ROA Awards 2024

FINAL DEMAND
Owner: Bryan Drew & Professor Caroline Tisdall
Trainer: Willie Mullins

Made a striking impression with Grade 1 victories at the Punchestown and Dublin Racing Festivals, his only defeat came in the Turners at Cheltenham behind The New Lion.

JASMIN DE VAUX

Owner: Simon Munir and Isaac Souede
Trainer: Willie Mullins

Fast becoming a Cheltenham Festival specialist, following up his Champion Bumper success in 2024 with his win in the Albert Bartlett this year. He went on to score again at Grade 1 level at Punchestown.

JULIUS DES PICTONS

Owner: The Footie Partnership
Trainer: Jamie Snowden

Never out of the first three in his novice season, Julius Des Pictons supplemented successes at Plumpton and Chepstow with a comprehensive victory stepped up in trip in the Sefton at Aintree.

KOPEK DES BORDES

Owner: Monabeg Investments Limited
Trainer: Willie Mullins

Looked a horse from the top drawer when landing a Grade 1 Novice at the Dublin Racing Festival, and the Supreme at Cheltenham for owner Charlie McCarthy. He lost his unbeaten record in disappointing fashion at Punchestown, finishing down the field behind Irancy in the Champion Novice Hurdle.

PONIROS

Owner: Tony Bloom
Trainer: Willie Mullins

After a busy campaign on the flat – including going off favourite for the Cambridgeshire – Poniros made his debut over hurdles in the Triumph. An unconsidered 100-1 shot, he stormed up the hill to beat Lulamba by a neck.

THE NEW LION

Owner: John P McManus (Darren and Annaley Yates until January 2025)
Trainer: Dan Skelton

Unbeaten throughout his novice campaign, The New Lion broke the Challow Hurdle and Cheltenham Festival curse – becoming the first horse in over 20 years to complete the double, winning a strong-looking renewal of the Turners from The Yellow Clay and Final Demand.

BOB OLINGER

Owner: Robcour
Trainer: Henry De Bromhead

It had been a long time since Bob Olinger landed the Ballymore impressively back in 2021 and capitalised on Galopin des Champs’ last fence fall in the Turners Novices Chase in 2022. But in 2025 he landed a third Festival win, overhauling owner-mate Teahupoo in the Stayers to make it 4/4 at the track.

CONSTITUTION HILL

Owner: Michael Buckley
Trainer: Nicky Henderson

Constitution Hill looked to be back to his imperious best with victories in the Christmas and International Hurdles. But his jumping exuberance became his downfall in both the Champion and Aintree Hurdles, taking heavy falls both times, before finishing down the field at Punchestown.

GOLDEN ACE

Owner: Ian Gosden
Trainer: Jeremy Scott

Jumping is indeed the name of the game - as Golden Ace proved, rewarding her owner’s faith when landing the Champion Hurdle following the dramatic falls of both State Man and Constitution Hill. In a fine campaign, she also won the Kingwell Hurdle and finished runner-up in the Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

LOSSIEMOUTH

Owner: Mrs Susannah Ricci
Trainer: Willie Mullins

After a second to Constitution Hill at Kempton and a heavy fall at Leopardstown, connections swerved what proved to be an eventful Champion Hurdle and secured a second Mares’ Hurdle win for the popular grey mare. She followed up in open company, taking the Aintree Hurdle after her Kempton conqueror crashed out at the second last.

STATE MAN

Owner: Mrs J Donnelly

Trainer: Willie Mullins

He may have fallen at the last with the race at his mercy at Cheltenham, but State Man still picked up two versions of a Champion Hurdle - at Leopardstown at the Dublin Racing Festival (following the fall of Lossiemouth), and the Punchestown iteration, from Golden Ace and Constitution Hill.

TEAHUPOO

Owner: Robcour
Trainer: Gordon Elliott

After a second to Lossiemouth in the Hatton’s Grace and to owner-mate Bob Olinger in the Stayers’ Hurdle, Teahupoo finally made the winners’ enclosure at Punchestown, taking his second Champion Stayers Hurdle from Asterion Forlonge.

CALDWELL POTTER

Owner: Ferguson, Mason, Hales, Done & Hogarth
Trainer: Paul Nicholls

For a while, it seemed that Caldwell Potter’s €740,000 price tag would act as a millstone around his neck, but the grey poignantly carried the colours of the late John Hales to victory at both the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals – the Grade 1 Mildmay at the latter named in spectacular style.

