Andrew Mullen

His most important professional relationship is with trainer Iain Jardine, and the numbers tell an interesting story. Fifteen wins from 186 rides together — about 1 in every 12 — might not sound spectacular on paper, but 186 rides is a serious level of trust. When a trainer keeps putting you up race after race, it means he rates you. That kind of loyalty is the foundation most riding careers are built on.

Mullen has also shown a knack for wet or muddy ground, winning 1 from 7 races in those conditions — a 14% return, or roughly 1 in every 5. That's noticeably better than his overall rate, and it's the sort of edge that punters and trainers quietly take note of. When the rain comes and others are uncertain, knowing a jockey handles those conditions well is genuinely valuable.

Chester is another spot worth flagging. Three winners from 15 rides there gives him a 1-in-5 record at a track that sorts out the good riders from the great ones. Chester's tight, almost circular layout rewards tactical intelligence and cool nerves — it's not a place where raw momentum bails you out. Mullen clearly finds something to like about it.

One curiosity in his record is the partnership with Gemini Man — three races together, no wins. It happens in racing, and it doesn't define anything, but it's a reminder that even the most productive jockeys have horses they simply haven't clicked with yet. Everything else in Mullen's recent record suggests a rider who is building steadily and knows exactly what he's doing.