Aidan O'Brien is a winning machine - but he wouldn't get my vote for trainer of the Flat season

In a vote for the trainer of the Flat season, it would take a lot to dissuade me from the opinion that there's one outstanding candidate. Aidan O'Brien has won many of the best races again but, like Manchester City's Pep Guardiola he has the best team at his disposal, so I'd go for Ralph Beckett.

He has slowly but surely made his way to the top tier of Flat trainers and has enjoyed an absolutely stellar season – with, let's say, an Aston Villa-like squad.

It's not like Beckett doesn't have some high-class horses at his disposal, like an Ollie Watkins or an Emi Martinez, but every time I look up there's another Beckett horse hitting the back of the net.