The 2023 Power List: who were racing's most influential people this year?

As we near the end of another stormy year in horseracing, here's our annual list of the sport's most impactful people. As ever, the aim is not simply to identify those in the positions of greatest power. We've also sought to include those with the highest profiles and those who wield the most influence. Did we slip up? Let us know via editor@racingpost.co.uk.

20 Rachael Blackmore (6 last year)

We've reached the stage where three Grade 1s in the first 11 months of the year is a pretty ordinary total for Blackmore, but they included the emotionally charged, unforgettable win aboard Honeysuckle, making her final Cheltenham Festival appearance. Blackmore's success is no longer merely a matter of what happens on the track. She has become that rare thing, a racing star with mainstream recognition. In June, she was awarded an MBE. In July, she watched the Wimbledon men's final from the Royal Box, two rows from the Prince and Princess of Wales, immediately behind Chris Evert and Stefan Edberg, four seats away from Daniel Craig. How many jockeys get to keep that kind of company?

19 King Charles and Queen Camilla (9)

The King and Queen with Desert Hero after the King George V StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

A new era dawned at Royal Ascot and it proved a reassuring one for racing fans anxious to see the royal family's involvement in the sport maintained. The new King and Queen led the traditional pre-racing parade up the centre of the course and enjoyed a headline-making success when Desert Hero carried their colours to victory in the King George V Stakes despite odds of 18-1. Bred by the late Queen, the chestnut colt won again at Glorious Goodwood and was placed in the St Leger, when their majesties were also present. Thirteen wins from 100 runners on the Flat counts as a fruitful year for the royal silks, better than many from around the turn of the century.