Rory Mulligan(5)

This season, though, the numbers tell a slightly complicated story. Mulligan has ridden 11 winners from 198 races — roughly 1 in every 18 — and that 6% win rate represents a dip from 9% last year. To put that in perspective, last year he was winning closer to 1 in every 11 rides. The drop is worth watching, though 198 rides in a season shows there is no shortage of trainers willing to put him up.

His most productive relationship is with trainer J P Murtagh, where the numbers look considerably brighter: 4 wins from 25 races together, meaning he wins 1 in every 6 when riding for that yard. That is more than double his overall win rate, which suggests Murtagh knows how to place him well and trusts him with horses that are ready to win.

Two other patterns are worth noting. At The Curragh — one of Ireland's most prestigious flat tracks, a wide, fair circuit that tends to suit polished, confident riders — Mulligan has won 4 times from 18 races there, a win rate of 22%, or roughly 1 in every 4 and a half rides. That is a meaningful edge over his general record and suggests the track genuinely suits his style. He has also shown a knack for slightly wet conditions, winning 2 from 17 races on soft ground, around 1 in every 8 — again, better than his overall average.

At 25 or so rides per week, Mulligan is getting the kind of experience that shapes a jockey. The slight dip this season is something to monitor rather than worry about — but the Curragh numbers and the Murtagh partnership give him two very real things to build on.