John Dixon

The horse he has worked with most is Hourless, a partnership that has now stretched to 13 races together without a win. That kind of persistence says something, even if the results don't yet back it up. Similarly, Dixon rides many of his own horses himself, with 21 races in the saddle producing no wins so far.

There is not much to dress up here — Dixon is a small, amateur operation that has not yet found its feet. But every trainer who has ever won a race started somewhere, and the fact he is still active and still running horses after four blank years suggests he is in it for the long haul. The first winner, when it comes, will mean a great deal.