JANGO BAIE

Owner: Countrywide Park Homes Ltd
Trainer: Nicky Henderson

Having traded 329-1 in running after a mistake three out, things looked pretty bleak for Jango Baie in the Arkle, but showing that longer distances will very much be his forte in the future, he conjured a fine finish up the hill to claim the spoils for owner Tony Barney.

KALIF DU BERLAIS

Owner: Ferguson, Mason, Hales, Done and Hogarth
Trainer: Paul Nicholls

The ownership team unveiled a great team of young horses last season and enjoyed a fine Aintree. Their Kalif Du Berlais notably enjoying the spring ground and put in a foot-perfect round to land the Maghull Novices’ Chase,  after graduating from Novice Handicap wins at Newbury and Cheltenham.

MAJBOROUGH

Owner: John P McManus
Trainer: Willie Mullins

Last year’s Triumph winner was sent chasing in his second season and landed two Grade 1s, despite racing keenly and making some very novicey leaps. He still showed he is a horse with considerable ability when running well in the Arkle at Cheltenham, after all but coming down two out and running on again at the death to snatch third in a blanket finish.

MYRETOWN

Owner: Mrs C Wymer and PJS Russell
Trainer: Lucinda Russell

Lucinda Russell has now won the Ultima Handicap at Cheltenham three times in the last four years, with Myretown following in the mighty hoofprints of dual winner Corach Rambler. In only his fifth race over fences, Carol Wymer’s gelding built on a confidence-boosting win at Kelso, to readily beat The Changing Man by 11 lengths.

SIR GINO

Owner: Mrs J Donnelly
Trainer: Nicky Henderson

We only saw Sir Gino once in a steeplechase before infection of his ligaments in his near hind put his career – and indeed his life – in danger. But what an impressive debut it was! He dismissed Supreme winner Ballyburn with frightening ease, in a time three seconds quicker than seasoned campaigners managed in the Desert Orchid Chase later in the card.

FACT TO FILE

Owner: John P McManus
Trainer: Willie Mullins

Produced an almost flawless round in the Ryanair to justify connection’s decision to drop him back in distance, jumping and traveling superbly to beat Heart Wood by nine lengths. He also scored a decisive victory in the John Durkan early in the season, accounting for both Spillane’s Tower and dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs.

GAELIC WARRIOR

Owner: Mrs Susannah Ricci
Trainer: Willie Mullins

What had started as a disappointing campaign for last year’s Arkle winner ended on a high when he landed the Bowl at Aintree from Grey Dawning, taking the extra distance in his stride. He then dropped back down in trip again to help Willie Mullins to a second trainers' title when landing the Oaksey Chase on the final day of the season at Sandown.

GALOPIN DES CHAMPS

Owner: Mrs Audrey Turley
Trainer: Willie Mullins

Aiming to match Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate and gain a third Cheltenham Gold Cup, he was never quite travelling with any fluency in the drying ground, and finished a respectable but six-lengths second to Inothewayurthinkin in his quest for the record books. However, having been beaten in the last two editions of the Punchestown Gold Cup, he showed all his old qualities in this year’s renewal, remorselessly grinding his rivals into the ground, and adding to this season’s Irish Gold Cup and Savills Chase wins.

IL ETAIT TEMPS

Owner: Hollywood Racing and Barnane Stud
Trainer: Willie Mullins

He may have only made one racecourse appearance in the 2024/25 season, but it was a spectacular first appearance in 359 days, landing the Celebration Chase at Sandown from Jonbon and Energumene, travelling strongly and running out an impressive 5-length winner at the line.

INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN

Owner: John P McManus
Trainer: Gavin Cromwell

A second homebred winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup for JP McManus, Inothewayurthinkin needed to be supplemented for the Blue Riband event, but justified his connection’s faith when running out a ready winner over hat-trick-seeking Galopin Des Champs. He was turning the tables on his rival, after finishing behind him earlier in the season in both the Savills Chase and Irish Gold Cup.

JONBON

Owner: John P McManus
Trainer: Nicky Henderson

Victories in the Shloer, Tingle Creek and Clarence House Chases seemed sure to put Jonbon spot on to claim an illusive Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Festival, but once again things did not go to plan. This year he fluffed the start and made a clattering mistake early on before running-on up the hill to claim second place. He somewhat made amends by claiming his tenth Grade 1 victory of his career in the Melling Chase at Aintree a month later.

