From Bolger's allegations to Blackmore's brilliance - ten key moments in 2021

Deaths of Khalid Abdullah and Sheikh Hamdan

For more than 40 years racing in Britain and Ireland had been able to rely on the benevolence of Middle Eastern royalty, bringing not only joy to those who watched their great horses, but also helping to provide employment and wealth for a great many more.

Quiet talk about what might happen when they were no longer here became louder when Juddmonte’s Khalid Abdullah died on January 12, then louder still when Shadwell’s Hamdan Al Maktoum passed away on March 24.

Given these behemoths were representative of the vision of their two founders, what would transpire after their deaths was concerning for the sport. A shrinking, or disappearance, of either or both would have significant ramifications for horseracing through 2021 and beyond.