DESPITE the huge restrictions caused by the Covid pandemic which left the summer on the racetracks an often depressing place, the 2020 flat season brought a great diversity of success across many training yards and saw some new names make a big impression among the younger jockey ranks.

None more so though in the end, than the old team of Jim Bolger and jockey Kevin Manning, who reached a career milestone in Naas with his 1,600th winners. He and Bolger won the opening race of the season with Poetic Flare back in March, then landed the 2020 finale with the Teofilo colt Aiseirigh in Naas. On the week where Irish-bred and trained horses enjoyed great success in Australia and America, it was a provided a perfect symmetry to the season.