MARINE NATIONALE

Owner: Barry Connell
Trainer: Barry Connell

Marine Nationale was a poignant winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase following the awful death of Michael O’Sullivan, who had partnered him to win the Supreme at the course in 2023. Barry Connell’s charge benefited from Jonbon’s messy race and Quilixios’ last-fence fall, to continue his progression up the chasing ranks and land the banner two-mile race of the season.

AIR OF ENTITLEMENT

Owner: Robcour
Trainer: Henry de Bromhead

Last years’ Dawn Run Mares’ Novices Hurdle produced both Golden Ace and Betterdaysahead – could Air of Entitlement follow in their illustrious footprints? She defied a drop in trip to land the big prize on just her second outing over hurdles, keeping Sixandahalf and Diva Luna at bay at the line.

BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD

Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Trainer: Gordon Elliott

She started the season by recording a hat trick in landing a Grade 3 and two Grade 1 hurdles. However, she couldn’t take advantage of her main rivals falling by the wayside when managing only fourth behind Golden Ace in the Champion Hurdle, and a distant third behind Jade De Grugy in the Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

DINOBLUE

Owner: John P McManus
Trainer: Willie Mullins

Dinoblue continues to carry all before her in the Mares’ chasing division, landing her first Mrs Paddy Power Chase at the Cheltenham Festival – a race she finished second in the year before - by eight lengths from Brides Hill. Her most impressive victory came in the Francis Flood Mares Chase at Punchestown, winning as she liked in the Grade 2 race from Allegorie De Vassy.

GOLDEN ACE

Owner: Ian Gosden
Trainer: Jeremy Scott

Jumping is indeed the name of the game - as Golden Ace proved, rewarding her owner’s faith when landing the Champion Hurdle following the dramatic falls of both State Man and Constitution Hill in the race. She also won the Kingwell Hurdle and finished runner-up in the Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

LOSSIEMOUTH

Owner: Mrs Susannah Ricci
Trainer: Willie Mullins

After a second to Constitution Hill at Kempton and a heavy fall at Leopardstown, connections swerved what proved to be an eventful Champion Hurdle and secured a second Mares’ Hurdle win for the popular grey mare. She followed up in open company, taking the Aintree Hurdle after her Kempton conqueror crashed out at the second last.

BEAT BOX

Owner: Union Stripes
Trainer: Dan Skelton

Joined trainer Dan Skelton over the summer of 2024 for just 11,000gns, and promptly racked up six wins from eight starts. He opened his account at Market Rasen in August, and picked up wins at Newton Abbot (twice), Worcester, Hereford and Kelso, seeing his mark increase from 89 to 130.

CHEMICAL WARFARE

Owner: Sendemon Ltd
Trainer: David Pipe

There won’t have been many horses who were busier than Chemical Warfare during the season – or who chalked up more wins. The son of Fame And Glory claimed eight victories, starting at Market Rasen off 75 in June and finishing the campaign at Sedgefield in April, winning off a mark of 115.

CRACKING RHAPSODY

Owner: J D Wright and Mrs S Wright
Trainer: Ewan Whillans

Another fine season for Cracking Rhapsody saw him improve his record in Scotland further, by taking his second Morebattle Hurdle. This was also his second win of the season at his beloved Kelso, after taking the Handicap Hurdle in December. He then put up a career best in the Scottish Champion Hurdle, keeping on well to hold Kabral Du Mathan at the line.

GALE MAHLER

Owner: J Fyffe
Trainer: Adrian Keatley

Prolific through the summer months, Gale Mahler started her winning run in a bumper at Southwell in May, and by the end of July had won six races on the bounce, including a Listed Novice Hurdle at the Galway Festival. She also placed in two Grade 2 Novice Hurdles at Cheltenham in the autumn, and bagged another victory when claiming a Novice Hurdle at Ayr’s Scottish National meeting in April.

MR VANGO

Owner: Cracker and Smodge Partnership
Trainer: Sara Bradstock

It was three runs and three wins for Sara Bradstock’s popular staying Chaser. He opened his account in the London National at Sandown and followed up when dropping down in distance in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock. Shouldering top weight in the marathon Midlands Grand National, connections were slightly concerned about the unusually quick ground for the race, but he ground out another hard-fought victory in typically tenacious style.

NICK ROCKETT

Owner: Stewart and Sadie Andrew
Trainer: Willie Mullins

Even though he went into the Grand National off the back of two Grade 3 wins, at Gowan Park (in the Thyestes Chase) and at Fairyhouse in the Bobbyjo Chase, Nick Rockett was sent off a seemingly unconsidered 33/1 shot. Overcoming an error at Becher’s first time round, he battled on gamely up the long run-in to lead home a Willie Mullins 1-2-3-5 to become the highest-rated winner since 1988.

