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O'Brien supreme but honours spread wide in vintage 2016 season
If the main narrative of the British and Irish Flat scene collectively in 2016 has been supplied by Aidan O'Brien, the domestic campaign has been more varied in character. Certainly it has not been overwhelmingly dominated by the Ballydoyle trainer whose fifth victory in the British trainers' championship has been crushing, with a prize-money haul of more than €8 million. And further afield, O'Brien achieved perhaps the most remarkable feat of his career when saddling the first three home in the Arc.
At home O'Brien will be crowned champion on Sunday for the 18th successive season, and 19th in all. Yet there has been a notable sharing of the headlines.
It has been a memorable season for Dermot Weld, whose Epsom hero Harzand thwarted O'Brien's bid for a 12th Irish Derby win. In addition, Weld's Fascinating Rock won the Tattersalls Gold Cup, defeating Found.
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