New category in HRI awards

The nominees for the 2012 Horse Racing Ireland awards were announced yesterday and includes a new category – Racecourse of the Year.

This year’s feature award, the Horse of the Year category, includes nominations for Irish and English Derby winner Camelot; the unbeaten champion two-year-old Dawn Approach; winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Excelebration; the formidable four times Cheltenham winner Quevega; Punchestown Champion Chaser Sizing Europe and last year’s impressive award winner Hurricane Fly.

The nominees in the National Hunt category are: Barry Geraghty, Tony Martin, Tom Mullins, Willie Mullins and Davy Russell. The Flat nominees are Jim Bolger, Aidan O’Brien, Joseph O’Brien, Andy Oliver and Dermot Weld.