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30 Apr 12
12:57
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05 Jan 10
irishracing.com
The annual Irish National Hunt Awards dinner was held last night in the Dunboyne Castle Hotel in Co Meath. The awards dinner which is organised by the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee was attended by over 200 guests from across the sport.
Among those honoured on the night were leading riders Davy Russell and Nina Carberry; jockey, Barry Geraghty; the connections of “Lion na Bearnai”; and leading owner, JP McManus.
Davy Russell runner-up five times in the jockey’s championship finally took top spot this year. Among the highlights of what was a special year for him were the wins at both Cheltenham and Punchestown with Sir Des Champs.
Nina Carberry was the leading Lady Rider for the eighth year in succession – making it ten National Hunt Awards in all as she had previously won two as leading Amateur Rider titles.
Barry Geraghty received the National Hunt Special Award. Geraghty, who has built up a remarkable partnership with trainer Nicky Henderson had an exceptional year which included him being crowned Leading Rider at both the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals.
JP McManus was presented with the “Contribution to the Industry” award for his involvement in Irish National Hunt racing over many years. JP also received a second award as the Leading Owner during the season.
The Special Recognition award for 2011/2012 went to Tramore Racecourse which this year celebrates its centenary.
The Special Achievement award for the year went to the Connections of Lion na Bearnai, the winner of this year’s Irish Grand National.
The Mullins family made it five doubles in a row with Willie Mullins taking two awards for his training exploits and his son, Patrick, taking the Leading National Hunt Qualified Rider award for the fifth year in succession.
Other awards went to Mrs Frankie Ward (Point to Point); Peter Casey’s yard (Stable Staff) and Paddy Mangan (Leading Claiming Professional).
Speaking at the awards Mr William Flood, senior steward of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee, congratulated all the winners. In speaking of Champion Jockey, Davy Russell, he noted that he had started his illustrious riding career in point to points before switching to the paid ranks. He said he was delighted to see him win the Championship given the fact that he had been pipped for the title on five previous occasions.
Speaking about National Hunt racing in general he said that the season had proved conclusively that National Hunt racing is not the preserve of the big owner or trainer. He said that this season had seen smaller teams achieving notable success at the highest level.
He particularly noted Oliver McKiernan’s exploits in being responsible for the only Irish trained winner at this year’s Aintree Festival winning the Grade 1 Betfair Bowl Chase with Follow the Plan, the horse’s second Grade 1 success within a year under the care of Oliver.
He also noted that Irish Grand National winner Lion na Bearnaihad been trained by Tom Gibney who again operates locally with a small team of horses. In the same vein he noted Peter Casey who had produced Flemenstar to win two Grade 1 Novice Chases.
He said that while Cheltenham may not have matched 2011’s record haul of 13 victories he felt that this year had again been a very good Cheltenham Festival. Not alone had Irish horses won on five occasions but Irish horses also filled the runners-up spot on 12 occasions.
In concluding he pointed to the continuing importance of Point to Point racing noting that a number of this season’s festival winners came from Point to Point, with four of its graduates winning Grade 1 races at the Cheltenham Festival and four more tasting Grade 1 success at Aintree.
--------------------------
Festival a fitting end to year of high drama
irishindependent.ie
Following Punchestown's brilliantly defiant refusal to yield to the elements, Saturday saw the curtain came down on a jumps season that was rarely anything less than dramatic.
From the get-go, it was an utterly compelling 12 months. As far back as July, the National Hunt discipline was centre stage courtesy of The Real Article episode, a reprehensible chapter that was sadly typical of racing's penchant for shooting itself in the foot.
Internally, the industry in this country remains in crisis, with beleaguered trainers opting out, employment levels plummeting and an increasing lack of depth in competition.
The Real Article's defeat was an opportunity to show the outside world that at least Irish racing's integrity is intact, but it instead proved to be just another example of inconsistent stewarding procedures that continue to turn punters off our product.
The next self-inflicted wound was the protracted whip saga in Britain, then there was the near-calamity that undermined Sizing Europe's Champion Chase defence, followed by the now annual (and misguided) apology for the greatest stand-alone sporting event in the world, the Aintree Grand National. It was certainly never boring.
When Kauto Star rocked Haydock and Kempton early in the campaign, you suspected that maybe the season had peaked early, but no.
At Cheltenham, the old-stager received resounding applause when pulled up in the Gold Cup, Big Buck's continued on his merry way, while Sprinter Sacre didn't half capture the imagination, likewise Simonsig.
