Duran Fentiman

The bulk of his success has come through a long-running partnership with trainer Tim Easterby, one of the most prolific yards in the north of England. Sixteen of Fentiman's career wins have come from 248 rides for Easterby — a working relationship built on consistency and trust rather than fireworks. That kind of steady alliance matters in racing: a jockey who knows a trainer's horses, their quirks and preferences, is often worth more than raw statistics suggest.

There are two conditions where Fentiman clearly comes alive. The first is wet weather — on soft or muddy ground he has won 3 races from just 27 rides, an 11% win rate that is nearly double his season average. That tells you he either rides wet-ground horses particularly well, or the Easterby yard tends to target those conditions with their better horses when Fentiman is in the saddle. Either way, when the rain comes down, he is worth watching. The second is Chester — a tight, twisting track that catches plenty of jockeys out. Fentiman has won 3 races from just 14 rides there, which is the kind of return that suggests a genuine affinity with the place rather than luck.

Most intriguingly, the last two weeks have seen a sharp upturn in form. Three winners from 18 rides gives him a 17% win rate in that spell — nearly three times his season average of 6%, which itself has dipped slightly from 8% last year. Whether this is the start of a purple patch or just a good fortnight is impossible to say, but in racing, momentum is a real thing. Jockeys riding with confidence tend to make better decisions in tight finishes. Right now, Duran Fentiman looks like someone riding with exactly that.