OK, I personally know the votes of one of the people I listed (because they asked my opinion on their choices before sending their votes in). They did not vote for "The White Hare"...

My "safe guesses" are fairly safe I think. Its not exactly secret - its just that these people do not post on Mudcat (for the same reason that Ian Anderson no longer reads Mudcat).

The final votes (for the winner from the shortlist) are already in, and the trophys are handmade and are specific to the winner - e.g. a melodeon and fiddle for Spiers and Boden, or two figures playing guitars for Show of Hands. Perhaps Smooth Ops don't want to drop 'The White Hare' from the shortlist because its won...

That'd be interesting wouldn't it?