Georgia Cox on her love of pedigrees - and a new project

I've always loved dissecting pedigrees and I love finding the traits that the sires pass down through their progeny. It's like working a puzzle out; the more of the pieces you can fit together the clearer picture you have on the horse as an individual.

I wouldn't say I pigeonhole things but I'd have lists in my head from patterns I've found - that could be from riding them to watching racing or from statistics and results.

There are progeny that benefit from when the ground conditions are at either extremes. This is where looking at all results of the winning stallions, or seeing what beaten fancied runners are by, helps.

Georgia Cox has found pedigrees a useful tool in assessing her ridesCredit: Edward Whitaker

There is always a pattern to find, from progeny that tend to improve from the help of some headgear to those that tend to be fussy at the stalls, to what track they might suit, to stallions that have good results on the all-weather, or some that don't have any form on it at all, what trip they might want, whether they tend to be free-running horses or very much behind the bridle, which ones usually need time and which are early types. It all comes with spending so much time with them.

Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, but a huge amount of the time it's right and has helped me a lot in my everyday work. I can look at a pedigree on paper and that will give me a huge indication as to what I'm getting on, and I'll almost get an outline in my head as to what they are going to be like.

It's all your own feel but, when it comes to horses, I have the memory of an elephant, which comes in handy. In the past few years I've done the Tatts sales with William Haggas and Maureen, and then this year with the boss [John Gosden], Thady and the likes of Tom Goff and Ted Durcan. The years of experience between them is paramount and they have all been a huge help to me.

I try to read as much as I can, great books like Horse Trader - all about Robert Sangster and his explosion in the bloodstock industry in the 1980s - and magazines and statistical websites like Arion and Equineline. I follow everything informative I can get my hands on, including listening to the Nick Luck podcast so I can't hear myself breathe while I run.

You have worked at some big stables. What are the best lessons you've learned?

Success follows good people and one of the great things about the camaraderie of the racing world is the amount of different people you meet and can learn from. I have also been fortunate enough to be around so many blue-blooded pedigrees and just pure raw talent.

Now being based at Clarehaven, every which way you look there are marble plaques up above their boxes of past Group winners who once occupied that stable.

I walked into Somerville Lodge in 2013 and left last year having gained a tremendous amount of knowledge. I almost feel that within my time there I managed to do my own little version of the Darley Flying Start course.

Sea Of Class: Group 1 filly was a firm favourite at homeCredit: Ian Headington

I've been to Dubai, the Breeders' Cup and Australia, working for Gai Waterhouse for four months. I've ridden in Sweden, France and Barbados, and I'm planning on flying to Ireland for the Irish Stallion Trail in January.

I left having learnt how to cover many roles in the yard, from head lad to assistant, from writing the newsletter that goes out to all the owners to doing trot-ups with the vets and having regular sessions with Yogi Breisner. It's where you learn how to do everything the proper way with no cutting corners, living by the saying 'fail to prepare, then prepare to fail'. I've grown up and worked for workaholics and that has stood me in good stead.

I have also been lucky to have ridden the likes of Sea Of Class, and Sea The Stars is my favourite stallion. They tend to have big ears to go with their big characters, very well balanced, athletic individuals who rise to the occasion. I'm absolutely convinced he will have more Epsom Classic winners.

It's been a quiet year race-riding wise. How have you found it?

I'm hugely grateful for all the opportunities I've had and the opportunities I still get.

I have loved riding for all the owner-breeders as they fascinate me - I love going through pedigrees in depth. Knowing pedigrees can help to give good feedback after riding, and race-riding gives you a wider insight that not everyone has about what horses suit what tracks and what you're looking for when buying.

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