W J Lanigan

The most regular partnership in the stable tells a similar story. Jockey Danny Mullins has taken the ride 11 times for Lanigan without a win to show for it, which is a frustrating return for what appears to be the yard's most trusted combination. Mullins is a capable rider, so the lack of results points more to the horses needing to find a bit more than to any failing in the saddle.

There is at least one horse worth keeping an eye on. Minella Diamond has run nine times for the yard and managed one win — not a dazzling record, but enough to suggest there is something there when the pieces fall into place. One win from nine is modest, but in a quiet yard it represents the clearest sign of life.

What makes the current run harder to brush off is that it marks a step backwards. Last season Lanigan was winning at around 5 in every 100 runners — not prolific, but enough to suggest progress was being made. That number has since dropped to zero, which is the kind of dip that demands attention. Four years in, the hope will be that this is a temporary plateau rather than a trend, but for now the winners column is stubbornly empty.