which is a completely different jockey to the one struggling on better ground this season. Some riders just have a feel for horses in testing conditions, knowing when to commit and when to hold back as the ground takes its toll. If that edge is real and repeatable, it is exactly the kind of niche that can rebuild momentum and get the phone ringing again.

At 3 years in, Searle is at the stage where most young jockeys either find a way to push through a difficult patch or get overtaken by the next wave coming through. The talent that produced those numbers last year is clearly still there. The question is whether this season is a blip or a trend — and on the evidence of what he does in the mud, there is every reason to think the better version of Oliver Searle is not far away.