Windsor is where Phelan has made his mark most clearly. Three winners from 13 runners at that track is a 23% win rate — nearly 1 in every 4 — which is a genuinely impressive return and suggests he knows how to place his horses shrewdly when he heads there. For a yard still finding its feet at the top level, having a course you can consistently target and exploit is a real asset.
Fast, dry ground also seems to bring out the best in Phelan's string. On those conditions he has won 2 from 12 races — around 1 in every 6 — which is more than double his overall rate. That kind of split tells you something useful: when the sun is out and the ground is quick, it's worth paying closer attention to what he's running.
His most productive relationship in the saddle has been with jockey Paddy Bradley, who has ridden 5 winners from 53 attempts for the yard — roughly 1 in every 10 rides together. It's a partnership that has clearly been worth persisting with, and 5 shared winners is a meaningful tally for a trainer still in the early stages of building his reputation.
One relationship that hasn't clicked yet is with Whiskey Sunrise — 8 races together and still no win. That's the kind of record that keeps trainers awake at night, though it's as much a reflection of racing's stubborn unpredictability as anything else. Phelan is a trainer who rewards attention, particularly at Windsor and when the ground is in his favour.
| Course | Races | Wins | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lingfield Park | 55 | 3 | 5.5% |
| Kempton Park | 28 | 1 | 3.6% |
| Windsor | 13 | 3 | 23.1% |
| chelmsford | 3 | 1 | 33.3% |
| Plumpton | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Brighton | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Epsom Downs | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Huntingdon | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Stratford-on-Avon | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Newbury | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Fontwell Park | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Salisbury | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Goodwood | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Warwick | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Great Yarmouth | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Leicester | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Bath | 1 | 0 | 0% |