Dead heat in race for HRI Horse of the Year title

The racecourse dominance exerted by the country's top National Hunt trainers Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott extended to the Horse Racing Ireland annual awards, where their top stars Faugheen and Don Cossack shared Horse of the Year honours for 2015.

It was the first time in the 13-year history of the awards that voters were unable to split the pair, who carry the respective colours of two of the sport’s most high profile owners, American businessman, Rich Ricci, and Ryanair boss, Michael O’Leary.

Ironically, with the awards being held at Leopardstown, both stars could appear next at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

Both Mullins and Ricci indicated Faugheen will defend his Christmas Hurdle crown at the London track, while Don Cossack could take on another Mullins-Ricci star, Vautour, in the King George VI Chase on the same day, although significantly O’Leary’s Gigginstown Stud team were not committing themselves fully to crossing the Irish Sea.

“It will be the King George, or the Lexus [at Leopardstown on day three of the Christmas festival]. Every option is open,” said Eddie O’Leary, the owner’s brother and bloodstock adviser. “Obviously we love him. We just hope he stays lucky.”

Faugheen lost his unbeaten record to stable companion, and fellow Horse of the Year nominee, Nichols Canyon, in last month’s Morgiana, but when asked if fans should keep faith with the horse nicknamed The Machine, Mullins replied: “Oh definitely.”

Upbeat

The champion trainer had earlier collected the 2015 National Hunt Award for a sixth time in the past seven years, and gave an upbeat bulletin on Faugheen who prior to the Morgiana had been 10 for 10 in his career.

“He did cut his mouth [at Punchestown], but that took a day to recover from and most horses wouldn’t feel a little cut on their mouth,” Mullins said. “I wouldn’t use that as an excuse. He’s in great order now.”

He added: “Anyone who saw the gallop he did the Tuesday before the Morgiana would have said Faugheen could take Nichols Canyon anytime he wanted. But Nichols Canyon is never a good work horse. Our bumper mare Augusta Kate is another like that, useless at home but a machine at the races. It could be possible Faugheen did too much in that gallop.”

Mullins also confirmed another Horse of the Year nominee Un De Sceaux will join Nichols Canyon at Leopardstown’s Christmas festival by lining up in the Grade 1 Dial-A-Bet Chase after missing out on Saturday’s Tingle Creek.

“He schooled at Thurles and did too much there. He was flat after it which is why he didn’t run at Sandown. But he’s running away again with the lad who rides him at home,” he said, before nominating an unraced Gigginstown-owned horse called Admiral Chief as a potential festive dark-horse.

“I look to have a super bumper horse – I hope I’m not putting the knockers on him – called Lord Admiral, who is doing everything very well and could run at Christmas,” Mullins said.

After a year that saw him win an eighth jockeys title, and secure a second consecutive century of winners in Ireland, Pat Smullen received the 2015 flat award for the first time in his career. The award comes ahead of a trip to Hong Kong for Sunday's fixture where he teams up with Free Eagle.

“The horse is in tremendous form and has been trained for the race. He seems to be fresh so if he we get a good draw – and that’s always a huge factor – we will be hopeful,” Smullen said.

The teenage jockey rising star Jonathan Burke secured the Outstanding Achievement Award, which included votes from the public, and dedicated it to his late mother, who died when he was five.

Outstanding

Enda Bolger

won the point-to point section after a year in which his outstanding hunter On The Fringe pulled off an unprecedented festival hat-trick at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown.

Currently targeting a 2017 finish to its €20 million redevelopment, Leopardstown was again voted Racecourse of the Year, while commentator Des Scahill was a popular winner of the Contribution to the Industry award.

In other racing news, the Navan fixture lost to high winds on Saturday last has been rescheduled for next Monday.