Rhys Elliott(5)

The numbers tell an honest story. Twelve months ago Elliott was winning around 1 in every 13 races, a solid return for a conditional jockey still learning his trade. This season that has slipped to 12 wins from 294 rides — roughly 1 in every 25 — and working out what has caused that dip will be the puzzle he and his team need to solve. Volume is clearly not the issue; nearly 300 rides in a year is a healthy book of business, which suggests trainers rate him enough to keep putting him up. Converting those opportunities is the next step.

His most consistent relationship is with trainer Michael Dods, for whom he has ridden 58 times and come home in front on 3 occasions — about 1 in every 19 rides. That might not sound spectacular, but a trainer of Dods's experience does not keep booking a jockey out of habit. There is clearly something he likes about the way Elliott operates.

One thing that does stand out is his record at Ripon. Three winners from just 8 rides at that North Yorkshire track means he is winning more than 1 in every 3 races there — a remarkable return that suggests the tight, turning nature of the course suits his style. When a jockey thrives at a specific track like that, it is usually because they understand exactly where to be in a race and when to ask their horse to pick up. It is a skill worth watching.

Ground conditions also seem to play a role. On normal going he wins at around 7% — 6 from 85 races — which is noticeably better than his overall season average. Elliott is two years into what could be a long career in the saddle. The raw ingredients are there. The task now is turning a promising start into something more consistent.