Ron Barr

The most interesting thread to pull on is his partnership with Crocus Time, which has produced 1 win from 5 races together. That might not sound like much, but when a small trainer keeps running the same horse, it usually means there is genuine belief in the animal. Watch for that combination when the conditions suit — and conditions do seem to matter here. On normal ground, Barr's runners win 1 in every 3 races, a figure that stands well above his overall average and suggests he knows when to aim his horses and when to hold back.

At this stage of a training career, patience is everything. One winner in nine might frustrate, but the 33% win rate on good ground hints that Barr is not simply making up the numbers — he is picking his spots carefully, which is often the mark of a trainer who knows exactly what he has in his yard.