Bullseye: It's time to reward the most memorable moments of the Flat season

October is fast approaching and Irish Champions Weekend is now behind us. That points to one thing and one thing only - the return of the Jumps. 

To many that phrase is like inhaling liquid treacle. I have friends and colleagues for whom those five words are more prized than the Holy Grail itself. Some I know would tackle the 2m hurdles course at Cheltenham on a wooden horse if it meant the Silver Trophy meeting at Chepstow was brought forward to tomorrow. A select few would scrap the entire Flat season and instead spend Derby day dreaming of Warwick’s opening 0-130 handicap hurdle.

But we’re not at that shimmering mirage just yet. Do up your tartan tunics and avast, ye scurvy National Hunt dogs. We still have the Arc, the Ayr Gold Cup, the Champion Stakes, Future Champions Weekend and, for those die-hard soft-ground fanatics, the November Handicap to go.  

That being said, if the 2022 flat season were a film, we would now be approaching the credits. The Abernant Stakes, which was won by Double Or Bubble, if your memory transcends the vast six-month epoch, really does seem a lifetime away. So with that in mind, it seems the perfect time to hand out awards for the campaign’s most memorable moments. 

Ride of the season 

Naturally I haven’t scoured through every meeting from Lingfield to Laytown. But, as is always the case, there are a few big-time performances that stick out. Ryan Moore’s belligerent effort aboard Kyprios in the Goodwood Cup is certainly up there. Of course, it helps to have a willing partner, but his strength in the saddle inside the final half-furlong to deny Stradivarius was Atlas-like in its immensity. 

Shane Crosse threw his jodhpurs into the ring with some formidable front-running fractions aboard Prince Of Wales’ winner State Of Rest, while Moore deserves another shout-out for his supreme display of horsemanship aboard Tuesday in the Oaks.

Tuesday (navy): given a great ride by Ryan Moore in the Epsom Oaks

However, there are two pieces of horsemanship that shone brightest of all. Firstly, Kieran Schofield, who went clear on 50-1 shot Calculus at Beverley in June and was never caught - no disrespect to connections, but if that horse wins again in his career it would genuinely be a surprise. Rose Dawes did a similar trick aboard the trailblazing Storm Chaser at Nottingham, but Schofield’s shades it for sheer audacity.

But top prize goes to Dougie Costello for his outlandishly bold display aboard Louis Treize at Southwell back in February. If you haven’t seen it, sit back and admire a master at work. Costello weaved his way through rivals with more patience than Arachne herself. Fortune favours the bold, and eventually a nook appeared through which Costello was able to cajole his mount. Both horse and rider arrived at the post in the nick of time to deny the runner-up by the narrowest of margins. Only through the replay could you decipher whether he had done enough for the win – now that’s what I call timing. 

Race of the season

A couple of thrillers sprang to mind, but there is one tantalising battle royale whose electric climax catapults itself to the top of list – the Goodwood Cup. So often the premier staying races give us engaging rivalries, but they pale in comparison against the Stradivarius, Trueshan and Kyprios storyline. The equine triumvirate produced a race for the ages this summer - all three held a semblance of a chance with two furlongs to go. 

The plot thickened further as Hollie Doyle, who rode Trueshan, held in Andrea Atzeni on Stradivarius. Who knows whether that was the difference between winning and losing? After all, only a neck separated the latter from Kyprios at the line. 

Stradivarius (black and yellow): took part in a thrilling edition of the Goodwood Cup this summer

That said, in Kyprios we have a stayer borne from the mold of the grinder and finder we so associate with stamina-sapping staying races. He cries enough only when those behind have hit the wall, and his bellicosity in victory on the Sussex Downs was beautiful to behold. It’s likely it took a display of notable brilliance to end Stradivarius’ unbeaten Goodwood record, and at least now Kyprios is starting to get the recognition that he deserves. 

Honourable mentions must go to the 2,000 Guineas, simply because it brought together the ill-fated Coroebus, champion two-year-old Native Trail and Ballydoyle talking-horse Luxembourg, and the Dahlia Stakes, in which Dreamloper, Ville De Grace and Ebaiyra were separated by a nose and a short-head respectively. However, for sheer excitement, nothing comes close to that tripartite duel on the downs.

Horse of the season

These aren’t official awards - that may surprise you! - so I’m shying away from both Baaeed and Highfield Princess, two who will clean up at the real award ceremonies. Instead, I’m giving the accolade to Mostly Cloudy. 

His rise up the handicap ranks hasn’t quite been in the same realm as Hunt Ball all those years ago, but it’s been a concerted and significant march towards a triple-figure rating. The assessor must have an endless supply of soap given the number of times Mostly Cloudy has slipped through his fingers, so kudos to trainer Gemma Tutty, who in her rookie season has made tremendous strides.

Baaeed: far too obvious a selection to win this prize!

Under her tutelage, her three-year-old star rose from a Redcar handicap win off a mark of 60 to contest the Lonsdale Cup off 93. Now rated 98, Mostly Cloudy has also collected a Brown Jack Handicap alongside his four other successes this campaign, and his improvement may well not have curtailed even now. 

Raasel came a close second given his consistency and victory in a Coral Charge – but as his rapid progression began last September, he doesn’t quite fall within this season’s parameters.

Miscellany of the season

This wouldn’t be a category at the Cartiers, but there are plenty who deserve acknowledgement for a fantastic few months. Eve Johnson Houghton smote the critics by producing a cortege of talent this year, overseeing the progress of Streets Of Gold, Jumby, HMS President and the exciting Rage Of Bamby. Like the removal of a particularly painful tooth, she even managed to extract another win from the reluctant Accidental Agent.

George Boughey jumped out of the stalls faster than Hungarian speedball Overdose this campaign and, although his year has tempered slightly, it’s been one to remember. A first Classic success with Cachet, three victories for the tough-as-teak Oscula and two Royal Ascot winners in Missed The Cut and Inver Park have seen him trebuchet himself to the top of the trainer tree.

A burgeoning rivalry in the jockey ranks between Harry Davies and Benoit De La Sayette has been an unexpected side dish to savour. It’s not quite Sanders v Spencer yet, but the battle for the Apprentice Championship could go right to the wire. One thing’s for sure - both will be flying high at the top for years to come. 

Finally, a word on HM The Queen, Elizabeth II. I didn’t want to dwell too long on this because more accomplished scribes than me have likely summed it up better than I ever could. However, Her Majesty was one of racing’s greatest supporters and her loss is one that will reverberate across the industry for months and years to come. No monarch will ever be as immersed in the sport of kings as the Queen. Thank you, Ma’am.