Scott Brash

IF Scott Brash likes eggs, I’ll bet he’d cook them sunny-side up. Known for his ice-cool nerve in the ring, he’s cheerful and positive in conversation, especially when discussing his horses’ characters. Talk about lockdown, and he refers to “differences” rather than difficulties – putting his own frustrations into perspective. Mention the Olympic postponement and he focuses on the bright side of being able to build his top-flight string. Self-belief, allied with hard work and dedication, underpins his whole career.

“If you believe enough that something will happen, I think it can happen,” he says. “If you’re negative, it won’t. I’m a strong believer in that.”

As the curtain falls on a discombobulated year, all thoughts turn (again) to the Olympics. Scott already has one Olympic gold medal in his trophy cabinet, but he’s gunning for more, harking back to the halcyon days of London 2012, when the record-breaking career of his great Hello Sanctos really took off.

“Individual gold is a big goal, as well as another team gold,”