Francis J Flood

The most notable thread running through his time in the sport is his partnership with Spanish Maid, a horse he has run 18 times without success. That figure — 18 races together, no wins — is striking, not because persistence is a flaw, but because it tells you something about the patience required in this game. Training racehorses is an expensive, slow-burning business, and the willingness to keep running a horse through 18 races speaks to a belief that a breakthrough is possible, even when the results haven't come.

Flood is still early in his career, and plenty of trainers take time to find their footing. The first winner, when it comes, will mean more for having taken this long to arrive.