Kicking King voted horse of the year

The Gold Cup and King George hero Kicking King has been voted Ireland's racehorse of the year for 2005.

The Tom Taaffe-trained star was awarded the prize at the third Horse Racing Ireland Awards ceremony in Dublin yesterday.

Kicking King was top of the poll in a media vote after a hugely successful year for the sport in Ireland.

The Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism, John O'Donoghue said yesterday: "This is an era of unprecedented success for Irish racing. Nine winners at Cheltenham and eight at Aintree surpassed our most optimistic expectations. When one includes Kempton, Irish-trained horses won the top five UK National Hunt races."

HRI's chairman Denis Brosnan described 2005 as "probably the most successful ever for Irish racing".

He added: "Irish-trained horses won over €7 million in prize-money overseas. We also witnessed many great individual achievements, among them the history-making performances by Frances Crowley, the first licensed female to win a Classic, and Nina Carberry, the first female to win against the professionals at Cheltenham."

The 2005 National Hunt award was won by Ruby Walsh whose short-head defeat on Cornish Rebel in the Scottish National spoiled a perfect Grand National run last year. Walsh won at Aintree on Hedgehunter and also picked up the Welsh National and the Irish version on Numbersixvalverde. Currently on the sidelines after dislocating a shoulder the champion jumps jockey hopes to resume riding in time for the Christmas period.

Kieren Fallon's flat award for the year was picked up by Aidan O'Brien. Fallon is currently riding in the Far East. Nina Carberry won the "Outstanding Achievement Award" while Derek O'Connor's record 63 winners won him the point-to-point prize. Galway racecourse earned a "Contribution to the Industry" Award after another record-breaking mid-summer festival. Chairman Ray Rooney accepted the prize.