The British Horseracing Board (BHB) and the Irish Turf Club are to recognise Jump Racing’s star horses and acknowledge the sport’s leading individuals at the second annual Anglo-Irish Jump Racing Awards, to be held in central London on Monday, 14th May.
Based on and coinciding with the publication of the Anglo-Irish National Hunt Classifications, the equine Awards will officially celebrate the highest-rated horses of the 2006/07 season in various categories. BHB will also honour the Champion Conditional, Jockey, Trainer and Owner in Britain.
Clare Balding and Brian Gleeson, leading broadcasters either side of the Irish Sea, will co-host the Awards at the Café Royal in front of a specially-invited audience of around 230.
The winners in each category will be presented with their trophies by BHB Chairman Paul Roy and the Senior Steward of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee John Maloney.
The Horse of the Year Award will be judged by a panel of representatives from both BHB and the Turf Club, and be awarded to the horse that, while achieving an outstanding level of racecourse achievement, did the most to raise the profile of Jump Racing over the season. Connections of last year’s winner Brave Inca will present the Horse of the Year Award on the day, which will also include the formal presentation of the 2006/07 Racing UK Order of Merit prizes, with £300,000 being split between the owner, trainer and stable teams of the top three horses in the series.
The Award categories will be as follows:
• Champion Novice Hurdler
• Champion Novice Chaser
• Champion Two-Mile Hurdler
• Champion Two-Mile Chaser
• Champion Two-and-a-Half Mile + Hurdler
• Champion Two-and-a-Half Mile Chaser
• Champion Three-Mile + Chaser
• Champion British Conditional
• Champion British Jockey
• Champion British Trainer
• Champion British Owner
• Horse of the Year
BHB Chairman Paul Roy said: “The event promises to be a terrific showcase of all that is great about Jump Racing. The 2006/07 season was full of memorable performances that deserve official recognition.”
Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee Senior Steward John Moloney said: “We are again looking forward to co-hosting the Anglo-Irish Jump Awards and are honoured to be participating in the celebration of the sport on Monday next.”
