John O'Shea

The last 12 months have been tougher, though. O'Shea has sent out 126 runners and come back with just 6 winners — that's roughly 1 in every 21 races, or a win rate of around 5%. To put that in perspective, his yard was winning closer to 1 in every 12 or 13 races last season, so this dip is noticeable. Whether it's the horses he's been given to work with or just a rough patch, it's the kind of season where small improvements could make a real difference.

One bright spot is his working relationship with jockey William Carson. The pair have teamed up 33 times, producing 2 wins together — around 1 in every 16 rides. That's not a barnstorming partnership by any measure, but there's clearly a working understanding there, and O'Shea keeps putting Carson in the saddle, which suggests he trusts the combination. One partnership that hasn't clicked at all is with Forever Glamorous — six races together and still waiting for that first win. Six attempts is enough to say it simply hasn't happened for them as a pairing, at least not yet.

Where O'Shea does show a genuine edge is on normal ground — the kind of conditions you'd call a fair, standard track. On those days, his horses have won 3 from 38 races this season, an 8% win rate, or roughly 1 in every 13. That might not sound dramatic, but it's noticeably better than his overall numbers, and it suggests his horses are prepared and well-suited when conditions aren't throwing any surprises at them. If you're watching one of O'Shea's runners on a dry, straightforward afternoon, it's worth paying attention.

Still only four years in, O'Shea is very much a trainer on the way up rather than one at the peak of his powers. The current dip in form is something to watch, but 58 career winners in under half a decade is a real achievement, and there's every reason to think the yard will find its rhythm again.