Nigel Thomas Slevin

It wasn't always this quiet. Last year Slevin managed a 5% win rate, meaning roughly 1 in every 20 of his runners found the winner's enclosure. That's a modest return by any measure, but it was something to build on. This season, that number has fallen to zero, and with 57 attempts behind him, the drought is starting to feel significant rather than just unlucky.

His most regular partnership has been with jockey Paddy Cleary, who has ridden 13 of those runners without a win between them. Thirteen rides is enough of a sample to say this combination hasn't clicked yet, though both will be hoping the scoreboard changes before the season is out. Four years into training, Slevin is still in the phase where every yard needs results to attract better horses and keep owners onside — and right now, those results aren't coming.