SPEAKING of Aidan O’Brien, it was another significant week as we close in on the end of a truly extraordinary year.

Champion for the 19th time in Ireland, champion for the fifth time in Britain with a record-breaking total, with that unprecedented Arc de Triomphe 1-2-3 (which counted towards neither championship), Highland Reel was his 11th Breeders’ Cup winner, his sixth Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, and his 22nd Group/Grade 1 win of the year. He probably won’t beat Bobby Frankel’s world record of 25 now, not this year, but it has been fun trying.

Then on Wednesday, the Ballydoyle horses dominated the Cartier Awards. Minding was named Three-Year-Old Filly of the Year and Found was named Older Horse of the Year, while Order Of St George won the Stayer Award and Churchill was named Two-Year-Old Colt of the Year. And to cap it all, Minding was named Cartier Horse of the Year, while Aidan himself was rewarded for his exploits in 2016 with the Award of Merit.