Gavin Cromwell forces way into the elite bunch through weight of numbers

The increasing grip exerted by a group of six leading trainers and a small number of leading owners has provided the dominant narrative of recent Irish jumps seasons.

It is a trend which requires continuing scrutiny, not because of an abstract academic interest in statistics, but because the sheer quantity of races won and prize-money collectively accrued by this grouping poses ongoing questions about the top-to-bottom viability of Irish jump racing, with particular implications for trainers in what is broadly termed the middle tier.

By introducing a range of races with restrictive conditions, Horse Racing Ireland has been doing its bit for trainers and owners below the top echelons.