Edward Smyth-Osbourne

The most telling relationship in his operation right now is with jockey Georgia Dobie. Five wins from 33 rides together — winning at 15%, or about 1 in every 6 — makes her comfortably his most effective partner. That frequency of success is noticeably better than his overall figures, which points to a genuine working rhythm between the two. When Smyth-Osbourne wants something done, Dobie is clearly his go-to.

Not everything in the yard is clicking, though. His partnership with Ignition is one to file under "work in progress" — four races together and still waiting for that breakthrough win. Whether that's a horse that needs more time, a different surface, or simply a bit of luck, it stands out as unfinished business in an otherwise developing picture.

There is a slight dip worth noting: last year his win rate sat at 14%, or roughly 1 in every 7 races, and this season it has eased back to 11%. That's not a collapse, but it's the kind of shift that a trainer will be aware of and will want to reverse. On slightly soft, wetter ground, his runners have won 1 from 6 races — 17%, or almost 1 in every 5 — which is his best surface return, and a useful thing to know when the weather turns.

At only two years in, Smyth-Osbourne is a trainer still writing his story rather than summarising it. The Dobie partnership gives him a consistent weapon, the win rate is competitive for a small yard in its infancy, and the only real question is whether this season's slight dip is a blip or a trend. For now, the smart money is on the former.