The Good

THE controversy over Britain’s new white hurdles and fences came and went, the whip debate came and went, suspensions came and went. But it’s been said in other walks of life - and it is more true in sport than anywhere - that there is more that unites us than divides us.

Every lover of the sport, from grizzled punters to seasoned horsemen, took some bittersweet joy in the reception given to Cheltenham winners Honeysuckle and Rachael Blackmore, in respect and tribute to the tragic loss of Jack de Bromhead suffered by the mare’s trainer Henry de Bromhead and wife Heather last year. It is small comfort but was received with appreciation and it will not be bettered for a long time.

THE dream is still alive in racehorse ownership despite huge prices of half million euros being recorded at the sales and many horses never living up to their price tag. Croke Park cost £400,000 last April and has not run yet.

Corach Rambler cost just £17,000 after taking five runs to win his first point-to-point. His first trainer John Walsh said in a Racing Post interview. “Did he look like a real racehorse to me? No, I had no faith in him.” He has proved to be a genuine “horse of a lifetime” for connections and the Gold Cup is on his agenda.

RACECOURSE attendance continues to be an area of concern over the two countries. In that regard, Leopardstown Dublin Racing Festival’s attendance was a huge plus.

The fact that the track was packed before the first race was great to see. The innovation in putting the two days of top class racing was one of the best in recent years.

The Bad

IT should not be a bad year when the stable wins €3.8 million in prize money but the Gordon Elliott stable had a year of some misfortunes.

Elliott suffered the loss of three decent novice chase prospects in Three Stripe Life, Top Bandit and the potential star in Mighty Potter.

Even more of a shame was a further serious leg injury to Jack Kennedy in early January that saw him sidelined for the rest of the season. Injuries to Jordan Gainford and Sam Ewing in the latter part put more pressure on the stable on the jockey front.

RACING came under increasing pressure to change some of its traditions and practices. Many of racing’s longstanding participants were concerned the British Horseracing Authority was not taking a stand for racing and instead appeared to be constantly conceding changes.

The whip and the Grand National came under scrutiny from animal welfare protesters with the Grand National delayed and an unfortunate horse death. New, more stringent whip rules gradually bedded in but the concern was that this would not be the end of the matter.

The Ugly

DAVY Russell’s retirement from the saddle was initially a good new story when he went out with a win on Liberty Dance at Thurles in mid- December.

Injuries to the main riders in the Elliott yard brought Russell back but things turned a bit ugly at Cheltenham where a spat developed between the rider and Michael O’Leary over whether Russell should have come back.

The rider’s family were dragged into it and Russell continued to ride while not fully fit before standing himself down on Gold Cup day. Things turned back for the better again when a fully-fit Russell returned to ride two Grade 1 winners at Aintree before exiting the riding stage.

The Cheltenham Festival is the focus of the whole jumps season and it predictably provided the two resounding images.

Constitution Hill on his own flying the last in the Champion Hurdle, and the two top chasers, side by side over the last in the Gold Cup, both featured on this page.