Barzalona a deserving champion - despite these strangest of circumstances

At the end of this month Mickael Barzalona will become the second new champion jockey in France in the space of three seasons, although the fact we can be confident of that when he maintains a slender lead over friend and 'stablemate' Maxime Guyon requires a little explanation.

Guyon earned a first Cravache d'Or in 2019 and, having been on the go from the very start of this year's full calendar marathon, told Barzalona and the wider world in the middle of last month he would not be pursuing a second title all the way to the end of December, preferring to go for an extended holiday with his young family.

That may not have pleased some in the media, as an exciting tussle for the jockeys' championship can be a way of keeping racing in the spotlight through December when the standard is pretty moderate and trotting at Vincennes is the main focus in France's equine dual economy.