Tom Midgley

This season tells a mixed story on the surface. Six winners from 97 rides works out at roughly 1 in every 16 — a 6% win rate that might not jump off the page, but it represents an improvement on last year's 5%, and in a competitive sport, forward momentum matters. Small margins are how careers are built.

Where Midgley genuinely stands out is in his partnership with trainer Sam England. Together they have produced 5 wins from 37 races — that's 14%, or roughly 1 in every 7, which is more than double his overall average. That kind of chemistry between a jockey and a yard is no accident. It suggests England trusts Midgley on his horses, and Midgley repays that trust with results. When a trainer keeps putting the same jockey up, it usually means something is clicking behind the scenes.

Ground conditions also play a telling role in his numbers. On normal ground, Midgley wins 5 races from every 35 he rides — again, 14%, that same sharp 1-in-7 ratio. Whether the track is wet or bone dry, things get harder for him; it's on a standard surface where he looks most comfortable and most dangerous. If you're watching one of his rides, checking the ground conditions beforehand is genuinely useful information.

At 49 career winners and still improving season on season, Midgley is a jockey in the building phase — not yet a household name, but clearly one with the right habits. The England partnership in particular is worth watching. If that combination keeps producing at its current rate, it won't stay under the radar for long.