G M Lyons

The overall numbers tell the story of a trainer who is building steadily and building well. In just four years, Lyons has sent out 255 career winners, and over the last twelve months has won with 49 from 359 runners — roughly 1 in every 7. That 14% win rate is solid, though it represents a step back from last year's 21%. Whether that's a sign of running more horses at a higher level, or simply a slight dip in form across a long season, is worth watching. What's not in doubt is the recent momentum: 2 winners from just 5 runners in the last fortnight is a 40% hit rate, well more than twice the season average. Something is clicking right now.

The partnership with Colin Keane is the engine room of the operation. Twenty-eight wins from 187 rides together — winning at 15%, just better than 1 in every 7 — makes Keane clearly the go-to jockey, and that level of consistency across nearly 200 rides together suggests real trust on both sides. When a trainer keeps booking the same jockey at that volume, it tends to mean the communication between yard and saddle is working.

The individual horse to watch is Faiyum, who has won 3 from 5 races when partnered with Lyons. Three wins from five together is a striking record — it means Faiyum is succeeding in more than half of the attempts, which for any horse at any level is exceptional. That sort of ratio usually points to a horse that has been placed in races it can win rather than punched above its weight, which is itself a mark of good training judgment.

One small but interesting detail: on wet or muddy ground, the yard has won 1 from 3 races — a 33% win rate, or 1 in every 3 — which hints that Lyons isn't shy about running horses when conditions turn soft. A trainer four years in, already owning a top-level winner and clearly in sharp form right now: the next few months could be telling.