Seamus Neville

Where Neville does show a hint of his best form is on wet ground. On soft or muddy tracks, his horses win 2 in every 15 races — not spectacular on paper, but meaningfully better than his overall figures, suggesting he knows how to place a horse when the ground is testing.

The most striking numbers in his record, however, are the partnerships that have yet to click. His most frequent combination with jockey J.J. Slevin has produced 0 wins from 15 rides together, and his most regular runner, Sunwalk, has gone 16 races without winning under his care. Sixteen races is a long run of near-misses for any horse, and it tells you something about the patience — and stubbornness, depending on your view — required at this level of the sport. Whether those partnerships eventually pay off will say a lot about where Neville's yard is heading.