Roger Joseph McGrath

The most notable thread running through his record so far is his partnership with Ballinrea, a horse that accounts for all five of those runs. Every race McGrath has trained for has involved the same horse, which tells you something about the scale of the operation — this is a yard working with very limited numbers, where every runner matters and every result carries real weight. Ballinrea has yet to win across those five outings together, but the fact that the horse keeps returning to the track suggests the team believe there is a performance worth waiting for.

At this stage, McGrath's story is really just beginning. Small trainers often spend their early years learning the craft race by race, and five runners over four years is a modest sample from which to draw any firm conclusions. The first winner, when it comes, will mean a great deal.