Noel Fehily and Daryl Jacob stepped in for Ruby Walsh to help Paul Nicholls complete the big-race set by executing respective master-classes on Rock On Ruby in the Champion Hurdle and Neptune Collonges at Aintree.
Davy Russell was deservedly crowned Irish champion jockey for the first time, Walsh still partnered a whopping 15 Grade One winners, Barry Geraghty booted home 12 since the turn of the year and Andrew Lynch bagged nine.
Willie Mullins, whose Hurricane Fly, Quevega and Sir Des Champs all had their moments, reaped a sixth trainers' title, and he left Punchestown with 10 winners, the third time in four years that he has hit double figures at the Festival.
Right now, he wields an almost unhealthy superiority over his domestic rivals, bagging 11 of the 30 Irish Grade Ones, and saddling more winners (138) than the next three combined.
That said, for all Mullins exerts a growing influence in a trainers' market that is otherwise struggling badly to cope with the reality of the new economy, two of the most cheery storylines came courtesy of smaller outfits. On Easter Monday at Fairyhouse, Kells' Tom Gibney recorded a heart-warming Irish Grand National victory with Lion Na Bearnai, the only horse in the former amateur rider's modest stable that he had to run during the winter.
A day earlier, Flemenstar confirmed his enormous potential by routing the Powers Gold Cup field to land a second Grade One.
Trained in Tubbertown by the tee-total sheep farmer Peter Casey, who became an internet sensation following a colourful interview on RTE after the horse bolted up in the Arkle at Leopardstown, the seven-year-old is just a couple of points longer in the betting for next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup than Mullins' ante-post favourite Sir Des Champs.
It's a long way from here to there but, for a first time in years, that dream is very much alive.
China rocks home
in Gold Cup
China Rock, well held in the Champion Chase on Tuesday, recorded a debut Grade One success in thetote.com Gold Cup.
A second win in the three-miler for Mouse Morris after War Of Attrition in 2006, the Presenting nine-year-old was not among the initial Gold Cup field on Wednesday, but his handler declared him with a first-time tongue tie when the race was re-fixed for Saturday.
Barry Geraghty's mount defied odds of 20/1 to run out a five-length winner from last year's hero Follow The Plan, with the favourite Quel Esprit back in third.
The day's other Grade One, the AES four-year-old Champion Hurdle, went the way of Dermot Weld's Triumph Hurdle runner-up Hisaabaat under Andrew Lynch.
Voler La Vedette to
stay in training
Colm Murphy has confirmed that Voler La Vedette, second to Quevega on Thursday, will remain in training next season.
Having only returned to Murphy's yard after failing to go in foal to Presenting in 2011, the eight-year-old won three and finished second three times in six runs last term, bagging an invaluable Grade One triumph in the Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse in December and finishing a gallant second to Big Buck's at Cheltenham.
Ride of the weekend
Joseph O'Brien judged things to a nicety on Imperial Monarch at Sandown on Saturday.
With the going heavy, he and his father had determined that the best of the ground was on the wide outside. So, despite being drawn on the inner, O'Brien soon made his way to perimeter of the course, where the service vehicles were reckoned to have compacted the ground.
It was an audacious tactic that meant Imperial Monarch wasn't even on screen for much of the race, but it was reminiscent of Ryan Moore on Notnowcato and Willie Carson on Bahri as he nursed the Galileo colt home without too much fuss. A brother to the stable's 2003 Epsom Derby runner-up The Great Gatsby, Imperial Monarch is as low as 12/1 from 25/1 for Epsom.
Jacob in red-hot form
Grand National-winner Daryl Jacob's fine run of form continued at Sandown on Saturday, where the Wexford native enjoyed a big-race double for Paul Nicholls on Sanctuaire and Tidal Bay.
Sanctuaire posted a breathtaking display of fencing from the front to take the Celebration Chase, while the enigmatic Tidal Bay won for a first time over fences since 2008 when cantering up from off the pace under a massive 11st 12lb in the bet365 Chase.
Numbers
17 -- The number of consecutive British jockeys' championships that AP McCoy has won.
4.1-- million. The on-course bookmakers' turnover at last week's Punchestown Festival, down 47pc on 2011. While Tote turnover for the week also dropped 42pc, overall attendance held up remarkably well given the weather -- 91,513 over the five days, down just 4pc year-on-year.
Tweet
@colmansweeney @_Davy_Russel well done Daithi!!! Jerry Russell's stud fee just doubled!!!
Colman Sweeney is one of the first to pay tribute to Davy Russell -- and his father -- after the Youghal native was crowned champion National Hunt jockey.
