Sam Hitchcott

The most telling relationship in his career so far is with trainer A Bin Harmash, with whom he has ridden 53 times and come away with 3 winners. That's a win rate of around 1 in 18, or 6% — marginally better than his overall average, which suggests a degree of mutual trust has developed between the two. In racing, a stable jockey arrangement — or even an informal first-call understanding — is often how younger riders get their best opportunities, and the volume of rides from this yard hints that Hitchcott is a trusted pair of hands there.

Thirty career winners in four years is a modest but honest tally. It speaks to someone who is doing the unglamorous work — taking rides where he can get them, riding tracks and trip distances that might not suit, and slowly accumulating experience that doesn't always show up in the win column. The sport is littered with talented young jockeys who never quite break through, and the difference is usually opportunity as much as ability. At 144 rides this season already, Hitchcott is clearly getting in the saddle regularly — the winners will need to follow to keep that momentum going.