RISKINTHEGROUND

Owner: 3 Sons
Trainer: Dan Skelton

Another prolific winner for the Skeltons, Riskintheground started his campaign by winning off a mark of 112 at Hereford in May, and after victories at Fakenham, Uttoxeter and Bangor, he capped a fine season by winning a handicap chase at Ayr’s Scottish National meeting in April. He then followed up five days later, winning Cheltenham’s Grade 2 Silver Trophy having risen to a rating of 137.

SKYJACK HIJACK

Owner: Alan Baxter
Trainer: Jennie Candlish

In ten starts from June to December, Skyjack Hijack finished out of the frame just once. During this period, he went up 42lbs in the ratings and won six straight races. Proving a liking for staying distances, and showing slick jumping, he won races at Cartmel, Perth, Aintree, Exeter and two at Newcastle, including The French Furze Novices’ Hurdle.

CICERO’S GIFT

Owner: Rosehill Racing
Trainer: Charles Hills

The Listed Fortune Stakes at Sandown in mid-September has now produced three of the last seven winners of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on British Champions Day. Cicero’s Gift was the latest to complete the double, making light of his 100-1 odds to run on well and defeat the combined winners of 17 Group / Grade 1 races, including Rosallion and Field of Gold, in the Group 1 contest.

DOCKLANDS

Owner: OTI Racing
Trainer: Harry Eustace

Dockland’s affinity with Ascot’s straight track means that his form figures at the course are 11322214, and given that he is plying his trade at the highest level, it is a testament to the horse's ability. This season, he added a Group 1 victory to his record, landing the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot,  just prevailing from Rosallion in a tight finish. He then went on to be placed behind Cicero’s Gift in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on British Champions Day.

FIELD OF GOLD

Owner: Juddmonte
Trainer: John and Thady Gosden

Field of Gold’s early season mirrored that of his sire Kingman. After an impressive victory in a Guineas trial – in this case the Craven - Field of Gold was an unlucky runner-up in the 2,000 Guineas. He more than made amends in his next two starts, taking the Irish equivalent and the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. In the latter he faced again his Newmarket conqueror, Ruling Court, and French winner Henri Matisse, coming out best of the three Guineas winners by a comfortable three-and-a-half lengths.

RULING COURT

Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: Charlie Appleby

Ruling Court followed in his stablemate’s footsteps by having an unusual preparation for the 2,000 Guineas. Whereas Notable Speech learned his trade on the All-Weather, this year’s Guineas hero made his seasonal debut in the Listed Jumeirah 2,000 Guineas at Meydan in March, and followed up in the Newmarket Classic beating Field of Gold and Shadow of Light. Third in both the St James’s Palace and Eclipse, he sadly succumbed to laminitis in August.

CALANDAGAN

Owner: Exors of the late H H Aga Khan
Trainer: F-H Graffard

The prohibition of geldings from the Arc has been English racing’s gain this year, as instead of lining up at Longchamp in early October, Calandagan took his chance in the Champion Stakes at Ascot. Coming into the race off a break following his wins in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud and an impressive length defeat of Kalpana in the King George, the son of Gleneagles swept clear in the straight to win a fantastic renewal of the race, with Ombudsman, Delacroix and Economics all toiling in behind.

DELACROIX

Owner: Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien

Only out of the first four when finishing down the field in the Derby, Delacroix notched two impressive victories at the highest level, taking the Eclipse at Sandown by a neck from Ombudsman, and recording a 13^th win for his trainer in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. The son of Dubawi ran creditably in defeat, firstly in a muddling International at York behind old foe Ombudsman and when coming up against Calandagan in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

MINNIE HAUK 

Owner: Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien

Minnie Hauk landed a four-timer of Oaks successes during the season, landing the Cheshire Oaks before becoming Aidan O’Brien’s eleventh winner of the Epsom showpiece for fillies, beating stablemate Whirl by a neck. She became the third filly for her trainer to complete the English / Irish Oaks double before landing the Yorkshire version on the Knavesmire in August. However, her best race was arguably in defeat, when just edged out by Daryz in the Arc.