The annual Irish National Hunt Awards dinner was held last night in the Dunboyne Castle Hotel in Co Meath. The awards dinner which is organised by the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee was attended by over 200 guests from across the sport.
Among those honoured on the night were leading riders Davy Russell and Nina Carberry; jockey, Barry Geraghty; the connections of “Lion na Bearnai”; and leading owner, JP McManus.
Davy Russell runner-up five times in the jockey’s championship finally took top spot this year. Among the highlights of what was a special year for him were the wins at both Cheltenham and Punchestown with Sir Des Champs.
Nina Carberry was the leading Lady Rider for the eighth year in succession – making it ten National Hunt Awards in all as she had previously won two as leading Amateur Rider titles.
Barry Geraghty received the National Hunt Special Award. Geraghty, who has built up a remarkable partnership with trainer Nicky Henderson had an exceptional year which included him being crowned Leading Rider at both the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals.
JP McManus was presented with the “Contribution to the Industry” award for his involvement in Irish National Hunt racing over many years. JP also received a second award as the Leading Owner during the season.
The Special Recognition award for 2011/2012 went to Tramore Racecourse which this year celebrates its centenary.
The Special Achievement award for the year went to the Connections of Lion na Bearnai, the winner of this year’s Irish Grand National.
The Mullins family made it five doubles in a row with Willie Mullins taking two awards for his training exploits and his son, Patrick, taking the Leading National Hunt Qualified Rider award for the fifth year in succession.
Other awards went to Mrs Frankie Ward (Point to Point); Peter Casey’s yard (Stable Staff) and Paddy Mangan (Leading Claiming Professional).
Speaking at the awards Mr William Flood, senior steward of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee, congratulated all the winners. In speaking of Champion Jockey, Davy Russell, he noted that he had started his illustrious riding career in point to points before switching to the paid ranks. He said he was delighted to see him win the Championship given the fact that he had been pipped for the title on five previous occasions.
Speaking about National Hunt racing in general he said that the season had proved conclusively that National Hunt racing is not the preserve of the big owner or trainer. He said that this season had seen smaller teams achieving notable success at the highest level.
He particularly noted Oliver McKiernan’s exploits in being responsible for the only Irish trained winner at this year’s Aintree Festival winning the Grade 1 Betfair Bowl Chase with Follow the Plan, the horse’s second Grade 1 success within a year under the care of Oliver.
He also noted that Irish Grand National winner Lion na Bearnaihad been trained by Tom Gibney who again operates locally with a small team of horses. In the same vein he noted Peter Casey who had produced Flemenstar to win two Grade 1 Novice Chases.
He said that while Cheltenham may not have matched 2011’s record haul of 13 victories he felt that this year had again been a very good Cheltenham Festival. Not alone had Irish horses won on five occasions but Irish horses also filled the runners-up spot on 12 occasions.
In concluding he pointed to the continuing importance of Point to Point racing noting that a number of this season’s festival winners came from Point to Point, with four of its graduates winning Grade 1 races at the Cheltenham Festival and four more tasting Grade 1 success at Aintree.
--------------------------
Festival a fitting end to year of high drama
irishindependent.ie
Following Punchestown's brilliantly defiant refusal to yield to the elements, Saturday saw the curtain came down on a jumps season that was rarely anything less than dramatic.
From the get-go, it was an utterly compelling 12 months. As far back as July, the National Hunt discipline was centre stage courtesy of The Real Article episode, a reprehensible chapter that was sadly typical of racing's penchant for shooting itself in the foot.
Internally, the industry in this country remains in crisis, with beleaguered trainers opting out, employment levels plummeting and an increasing lack of depth in competition.
The Real Article's defeat was an opportunity to show the outside world that at least Irish racing's integrity is intact, but it instead proved to be just another example of inconsistent stewarding procedures that continue to turn punters off our product.
The next self-inflicted wound was the protracted whip saga in Britain, then there was the near-calamity that undermined Sizing Europe's Champion Chase defence, followed by the now annual (and misguided) apology for the greatest stand-alone sporting event in the world, the Aintree Grand National. It was certainly never boring.
When Kauto Star rocked Haydock and Kempton early in the campaign, you suspected that maybe the season had peaked early, but no.
At Cheltenham, the old-stager received resounding applause when pulled up in the Gold Cup, Big Buck's continued on his merry way, while Sprinter Sacre didn't half capture the imagination, likewise Simonsig.
