The 20 most influential racing figures of 2020 - and why they belong on the list

They are the people who made it happen. In a year more frightening and fraught for racing than any before, these are the individuals whose influence was greatest. Many outside racing had a major say on how the sport fared in 2020, not least politicians in and out of government. These, however, are the people within British and Irish racing who proved to be most essential to an astonishing story.

1 Dr Jerry Hill and Dr Jennifer Pugh

In a year in which healthcare staff and scientists came to the fore, racing can salute two of its own as crucial players in shaping the sport's initial response to the pandemic and enabling its post-lockdown resumption.