Judging panel spoilt for choice with HRI Horse of the Year nominees

IT’S the kind of line up that will have racing fans salivating at the bit: Big Zeb, Fame And Glory, Hurricane Fly, Quevega, Sizing Europe and So You Think all taking each other on for one title - Horse Racing Ireland’s Horse of the Year.

Following a season when 13 Irish-trained winners won at Cheltenham, Willie Mullins and Aidan O’Brien dominated the national hunt and flat seasons and an Irish jockey claimed the Grand National, the cream of Irish horse racing will meet on Monday to decide the 2011 Horse Racing Ireland Awards.

“It (2011) was another tremendously successful year for Irish Racing both at home and abroad which began with a record breaking 13 Irish trained winners at the Cheltenham Festival in March and ended with a fantastic Aidan O’Brien double at the Breeders Cup Meeting in Churchill Downs,” said Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of HRI.