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Captain's Blog - 31st December 2010

As 2010 draws to a close it is time for a little bit of reflection and of course a look ahead to 2011 here on the blog.

Workforce was a stunning winner of the Derby in record time. Some were still prepared to question the validity of the win even though he won so convincingly. We were soon to find out just how good he was when he slammed both his critics and those that do not believe in the clock, by winning the Arc. Best of all, he will be back next season.

Workforce
© www.investec.co.uk

Harbinger was the best horse I saw all year on the Flat. He was running massive speed figures before he went to the King George. In that race he was simply sensational and ran the best speed figure of the year. We will not see him again, which is a shame, but he leaves us with a performance at Ascot that will not be surpassed for some while.

Richard Hughes and Paul Hanagan fought out a tense and exciting battle for the jockeys’ championship. In the end the no-frills grafter beat the tactical stylist, and Paul deserves all the accolades he has received. As for Richard Hughes he had some magical moments in defeat and his win on Canford Cliffs at Glorious Goodwood was race riding of the highest order.

Richard Hannon had an amazing year and his big wins are too numerous to mention here, but he deserved to be champion trainer and if I could afford to have a two-year-old I would send it to him. Who else would you want to train for you?

Snow Fairy cannot win the Oaks as she surely she will not stay. Palpable nonsense from yours truly as I discussed the big race with a mate. She proved me and others wrong and has gone on improving all season. Her recent win in Hong Kong was a fine way to end the year and is testament to the fine touch with fillies that trainer Ed Dunlop has.

Ryan Moore landed the Oaks and Derby double and I learnt that he is only a man of few words if you ask him stupid questions or if you ask him about his emotions. For you and I, he does not do emotion but he will talk about horses and how to ride and how to win as much as you want. With Ryan it is all about pushing the right buttons.

Tony McCoy was BBC Sports Personality of the Year after a concerted campaign from the racing industry. He deserves the award and racing needs to garner recognition from outside its own entrenched camp and this was a start. Long way to go though!

For McCoy, winning the National on Don’t Push It would have been more important than any other achievement in 2010.

Imperial Commander silenced the Kauto and Denman fans in the Gold Cup to the obvious delight of jockey Paddy Brennan. There was no fluke in the win. Maybe next year people will be waving scarves with the Commander written on them.

Binocular was a brilliant winner of the Champion Hurdle and I say so through gritted teeth having backed the runner up Khyber Kim at 144/1 on Betfair. No new conservatory at McNae towers for another year, instead another great training performance from N Henderson. Why Jim Bolger got so much stick for running and winning the Derby with a horse he said would not run (New Approach) and Henderson who did the same with Binocular got away with it will remain a mystery to me.

For me Ruby Walsh was once again the best Jumps jockey out there and by some way. That Paul Nicholls was champion trainer again is in no small part of the fact that whether in success or defeat Walsh always looks after the horses he is on and there is always another day.

It was a bad year for the industry with problems over funding and low levels of prize money dominating the headlines. Racing for Change came along and was met with predictable cynicism, but something has to be done folks and perhaps we should try to work with them rather than put up the barricades. Without the industry behind RFC they will make mistakes. In partnership they have a chance. Surely the dinosaurs have to pull their heads out of the sand soon, but don’t count on it.

Nick Luck was robbed of the Broadcaster of the Year award.

Those are just a few thoughts pertaining to the year that has just passed. As for 2011, I am looking forward to marching on with to bring you the best possible coverage of horseracing from our tracks. I also hope Leeds get promoted to the Premier League, that St Helens win the Super League and the Challenge Cup and that Wigan win nothing.

I hope I can find you more winners here on the blog than I did in 2010 and that I can have as good a Cheltenham as we did this year. But above all and God willing I hope to be writing here on the blog at the same time next year. Have a great night and I will be back with Blog one of 2011 tomorrow.

All the best to you all and here is the final selection of the year.

2.10 Uttoxeter – Ban Uisce (11/4 Betfred )