Wayne Lordan

The numbers across the last twelve months tell a strong story. Lordan has ridden 56 winners from 351 races — that's roughly 1 in every 6 rides turning into a victory, a 16% win rate that would satisfy most experienced jockeys, let alone someone still in the early chapter of their career. His 228 career winners in four years suggests a rider who hit the ground running and hasn't really slowed down since.

The most telling number, though, is what happens when he rides for trainer A P O'Brien. From 191 races together, they've produced 43 wins — a 23% win rate, or nearly 1 in every 4 rides. That's a significant jump above his overall average, and it speaks to a real working relationship, the kind where horse, trainer, and jockey seem to be reading from the same page. When O'Brien's yard sends him out, you take notice.

There are also some specific conditions where Lordan genuinely thrives. On very wet, muddy ground — the sort of day when some jockeys are just hoping to get round — he has won 8 from 22 races, a 36% win rate that works out to more than 1 in every 3. That's a remarkable number. Riding in the mud is a skill of its own: the ground pulls at the horses differently, the pace of a race changes, and you need feel and timing in abundance. Lordan clearly has both. He's also made Tipperary something of a personal hunting ground, winning 3 from just 8 races there — a conversion rate that any jockey would be proud to put their name to.

At 228 career winners and still only four years in, the ceiling here looks some way above where Lordan currently sits.