William de Best-Turner

The one genuine bright spot in de Best-Turner's record is his partnership with Calgary Tiger, a horse that has given the yard its only wins to date — 2 from 13 races together. That is not a spectacular ratio, but it matters enormously when you are a small operation still finding your feet. In training, your first winners are not just results; they are proof of concept, and Calgary Tiger has provided that twice. Two wins from 13 attempts also tells you that the horse is competitive at its level without being dominant — a useful, honest performer rather than a star, but exactly the kind of animal a young trainer needs in their corner.

The reality is that 15 runners without a winner over a full season is tough going, and there is no point dressing it up otherwise. But four years is still early in a training career, and the sport is full of people who ground through quiet spells before breaking through. What de Best-Turner has is experience accumulating race by race, and a yard that is clearly operational and placing horses in races. The winners will matter far more when they come than the current wait suggests.