The races that had Members' Club subscribers clicking the 'replay' button

There are thousands of races in Britain and Ireland each year but it is not always the ones you might expect that prove most popular when it comes to watching the action back.

This year's top five most-watched replays on racingpost.com include jump and Flat races, with everything from the Derby to the Irish Arkle covered. With the season's leading stars and emerging future talent all making the shortlist, there was plenty of fascinating racing to revisit in 2022.

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1. Supreme Novices' Hurdle

Cheltenham, March 15

The opening contest of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival was billed as a a fiercely competitive Supreme yet in the end turned into nothing more than a procession.

Constitution Hill produced a demolition job, cruising to a 22-length victory for Nicky Henderson and leaving Grade 1 winner Kilcruit and stablemate Jonbon trailing in his wake.

With success in the Tolworth already to his name, the five-year-old delivered on his promise and proved he was most exciting British hurdler in recent years, continuing his unbeaten record under rules in emphatic fashion under Nico de Boinville.

Nico de Boinville: celebrates following success in the Supreme on Constitution hillCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The winner was awarded the highest Racing Post Rating of any festival novice winner and those studying the race quickly made comparisons with Honeysuckle, who was 5.78 seconds slower when claiming her second Champion Hurdle triumph.

Constitution Hill has since gone on record further devastating successes in the Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdles, but the Supreme will always remain the first time he showed the frightening depth of his talent and remains a joy to revisit.

Members can click here to watch the replay

2. 2,000 Guineas

Newmarket, April 30

The first Classic of the season is always an intriguing affair and a race well worth studying for clues for the Flat season ahead.

This year's running went the way of Coroebus, who triumphed over his better-fancied stablemate Native Trail to deliver a decisive one-two for Godolphin.

The pair settled on either side of the 15-strong field but soon drifted together to fight out the finish, with James Doyle holding off William Buick and Native Trail by just under a length.

Coroebus: fends off Native Trail and Luxembourg to win the 2,000 GuineasCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

The race proved typically classy, with both Godolphin runners going on to more Group 1 glory, as did third-placed Luxembourg, and all bar one of the field who were seen again placed or won at Group level.

It also marked a first 2,000 Guineas success for Charlie Appleby, who clinched 12 more top-level triumphs globally in 2022 to emerge as champion British Flat trainer for the second consecutive year.

Members can click here to watch the replay

3. Derby

Epsom, June 4

Desert Crown came to Epsom in June with little experience but an abundance of talent. He left with Derby glory, claiming his first and only Group 1 success in a breakthrough British Classic triumph for jockey Richard Kingscote.

Sent off 5-2 favourite despite only two previous starts, Desert Crown swept to an effortless victory and delivered a sixth Derby to trainer Sir Michael Stoute, breezing down the home straight and powering clear at the two-furlong marker. It was every bit as impressive as was hoped.

With the winner never in doubt, focus was drawn to Juddmonte's Westover, who was boxed in and denied a clear run but closed quickly on runner-up Hoo Ya Mal once seeing daylight. Westover went on to claim the Irish Derby and the 150-1 second Hoo Ya Mal showed his performance was no fluke by landing Goodwood's March Stakes two months later.

Desert Crown: yet to race since his Derby triumph in JuneCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Yet just seven of the 17 runners have won since, only two at the top level, and Desert Crown is yet to run following his Derby victory.

Targets including the King George, Juddmonte International and Champion Stakes were eventually ruled out for Stoute's star, but plans are in place for Desert Crown's return to action next season.

Members can click here to watch the replay

4. Irish Arkle

Leopardstown, Februrary 5

The Dublin Racing Festival is always popular on the year's most-replayed list and is packed with indicators for the spring festivals.

Such was the case with the Irish Arkle, won in 2021 by Energumene and this year captured by Blue Lord, who denied favourite Riviere D'Etel by a narrow margin.

A mistake at the last by Riviere D'Etel put Blue Lord in prime position, with Jack Kennedy forced to switch the grey mare to the right to avoid the back of the Willie Mullins-trained winner. A stewards' inquiry did not alter the placings and Blue Lord kept his first Grade 1, despite many feeling Riviere D'Etel was an unlucky loser.

Blue Lord (right) holds off the rallying Riviere D'Etel at LeopardstownCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

At Cheltenham, the pair would prove no match for the impressive Edwardstone, who finished more than seven lengths clear of Blue Lord in third, with Riviere D'Etel fifth.

Blue Lord bounced back in fine fashion to claim his second Grade 1 at the Punchestown festival the following month and recently struck again at the top level at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Members can click here to watch the replay

5. Spring Juvenile Hurdle

Leopardstown, February 5

Until February, it seemed certain that Gordon Elliott was on track to win the Triumph Hurdle.

Pied Piper and Fil Dor had made imperious starts to their hurdling careers and dominated the ante-post markets, yet on the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival, Vauban shot to the head of the betting with a dazzling success in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle.

Striking the front before the last, the Willie Mullins-trained French import cruised away from Fil Dor with ease, breaking the Elliott-trained runner's unbeaten record over hurdles.

It was a maiden success for the four-year-old, having been denied by Pied Piper on his previous start, but the striking improvement suggested there was more to come, and he was catapulted to joint-favourite for Cheltenham.

Vauban: cemented his Triumph Hurdle claims with Grade 1 success at LeopardstownCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

By the time March came around, Vauban was clear at the head of the market and justified expectations with victory over the Elliott pair, a success he followed up on in decisive style at Punchestown in April.

February's Grade 1 win marked the moment Vauban proved himself a top novice hurdler and, as we build towards a possible Champion Hurdle tilt against Constitution Hill, it is a race which may be well worth revisiting.

Members can click here to watch the replay

More notable top fives from 2022 . . .

Most tracked horses

Lightly run prospects and future stars topped the standings for the horses most followed in the Racing Post tracker. El Fabiolo and Maljoom, who were out for spells through injury, were the most followed runners in 2022, while punters were eager to keep on top of where top young prospects Facile Vega, Constitution Hill and Little Big Bear may run next.

1. El Fabiolo
2.Maljoom
3.Facile Vega
4. Little Big Bear
5. Constitution Hill

Most searched profiles

Form analysts and pedigree trackers were unsurprisingly studying the biggest names in racing in 2022, with Baaeed the most searched horse through the Racing Post. The remainder of the top five was dominated by jumps horses, with Grand National hero Noble Yeats creeping into the standings between last season's top hurdlers Jonbon, Constitution Hill and Honeysuckle.

1.Baaeed
2. Constitution Hill
3. Honeysuckle
4. Noble Yeats
5. Jonbon

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