Tom Clover

His most reliable ally in the saddle is jockey Jack Mitchell, who has ridden 47 times for the yard and converted 7 of those into winners — a win rate of around 1 in every 7 rides. That is a meaningful partnership rather than a casual arrangement, and when Mitchell is booked, it is usually worth paying attention. The link-up with jockey Rose Cotton is much smaller — just five races together, one win — but one to watch as it develops.

Clover's record at Windsor stands out too. Three winners from 14 runners there gives him a win rate of roughly 1 in every 5, well above his overall average. Whether it is track knowledge, the type of horses he sends there, or something harder to pin down, Windsor is clearly a happy hunting ground.

The one note of caution is that his win rate has dipped this season — from 16% last year to 11% now, meaning he is winning roughly 1 in every 9 races with 23 winners from 201 runners. That sounds like a step back, but in context it may simply reflect running horses at a higher level or in more competitive fields. Interestingly, when the ground turns wet or muddy, his numbers actually improve sharply: 2 wins from just 8 races on soft or heavy ground works out at 25%, or 1 in every 4. For a trainer still in the early stages of building a yard, those wet-ground figures hint at a real eye for placing the right horse in the right conditions.

Five top-level wins before most trainers have truly found their feet. Tom Clover is worth watching closely.