Nikki Evans

The recent numbers, though, are tough to spin. Over the last 12 months, Evans has had just 2 winners from 71 runners — that is roughly 1 in every 36 races, a 3% win rate that sits well below the average for a professional yard. To put it plainly, the horses are running far more often than they are winning right now, and that is something the team will need to address if the operation is going to move forward.

One area where Evans does show a slight edge is on normal ground conditions, where she has won 1 from 23 races — around 4%, a modest but genuine uptick on her overall seasonal figures. It is not a dramatic advantage, but it hints that when conditions suit, the yard can be competitive.

Perhaps the most curious figure in Evans's record is her partnership with jockey Ben Poste. The two have combined 17 times without a single winner between them — 0 from 17 is a long run without reward for any jockey-trainer pairing, and at some point both parties might reasonably ask whether a change of approach could unlock better results. That said, loyalty and consistency in these partnerships can take time to pay off, and 17 races is not yet a definitive verdict.

Evans is still a relatively young trainer in career terms, and four years is not long in a profession where experience counts for a great deal. The 23 career winners tell a story of steady, if modest, progress. The challenge now is converting that foundation into something more consistent — because at roughly 1 winner every 36 runners this season, there is clearly work to be done.