SHOULD the Horse of the Year be the best horse of the year? Or can the level of achievement of one, outdo the obvious brilliance of another?

There have been times, on public voting panels, where it is the most popular candidate that wins not the best. Sergeant Cecil was Horse of the Year in Britain some time ago, because he achieved something out of the ordinary, albeit at handicap level.

There can be little doubt that Almanzor was the best horse that raced in Europe this year. His French Derby and two Champion Stakes wins, complimented by Found’s win in the Arc win, leave no room for debate.

At Leopardstown he beat Minding by three and a half lengths, and even if there was a track bias, and she had a less than ideal run, it would be difficult to say she was an unlucky loser.

But forget the race she lost and look at what she won. Put it into context in the course of a season. She ran in six Group 1 races, won a classic over a mile and a mile and a half, smashed her sinus when just losing the Irish Guineas by a head on soft ground. She held her form from May to October, winning on ground from yielding to soft, to good to firm. And at the end of a long season, she even had the QEII won at seven furlongs.

She is well clear in the Cartier Awards by virtue of her five Group 1 wins this season.

If there was a public poll for Horse of the Year, she might well come out on top.