LAMBOURN

Owner: Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien

Lambourn provided an eleventh Derby for trainer Aidan O’Brien, when front-running tactics from rider Wayne Lordan won the day, always holding the second placed Lazy Griff – the first two replicating their positions from the Chester Vase some four weeks earlier. Lambourn followed up this success by taking the Ballydoyle tried-and-tested route of the Irish Derby, pulling three quarters of a length clear at the line at the Curragh, before disappointing in both the Voltigeur and St Leger.

OMBUDSMAN

Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: John and Thady Gosden

A gentle three-year-old campaign stood Ombudsman in good stead for a successful season this year, taking two Group 1 victories – in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot from Anmaat, and pegging back the runaway pacemaker in the International at York. Here, he was avenging his Eclipse defeat, having gone down by just a neck to Delacroix – a rival he was to beat again when finishing second in the Champion Stakes at Ascot behind Calandagan.

REBEL’S ROMANCE

Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: Charlie Appleby

The globetrotting Rebel’s Romance took his prize money fund to over £11.25million during the course of the season. He landed a brace of rare home wins in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot and over a distance beyond his best in the Yorkshire Cup in May. Back on his travels, he took his top-level tally to eight with fine victories in the Turf Classic at Aqueduct and Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten.

CABALLO DE MAR

Owner: Victorious Forever (Blue Starr Racing until June 2025)
Trainer: George Scott

Caballo De Mar had already won five races during the season – including the German St Leger – by the time the entries were published for the Prix du Cadran. Seeing the race had only attracted four entries, trainer George Scott and Victorious Forever risked the €21,600 supplementary fee, and it proved a wise decision with the son of Phoenix of Spain drawing clear in the final stages to land the big prize – not bad for a horse who won a handicap off a rating of 67 almost exactly a year earlier!

ILLINOIS

Owner: Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien

It was thought that Illinois might step in to fill the void left by stablemate Kyprios’s retirement, and although he ran well in the major Cup races, his sole win came on his four-year-old bow, in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester. He gamely chased home Trawlerman when trying the extended distance of the Gold Cup at Ascot, and then found only Scandinavia too good – when conceding him a stone – in the Goodwood Cup.

SCANDINAVIA

Owner: Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien

It says something for Scandinavia’s top flight form going into the St Leger that he was sent off as favourite over his Derby-winning stablemate Lambourn. His place at the head of the market was in part due to his Goodwood Cup success - landing the Group 1 contest in fine style from Illinois – from whom he was receiving a stone in weight for age. The market proved right at Doncaster, where he landed the oldest Classic by a neck from the running on Rahiebb.

SWEET WILLIAM

Owner: Normandie Stud Ltd
Trainer: John and Thady Gosden

There won’t be many more popular stayers in the country than Sweet William, and his liking for Doncaster was confirmed when he took a second Doncaster Cup at the St Leger meeting. He ran consistently all year, with runner-up spots in the British Champions Long Distance Cup (rated as his career-best performance) and the Lonsdale Cup, and a good third behind Scandinavia in the Goodwood Cup.

TRAWLERMAN

Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: John and Thady Gosden

Trawlerman had been locking horns with Kyprios for most of his staying career, but with the retirement of the Ballydoyle titan, he became the dominant force over extended distances, racking up an impressive series of victories. He started his campaign in the Henry II at Sandown, lowered the course record by 1.9 seconds in the Gold Cup at Ascot, and accounted for stablemate Sweet William twice, in the Lonsdale Cup and the Long Distance Cup at Ascot on British Champions Day, to cap a fine season for the seven-year-old.

ANTHELIA

Owner: Middleham Park Racing LXIV Mrs L Millman (Mrs L Millman until April)
Trainer: Rod Millman

Anthelia was one of the toughest two-year-old fillies around, taking in eight races and winning five of them, including Group 3 honours in the Dick Poole at Salisbury and the Listed National Stakes at Sandown in May. The biggest prize money pot she landed was at Newbury, in the Weatherbys Super Sprint holding off the challenge of Windsor Castle winner Havana Hurricane to land the event for the third time for the Millman yard.

ARDISIA

Owner: Ardisia Partnership
Trainer: Hugo Palmer

With twelve runs as a juvenile, Ardisia’s form improved throughout the year. After winning a couple of early-season Novice events at Musselburgh and Salisbury, the son of Ardad was stepped up to six furlongs and claimed Nurseries at Glorious Goodwood and Ayr’s Western Meeting. He stepped up a level again when landing the £118,000 prize for the Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar, and turned out just a week later he claimed second spot behind Mission Central in the inaugural British Champions Day Two-Year-Old race.

ARGENTINE TANGO

Owner: Bearstone Stud Limited
Trainer: Tim Easterby

Another hardy two-year-old this year, Argentine Tango racked up a trio of early-season victories including a neck win over Meelaf in the Hilary Needler Trophy and a head success from Midnight Tango in the Listed Empress Stakes at Newmarket. She continued to run creditably through the remainder of the season, including taking third to Venetian Sun in the Duchess Of Cambridge, second to Lady Iman in the Molecomb, and third to Ardisia in the Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar.

COPPER KNIGHT

Owner: Ventura Racing (Copper) and Partner
Trainer: Tim Easterby

An absolute credit to connections, the eleven-year-old Copper Knight gained another three victories in his tenth season of racing. He has notched a win in every season he has raced, except for the Covid-hit year of 2020. This year his three victories came at Pontefract - under seven-pound claimer Jake Dickson - at his beloved Chester where he was winning their 5 furlong handicap for the third time, and at Redcar in October, sweeping through late to beat Lexington Blitz by a length.

CROWD QUAKE

Owner: Stuart Williams
Trainer: Stuart Williams

Eight wins over the season for Stuart Williams’ charge saw his rating rocket from winning off 45 at Windsor in May to a winning mark of 88 at Doncaster in late October. Wins along the way included two victories on Newmarket’s July course, and two wins for “The East” in the Racing League at Chepstow and Southwell.

ETERNAL SUNSHINE

Owner: James Callow & Jim Goldie
Trainer: Jim Goldie

Another homebred from Jim Goldie’s stallion Orientor, Eternal Sunshine enjoyed a busy spell mid-summer, running twice in two days at York’s Ebor meeting (finishing a short head second to Star of Mehmas in a fillies’ handicap) and posting a hat trick of wins in just over a fortnight. The first two wins were at Thirsk, but the third came in one of the banner handicap sprints of the year, when she landed the Portland from Apollo One. She backed these performances up with placed efforts in the Ayr Bronze Cup and handicaps at Hamilton and York.

ETHICAL DIAMOND

Owner: H O S Syndicate
Trainer: Willie Mullins

Showing that Willie Mullins can also train top-class Flat runners, Ethical Diamond made two forays to the UK and picked up two of our feature handicaps. First up was the Duke of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot, a race he had finished an unlucky fourth in the previous year. There were no such problems this year as he ran out a two-length winner over Mutaawid. Up eight pounds and off a 64-day absence, he gave connections a second Ebor, after Absurde’s win in 2023, with a stylish success under William Buick.

HAMISH

Owner: The Hamish Partnership
Trainer: William Haggas

Nine-year-old Hamish’s runs are often dictated by the going, but even in a year dominated by quick ground, we still got to see one of the most popular horses in training four times – winning three of his outings. Two Listed wins, at Goodwood and Chester – where is is now unbeaten in three – was surpassed with his win in the St Simon at Newbury in October. This took his career to fifteen wins in 28 starts, nine of them coming at Group 3 level, and he has been out of the frame just twice in his seven-season career.

JANNAS JOURNEY

Owner:  James Mearns Long
Trainer: Jim Goldie

Jannas Journey scored seven times during the course of the season, with all her victories coming north of the border. Off a rating of just 47 she broke her maiden in a handicap at Hamilton, and then won four races at Ayr on the bounce. After a rare reversal she got back to winning ways to claim a Musselburgh handicap before returning to her favourite course on Ayr Gold Cup day to claim the seven furlong handicap off a rating of 77.

LUNA A INBHIR NIS

Owner: Summerstorm Bloodstock Limited
Trainer: Katie Scott

To say that Luna A Inbhir Nis’ first two wins were something of a surprise is an understatement. She turned over a 1/6 shot in a match race at Newcastle in March and then followed up two starts later by winning at 50/1 at Ayr off a rating of 57. By the end of the season, she had won four more races – two at Musselburgh, and one each at Haydock and York – before finishing a fine second to Democracy Dilemma in the Be Friendly Handicap back at Haydock off a mark of 89.

OWNER OF THE YEAR

• JP MCMANUS
• ROBCOUR
• SIMON MUNIR & ISAAC SOUEDE
• MRS J DONNELLY
• FERGUSON / MASON / HALES
• GODOLPHIN
• FITRI HAY
• SHEIKH MOHAMMED OBAID
• COOLMORE
• AMO RACING

HORSE OF THE YEAR

• BLUESTOCKING
• CITY OF TROY
• GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
• KYPRIOS
• STATE MAN