Michael Herrington

The most interesting number in Herrington's recent record is the last two weeks. Two winners from 9 runners works out at 22% — more than double his season average of 10%. That kind of short-term spike can mean a yard has hit form, with horses sharp, healthy, and ready to run. It is the sort of signal that experienced punters notice, and it suggests now might be a good time to follow what comes out of his stable.

His relationship with Southwell racecourse is one of the defining features of his training career so far. Thirteen winners from 86 runners at that track might not sound dramatic, but when you consider how many trainers send horses there and come away empty-handed, having a genuine feel for one particular venue is a real edge. Southwell rewards trainers who understand its quirks, and Herrington clearly does.

The partnership with jockey Dylan Hogan is another thread worth following. Eight wins from 54 rides together gives them a win rate of 15% — meaning they click roughly 3 times in every 20 races, which is meaningfully better than the yard's overall average. When a trainer and jockey develop that kind of understanding, it tends to be worth noting when Hogan climbs aboard one of Herrington's horses. Then there is Down To The Kid, a horse that has won 6 of the 15 races it has run for Herrington. That is a remarkable hit rate for any trainer-and-horse combination, and speaks to how well the yard knows what suits that particular animal.

One honest caveat: his win rate has slipped from 14% last year — roughly 1 in every 7 races — to 10% this season, so 2025 has been a shade below his own recent standards. Whether the last fortnight's results signal a return to that sharper form is the question worth watching.