WHAT a year it's been for Richard Fahey and on Monday he equalled the British record for most Flat winners in a year with a double at Lingfield.

Fahey needed just one more winner over the following three days to beat Richard Hannon senior's record number of 235 winners in a calendar year after his 47-1 double courtesy of Gabrial The Hero and Luis Vaz De Torres put him upsides Hannon's record.

The Malton trainer said: "It's been a fantastic year and I'm very comfortable joining Richard Hannon as I have so much respect for him and for what he achieved that it's a privilege just to be mentioned in the same breath."

Fahey's pair of winners were ridden by Tony Hamilton, who also had cause to celebrate after notching a maiden century of winners this year.

Hamilton posted a career-best 65 winners in 2014, but has beaten that score hands down this campaign, during which he has landed a Lincoln success aboard Gabrial and a Weatherbys Super Sprint on Lathom.

He said: "It's great to get to 100 for the first time. I'm lucky to have the support of a very good stable, and I think more than 80 of my winners have been for Richard. I've enjoyed every minute of it."

Looking back on 2015, many of the local trainers will reflect with fondness. One of them is Micky Hammond, who has enjoyed a tremendous year under both codes and the Middleham handler ended it with a fine double at Kelso on Tuesday.

Caraline was the first inmate to visit the winners' enclosure, leaving Hammond to say: "She's economically quick over her fences. I don't know what we'll do with her, but we've got until next Friday to run her under a penalty."

The double was completed in very impressive style by Maxie T, who is low mileage with Hammond and strikes as a horse to keep a close eye on into the new year.

The big talking point this week has been the weather, with heavy rain leaving many houses flooded and widespread damage.

Surprisingly, York racecourse has so far managed to escape the worst of the floods that have affected many parts of the city.

The new weighing room and stable block that only opened in the spring have missed the flooding entirely, as have the main buildings on the grandstand side.

The only building under water is the old toilet block – which was due to be replaced in 2016 – in the centre of the course, where there is a lot of standing water.

As for the racecourse on the Knavesmire, just outside the city centre, the north bend has borne the brunt of the rain and is under nearly a metre of water.

James Brennan, head of marketing and sponsorship at the racecourse, said: "Obviously our thoughts are with the home-owners and the businesses who have been directly affected in York itself, and those in the wider county and Cumbria before us – we feel enormously for them.

"From a selfish racecourse point of view, the main buildings, the stands and the new development are still dry. As far as I understand it, the river levels have peaked, pending the rainfall later in the week.

"The vast majority of the course is dry, but we don't need it (the course) until we start racing again on May 11. The northern bend is under water. That's the bit of the course we don't use except for races over two miles or more, and that's only for a few times a year. The pulling-up part of the course is pretty wet, but not fully flooded.

"For people who ask, 'Why don't York do jumps racing?', well today gives the answer.

"The course enclosure is an area that gets wet and would have been flooded the last time we saw it like this in 2012. The drama is coming from the other side of the city, from where the River Foss has flooded. We are on the Ouse side of the city.

"The new investment in the drainage work in 2007-08 has eased things for us. For now, we're fine from the building side and Adrian (Kay, head groundsman) will get back on the course at some point and do what he needs to do."