Richard Hawker

His most regular partnership in the saddle is with jockey Robert Dunne, who has ridden 11 times for the yard and come home in front once — a win rate of around 9%, which is broadly in line with the yard's overall output. When a trainer and jockey keep returning to each other at this level, it usually means there is trust being built, even if the winners are not yet flowing freely. The horse Presenting Yeats has been the most familiar face in Hawker's string, running 10 times for the yard and winning once — a relationship that clearly means something to the team, even if the results have been a slow burn.

At this stage, Hawker is very much a trainer to watch rather than one to point to a glittering record. Four years in, with a win rate that is climbing and a settled partnership with a jockey he clearly trusts, the foundations are there. Small yards often take five or six years before they start competing consistently, so the improvement from 2024 to 2025 is the most interesting detail here — not where he is, but the direction he is heading.