Bad news for the BHA, Frankie back on top and a new champion: how 2019 unfolded

JANUARY

Under the weather
The BHA issued a pre-emptive warning of serious outbreaks of equine flu among unvaccinated horses in Europe, with positive tests in active racing yards leading to cancellations that, mercifully, were halted at 23 fixtures. In similarly sickly vein, Arena Racing issued a pre-emptive warning that it would be cutting £3 million from its executive contribution to prize money in 2019, pre-empting the turmoil that would be caused by mass closures of betting shops in the wake of the FOBT stake reduction.

Aussies not down under
Cracksman and Winx shared top honours as racehorse of the year in the Longines World Rankings, on a mark of 130, causing racing fans and number-crunchers in Britain to shake their heads in dismay. Too Darn Hot was named the top juvenile in Europe, as good a two-year-old as Frankel.

Cracksman and Winx: shared top honours as racehorse of the year

Bad news for the BHA (part 1)
The BHA incurred the wrath of the horsemen's community by ruling that all jumps horses must be fully shod when racing, although jockey Brian Hughes said that if a horse was well schooled, he couldn't care less whether they were "wearing Nikes, Dr Martens or no shoes at all”. All this was as nothing, however, compared to the uproar that greeted a fine of £140 levied on trainer Henry Oliver for waving his arms at recalcitrant chaser Burrenbridge Hotel in a bid to persuade it to jump off. Sir Anthony McCoy described the decision as "embarrassing rubbish" and the BHA admitted to having been caught up "in the heat of the social media storm".