P F O'Donnell

The most compelling part of O'Donnell's record so far is the partnership with Dragon Of Malta. Four wins from 38 races together is modest on paper, but the consistency of coming back to the same horse, learning its quirks, and finding the right opportunities four separate times tells you something about patience and horsemanship. In a sport where relationships between trainer and horse can make or break a season, that kind of long-running partnership is worth more than the raw numbers suggest.

The detail that really stands out, though, is what happens when the heavens open. On genuinely wet, muddy ground, O'Donnell's runners have won 2 from 3 — that's a 67% win rate, or two wins from every three attempts. For context, most trainers would be delighted with 1 in 4 in any conditions. Whether that reflects a deliberate strategy of targeting races after rain, horses specifically suited to that ground, or simply a small sample that will even out over time, it is the kind of edge that shrewd trainers quietly exploit. At four years in, O'Donnell is still assembling the pieces. But knowing when your horses run best — and backing that knowledge — is one of the most underrated skills in the game.