Noel Fehily and Daryl Jacob stepped in for Ruby Walsh to help Paul Nicholls complete the big-race set by executing respective master-classes on Rock On Ruby in the Champion Hurdle and Neptune Collonges at Aintree.
Davy Russell was deservedly crowned Irish champion jockey for the first time, Walsh still partnered a whopping 15 Grade One winners, Barry Geraghty booted home 12 since the turn of the year and Andrew Lynch bagged nine.
Willie Mullins, whose Hurricane Fly, Quevega and Sir Des Champs all had their moments, reaped a sixth trainers' title, and he left Punchestown with 10 winners, the third time in four years that he has hit double figures at the Festival.
Right now, he wields an almost unhealthy superiority over his domestic rivals, bagging 11 of the 30 Irish Grade Ones, and saddling more winners (138) than the next three combined.
That said, for all Mullins exerts a growing influence in a trainers' market that is otherwise struggling badly to cope with the reality of the new economy, two of the most cheery storylines came courtesy of smaller outfits. On Easter Monday at Fairyhouse, Kells' Tom Gibney recorded a heart-warming Irish Grand National victory with Lion Na Bearnai, the only horse in the former amateur rider's modest stable that he had to run during the winter.
A day earlier, Flemenstar confirmed his enormous potential by routing the Powers Gold Cup field to land a second Grade One.
Trained in Tubbertown by the tee-total sheep farmer Peter Casey, who became an internet sensation following a colourful interview on RTE after the horse bolted up in the Arkle at Leopardstown, the seven-year-old is just a couple of points longer in the betting for next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup than Mullins' ante-post favourite Sir Des Champs.
It's a long way from here to there but, for a first time in years, that dream is very much alive.
China rocks home
in Gold Cup
China Rock, well held in the Champion Chase on Tuesday, recorded a debut Grade One success in thetote.com Gold Cup.
A second win in the three-miler for Mouse Morris after War Of Attrition in 2006, the Presenting nine-year-old was not among the initial Gold Cup field on Wednesday, but his handler declared him with a first-time tongue tie when the race was re-fixed for Saturday.
Barry Geraghty's mount defied odds of 20/1 to run out a five-length winner from last year's hero Follow The Plan, with the favourite Quel Esprit back in third.
The day's other Grade One, the AES four-year-old Champion Hurdle, went the way of Dermot Weld's Triumph Hurdle runner-up Hisaabaat under Andrew Lynch.
Voler La Vedette to
stay in training
Colm Murphy has confirmed that Voler La Vedette, second to Quevega on Thursday, will remain in training next season.
Having only returned to Murphy's yard after failing to go in foal to Presenting in 2011, the eight-year-old won three and finished second three times in six runs last term, bagging an invaluable Grade One triumph in the Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse in December and finishing a gallant second to Big Buck's at Cheltenham.
Ride of the weekend
Joseph O'Brien judged things to a nicety on Imperial Monarch at Sandown on Saturday.
With the going heavy, he and his father had determined that the best of the ground was on the wide outside. So, despite being drawn on the inner, O'Brien soon made his way to perimeter of the course, where the service vehicles were reckoned to have compacted the ground.
It was an audacious tactic that meant Imperial Monarch wasn't even on screen for much of the race, but it was reminiscent of Ryan Moore on Notnowcato and Willie Carson on Bahri as he nursed the Galileo colt home without too much fuss. A brother to the stable's 2003 Epsom Derby runner-up The Great Gatsby, Imperial Monarch is as low as 12/1 from 25/1 for Epsom.
Jacob in red-hot form
Grand National-winner Daryl Jacob's fine run of form continued at Sandown on Saturday, where the Wexford native enjoyed a big-race double for Paul Nicholls on Sanctuaire and Tidal Bay.
Sanctuaire posted a breathtaking display of fencing from the front to take the Celebration Chase, while the enigmatic Tidal Bay won for a first time over fences since 2008 when cantering up from off the pace under a massive 11st 12lb in the bet365 Chase.
Numbers
17 -- The number of consecutive British jockeys' championships that AP McCoy has won.
4.1-- million. The on-course bookmakers' turnover at last week's Punchestown Festival, down 47pc on 2011. While Tote turnover for the week also dropped 42pc, overall attendance held up remarkably well given the weather -- 91,513 over the five days, down just 4pc year-on-year.
Tweet
@colmansweeney @_Davy_Russel well done Daithi!!! Jerry Russell's stud fee just doubled!!!
Colman Sweeney is one of the first to pay tribute to Davy Russell -- and his father -- after the Youghal native was crowned champion National Hunt jockey.
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