Mr B M Coonan

The most meaningful relationship in his book of rides has been with trainer Gavin Cromwell, from whom he has taken 18 of those 46 rides. That partnership has produced one winner, which works out at around 1 in every 18 — a 6% win rate that, while modest, is meaningfully better than his overall numbers. In a sport built on trust between jockey and trainer, keeping that relationship ticking over matters, and Cromwell's yard gives him a steadier stream of opportunities than most.

One small but genuine bright spot is his record on wet or soft ground. From 11 races in those conditions, he has ridden one winner — a 9% win rate, or roughly 1 in every 11. That may sound like a small sample, but it tells you something useful: when the ground is testing, he does not fade into the background the way his overall numbers might suggest. It is the kind of detail that a patient trainer files away.

Right now, Coonan is at a crossroads that many young riders know well. The rides are there — 46 in a season is a workload that shows people are willing to put him up — but converting them into winners is the challenge that defines whether a career moves forward or stalls. One winner from 46 rides is honest, hard work with little reward, and the next twelve months will matter