Constitution Hill made sure the best was saved for last in 2024

July

Oaks winner Ezeliya was retired following a training setback, while a high-profile meeting at Haydock had to be partially abandoned due to unsafe ground on the home turn and City Of Troy won the Eclipse at Sandown. Veteran French jockey Gerald Mosse announced the end of his glittering 41-year stint in the saddle, while Newton Abbot’s card on July 15, which was to feature the optimistically-titled Well Done England Euro Champions 2024 Handicap Chase, was abandoned due to a waterlogged track. Ralph Beckett’s You Got To Me claimed the Irish Oaks. Owner JP McManus announced the death of three-time Champion Hurdle winner Istabraq at the age of 32. Goliath closed out July with a shock King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes success, beating Bluestocking as a 25-1 shot.

August

Opera Singer was the star of the show on the first of the month, winning what looked a competitive renewal of the Nassau Stakes under an inspired Ryan Moore. On the same card her Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemate Jan Brueghel gave a hint at what was to come when winning the Gordon Stakes. Mick Appleby’s Big Evs was a popular winner of the King George Stakes, while fellow sprinter Bradsell travelled over to France for his first run in almost a year and returned with a win. Despite a strong challenge from the UK and Ireland, the Prix Maurice de Gheest stayed at home, won by Lazzat. Hayley Turner led the Ladies team in a successful defence of the Shergar Cup at Ascot. Jamie Osborne was the driving force behind Wales & The West winning the Racing League, in which his daughter Saffie was the leading rider for a third time. Roger Varian’s Charyn landed the Prix Jacques le Marois, as Charlie Appleby won the Arlington Million with Nations Pride. The Dante winner Economics was successful in France as his star continued to rise just before York’s Ebor meeting kicked off. The undoubted star of that was undoubtedly City Of Troy once more, in the Juddmonte International. Bradsell won the Nunthorpe as Vauban prevailed in the Lonsdale Cup and Content’s Yorkshire Oaks victory provided super-sire Galileo with his 100th individual Group One winner. Henry de Bromhead’s Magical Zoe won the Ebor.

Montassib stunned the Haydock crowd as he triumphed at odds of 25-1 for William Haggas in the Sprint Cup, with Tribalist shocking ParisLongchamp racegoers 24 hours later in making all to beat Charyn in the Moulin. Jan Brueghel graduated to Classic success on just his fourth career start as he won the St Leger for Aidan O’Brien and Sean Levey at Doncaster. Economics got the best of a thrilling three-way battle for the Irish Champion Stakes. Porta Fortuna secured a third successive Group One in the Matron Stakes and Kyprios again showed his star quality in the Irish St Leger. Bluestocking won the Prix Vermeille to mark herself as an Arc contender. Franny Norton ended his 36-year career in the saddle in the most fitting fashion, with a fairytale hat-trick of wins at his favourite track, Chester. Lake Victoria completed a quickfire Group One double, supplementing her Moyglare Stud Stakes win with victory in the Cheveley Park just under two weeks later. Shadow Of Light showed Godolphin could have a horse to reckon with next term by winning the Middle Park. Sir Michael Stoute announced he would retire from training at the end of the season. He will be forever associated with Shergar, the ill-fated 1981 Derby winner – but was responsible for so many other champions, with patience a key hallmark of his success, in a career that started in 1972.

October

Bluestocking was supplemented for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and justified that €120,000 decision as she took the autumn showpiece at ParisLongchamp. Makarova and Friendly Soul also chalked up British triumphs, in the Abbaye and Opera respectively, while Camille Pissarro just edged out Brian Meehan’s Rashabar in the Lagardere. Charlie Appleby may not have enjoyed a season that met his own high standards, but he rounded off in style as Desert Flower won the Fillies’ Mile and Shadow Of Light doubled up in the Dewhurst. Controversy reigned in the Cesarewitch though as Alphonse Le Grande came home first but it appeared his rider Jamie Powell had contravened the whip rules, with the horse duly disqualified the following Tuesday by the Whip Review Committee – a decision connections opted to challenge. Champions Day at Ascot saw Kyprios complete a perfect season in the Long Distance Cup, Kalapana announced herself as Juddmonte’s successor to Bluestocking and QEII hero Charyn cemented his position as the year’s top miler. The Champion Stakes itself produced a 40-1 shock as Anmaat prevailed for Owen Burrows. Jessica Harrington bagged the final British Group One of the year when Hotazhell shaded Delacroix to win Doncaster’s Futurity Trophy.

November

Lake Victoria sealed her superstar status with a spectacular Breeders’ Cup Fillies Turf success at Del Mar, overcoming a troubled run to fairly sprint to a third top-level strike, with fellow Aidan O’Brien runner Henri Matisse on the mark in the colts’ version. The Juvenile Turf Sprint produced a moment to remember for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane as Magnum Force emerged victorious. City Of Troy proved a flop on his final career start as he trailed home in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on dirt, but Rebel’s Romance in the Turf and Starlust in the Turf Sprint ensured the British party did not go home empty handed. Envoi Allen grabbed the first Grade One honours of the British and Irish jumping seasons in Down Royal’s Champion Chase. Jimmy Quinn retired on the final day of the Flat season, although there was no final win for him as Lord Melbourne lifted the November Handicap. Alphonse Le Grande was reinstated as the Cesarewitch winner following a successful appeal against the Whip Review Committee’s initial decision. Jonbon sparkled in the Shloer Chase, as Cheltenham’s November meeting was highlighted by Il Ridoto’s win in the Paddy Power Gold Cup. The fixture was, however, marred by three fatalities on the final afternoon, although a subsequent British Horseracing Authority investigation found no link between the deaths. Constitution Hill disappointed in a racecourse gallop at Newbury, with trainer Nicky Henderson later revealing his superstar was lame and would miss his intended reappearance in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle. Royale Pagaille and Grey Dawning produced an exciting finish to the Betfair Chase, with the first-named runner just too strong at Haydock. Sir Gino marked himself a possible Champion Hurdle candidate as he strolled to success in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle on a day when Paul Nicholls’ Kandoo Kid was the star turn in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.

December

Lossiemouth lived up to the hype and emerged as a serious Champion Hurdle contender when showing far too much speed for Teahupoo in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, denying Gordon Elliott’s charge a third win in the race. Elliott had better luck with Croke Park in the Drinmore. Paul Nicholls finally took the wraps off record-breaking purchase Caldwell Potter who made a lovely chasing debut at Carlisle, but poor Jack Kennedy underwent surgery for a fifth leg break. There was glory for Marco Botti in Hong Kong as Giavellotto won the Vase while home favourites Ka Ying Rising took the Sprint and Romantic Warrior a third Cup.  At Sandown L’Eau Du Sud emerged as the best two-mile novice chaser to date in winning the Henry VIII while Jonbon undoubtedly sets the standard for the older horses having excelled in the Tingle Creek. Storm Darragh caused Aintree’s Becher Chase meeting to be abandoned. Dual Champion Chase winner Energumene emerged from a long absence to win the Hilly Way Chase. All eyes on Boxing Day were on Constitution Hill as he squared off against Lossiemouth in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park. In the end there was only one horse in it, as Constitution Hill showed he is still the undisputed king after a year on the sidelines. The King George went to Joseph O’Brien’s Banbridge, ridden by Paul Townend, and there was a big winner for Harry Redknapp when his The Jukebox Man won the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase.