Harry Roberts counts down the top five moments of the 2020 Flat season from Magical to Enable as mares dominate his highlights from this year.
Looking back on what was the most truncated Flat season in history, we still saw plenty of spectacular racing and narrowing it down to five individual moments was not an easy task.
Without the crowds this year, it has made the focus even more about the wonderful horses that dominate our sport, which can only be a good thing, right? We'll take a rare positive. There were certainly many thrilling races to pick from and some fabulous horses missed the cut.
First of all, Sotsass winning the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe in extremely difficult conditions against what was still a classy field, despite all of the Ballydoyle withdrawals.
Another must go to Serpentine who completely stole the Epsom Derby from the front. Despite all the analysis of what jockeys did wrong in behind, you still have to go and win one of the greatest races in the world. That is exactly what Emmet McNamara did with one of the rides of the season.
The last honourable mention has to go to Pyledriver and his trainer William Muir. It was not so much one moment that had us rooting for him, but rather a plethora of performances that will live long in the memory.
The destruction we saw at Ascot in the King Edward VII Stakes was followed up in the classy way he won the Great Voltigeur at York and both were a joy to watch.
He didn't quite make the top five, however...
5. Magical repels Ghaiyyath in a classy Irish Champion Stakes
Coming into the race, all of the buzz was about the highest-rated horse of the season in Ghaiyyath. After taking down Magical in the Juddmonte International, many thought this was a foregone conclusion.
However, from the moment the gates flew open, Magical pestered Ghaiyyath’s front-running style, sitting right on his quarters up until the final two furlongs. No one thought any horse could keep up with his relentless gallop after the season he'd had, but Magical once again proved she is an absolutely incredible mare who continues to get better with age.
She could have won at least 10 Group Ones if Enable had not been around the past couple of seasons. A superb ride from Seamie Heffernan, who got the tactics spot on, as well, Magical has to be in the top five and her season might not be over yet.
The Breeders' Cup, in the Turf or the Fillies & Mares Turf, looks a likely last calling post before she heads off into retirement. If she were to win another Grade One, it would make her the most successful mare in Aidan O’Brien’s career.
4. Ghaiyyath dominates the Coral-Eclipse
This was built as the race of the season at the time.
An absolutely stellar field was dominated by Enable and her return to action as a six-year-old. Of course, John Gosden has warned the public that his superstar mare was not at full race fitness yet but that did not take away from the excitement surrounding this race in any way.
Ghaiyyath set out to make it a true test from the outset which only a couple of the horses in the race could live with. He ran them all into the ground.
This cemented his highest-rating in the world alongside the confirmation that this colt was a completely different animal this year. Seeing him charging up the Sandown hill was a sight to behold.
3. Love conquers all
There is always excitement when it comes to Aidan O’Brien’s three-year olds. Every year it's a challenge to decipher which Ballydoyle bluebloods will thrive and prosper in the Classics.
This year his undisputed best three-year-old has been Love and she could be the best O'Brien has had in quite some time. No one really knew how good she would be over the shorter distance in the 1000 Guineas but she was in a different league.
I suppose it's not just one moment that took our breath away when it comes to her but rather the whole package of her campaign. She was brilliant. Her comfortable win at Newmarket was followed up with a tremendous performance in the Investec Oaks where she absolutely routed the field.
Whilst it wasn’t clear how good the opposition was, she did win by an incredible margin and then followed it up with a superb performance in the Yorkshire Oaks capped at York.
What a shame she didn't run in the Prix de l'Arc de Tiomphe. We still don't know how good she is. That said, she will be the most exciting prospect on the Flat next season, where we will hopefully find out just that, as she takes on the spotlight from the retired Enable.
2. Hollie Doyle grabs her first Group 1
Hollie Doyle has continued to rise to the top as one of the best jockeys in the UK.
Only last week she smashed through her previous record of wins in a season with 117 and counting. Of course, it is great for a female jockey to rise to the level she has as it has been long overdue. However, more than this is she is very simply one of the best riders we have in our game.
Everyone on Champions Day was waiting with baited breath to see whether or not Hollie could grab her first Group One to elevate her stature even more and she did it in style with a power-packed ride.
In a wide-open Champion Sprint, Hollie cajoled and pushed out Glen Shiel to victory which was met with screams from the handful people allowed onto the Berkshire track.
Heading into next season, it surely is only a matter of time before Hollie becomes a retained rider for one of the premier organisations in the sport.
1. Enable wins her third King George
It is impossible to have the best moment this Flat season without including a victory for Enable.
Whilst it may not have been the strongest running of the King George, with only three runners in it, she is the only horse to win it three times which is nothing short of remarkable.
The way in which she breezed alongside Sovereign as Frankie Dettori looked behind to see Japan was never getting near was a sight to behold.
It was the perfect way for her to win her last Group One. As Simon Holt described it in the commentary box, she is simply ‘a mare in ten million’.
In amongst a dark period for the sport in general with the lack of fans and Covid dominating our lives, Enable gave us all something to cheer about in the drizzling rain.
No words can do her justice as she retires as one of the all-time great horses. All one can say for now is thank you Enable, Frankie Dettori and John Gosden for the most remarkable journey.
