Hurricane Fly crowned Horse of the Year
The Willie Mullins-trained star was unbeaten last season as he accumulated five Grade 1 successes, including a hat-trick of Champion Hurdles at Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Punchestown.
His Cheltenham victory was the undoubted highlight of a fantastic campaign, as under a strong Ruby Walsh drive, the son of Montjeu powered up the famous hill to beat Peddlers Cross.
Hurricane Fly missed his intended seasonal reappearance in the Morgiana Hurdle when failing to sparkle in his preparation for the race. At present, he is said to be on target for a return in the Istabraq Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Dermot Weld’s tremendous record at home and on the international stage earned him a special award for his contribution to the industry.
An eight-time champion trainer in terms of prize money, and 22-time leading handler in terms of winners trained, the master of Rosewell House surpassed the 3,500 winner mark earlier this year.
Weld has trained the winner of all the Irish Classics, as well as winners on four continents. He considers Go And Go’s Belmont Stakes success in 1990 as his best moment in a career that also includes winning two Melbourne Cups and an Epsom Oaks.
“He’s still the only European horse to win a leg of the American Triple Crown” said Weld. “It will be done again, I’ve no doubt, but it hasn’t yet. We beat the Kentucky Derby winner and it was a vintage field. It was a brilliant ride by Michael Kinane.
“My late father (Charlie) was a wonderful trainer, way better than me but he didn’t get the same calibre of horses that I got to train, and he still trained 1,000 winners. It’s important to pass on traditions.
“I’m shocked and very honoured to get this award. Words fail me for once. I’m very proud to be Irish.”
Joseph O’Brien’s sensational season earned him the flat award. The 18-year-old, who shared the champion apprentice title with Gary Carroll and Ben Curtis last year, ran away with it this year with a record-breaking total of 57 winners.
He won his first Classic on board Roderic O’Connor in the 2000 Guineas at the Curragh, and was also seen to good effect on Maybe and Camelot.
He brought his season to a stunning end when becoming the youngest jockey to ride a Breeders’ Cup winner, with a perfectly-judged ride on St Nicholas Abbey in the Turf race at Churchill Downs last month.
Becoming only the second woman to ride the winner of the Irish Grand National earned Nina Carberry the Outstanding Achievement honour.
Point-to-point king Derek O’Connor won a fifth award in honour of annexing the leading riders title for an eighth time and riding two Cheltenham festival winners.
Five-time champion trainer Willie Mullins won the national hunt award for the third year in-a-row. As well as being responsible for Hurricane Fly, the Closutton handler became the first Irish trainer to be champion handler at Cheltenham since Edward O’Grady in 1996, with four winners.
