Top Five Moments Of The Flat Season

Few would of expected the finish to the 2018 running of the Nunthorpe to be even tighter than last year. Cast your minds back to Frankie Dettori hushing the crowd aboard Lady Aurelia as he thought he had landed the G1 prize, but Luke Morris had other ideas, and snatched victory aboard Marsha on the line.

Yet somehow, this year’s winning margin was even narrower. Battaash once again disappointed on the Knavesmire leaving Mabs Cross - who eventually went onto win the l’Abbaye at Longchamp and the Bryan Smart trained Alpha Delphini to battle it out; the latter who won via the slimmest of photo finishes. 

(Credit Racing UK)

On a day where England made their way into the semi-finals of the World Cup by beating Sweden 2-0, there was also a Lion roaring at Sandown Park in the Eclipse.

The John Gosden-trained Roaring Lion fought hard and battled gamely to overcome the Guineas winner Saxon Warrior to give Oisin Murphy his first Group 1 success in Britain.

It was one of the races of the season, and has arguably produced the horse of the season. 

(Credit ITV Racing)

Stradivarius won his connections a £1 million bonus having won a key trial, followed by the Ascot Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale Cup.

The million was won at York in the final leg of the bonus (Lonsdale Cup), where the John Gosden trained Stradivarius had to overcome a gutsy battle with Count Octave who couldn’t give anymore in the final furlong.

He now heads to the Long Distance Cup at Ascot, looking for his fifth successive win of the season. 

(Credit - Footage Racing Uk, Tweet Champion Series)

Derby day is always one to saviour, and this year the iconic race on the unique course at Epsom was a first success for Charlie Appleby.

He trained Masar who was sent off as big as 16-1, beating De Ex Bee into second and the subsequent Juddmonte and Eclipse winner Roaring Lion back in third.

It was a magnificent performance by the Godolphin runner, but unfortunately Masar suffered an injury which would keep him out for the rest of the season. Hopefully, we see him back in training for a 4yo campaign where he will aimed at the Coronation Cup / Arc de Triomphe. 

(Credit ITV Racing)

Of course, the story of the season was the returning Enable who won back-to-back Arcs on only her second start of the season and her first back on the turf.

Sidelined all year with injury, she returned to beat a fit Crystal Ocean in the September Stakes at Kempton before travelling to Longchamp. Frankie Dettori admitted after the Arc, it wasn’t a fully fit Enable as she didn’t find as much as she used when told to win a race.

The most important thing is that she still won, and won well, and fit or not, she still has bags of ability and utter class. This daughter of Nathaniel now heads to the states to show all of America was she is all about, and fingers crossed she can return to France next season, to bid for a record third Arc. 

(Credit At The Races)