Tina Jackson

The most telling number on Jackson's CV might be her record at Pontefract. Three winners from just 6 runners at that track — that is half her horses winning there — which is a remarkable return for any trainer, let alone one still in the early stages of her career. Some trainers spend decades without cracking a particular track. Jackson appears to have found an affinity with Pontefract almost immediately, and it is the kind of edge that is worth paying attention to.

Her eye for conditions also stands out. On slightly soft ground — when the surface has a little give underfoot after rain — she has won 2 races from just 5 attempts, a 40% win rate. For context, most trainers would be delighted with half that figure. It hints at a yard that understands its horses, knows when the ground suits them, and picks its spots carefully rather than running them wherever a race comes up.

The partnership with jockey Joanna Mason has been central to her season. Together they have combined for 5 wins from 27 rides — winning roughly 1 in every 5 times they team up, or 19% — which puts them comfortably above the yard's already-improving overall figures. That kind of consistency between a trainer and jockey usually means genuine communication: Mason likely knows what Jackson wants, and Jackson trusts Mason to deliver it. Meanwhile, the long-running association with Jamih — 4 wins from 37 races together — tells its own story. Thirty-seven races is a serious commitment to a single horse, and four wins from that relationship suggests a patient, methodical approach rather than a team chasing quick results.

Jackson is four years in, winning at a rate that is improving every season, with a standout track, a reliable ground preference, and a jockey partnership that clicks. The foundations look solid.