A total of 40 nominations have been revealed for the 2021 Horse Racing Ireland Awards, which will be presented in December. Spread across seven categories, the nominees are as follows:
Horse of the Year
- Honeysuckle (GB) (Sulamani {Ire})
- Minella Indo (Ire) (Beat Hollow {GB})
- Chacun Pour Soi (Fr) (Policy Make {Ire})
- Flooring Porter (Ire) (Yeats {Ire})
- St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr})
- Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire})
- Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn})
National Hunt Award
- Henry de Bromhead
- Willie Mullins
- Paul Townend
- Darragh O'Keeffe
National Hunt Achievement Award
- Dermot McLoughlin for his BoyleSports Irish Grand National success with Freewheelin Dylan (Ire) (Curtain Time {Ire})
- Gavin Cromwell for his Grade 1 double at the Cheltenham Festival
- Jack Kennedy for his Cheltenham Gold Cup win on Minella Indo (Ire) (Beat Hollow {GB})
- John “Shark” Hanlon for his Fairyhouse Grade 1 victory with Skyace (Ire) (Westerner {GB})
- Peter Fahey for his Cheltenham Festival and Aintree Grade 1 success with Belfast Banter (Ire) (Jeremy)
- Paul Hennessy who enjoyed Dublin Racing Festival and Cheltenham Festival wins with Heaven Help Us (Ire) (Yeats {Ire})
- The Flynn Family for their success with Colreevy (Ire) (Flemensfirth)
- Perennial champion amateur Patrick Mullins who rode four Grade 1 winners and won the Guinness Galway Hurdle for the third time in four years.
Flat Award
- Colin Keane
- Jessica Harrington
- Aidan O'Brien
- Johnny Murtagh
- Joseph O'Brien
Flat Achievement Award
- Ado McGuinness for his Group 1 win in the Prix de l'Abbaye
- Ben Coen, who won the G1 Irish St Leger with Sonnyboyliston (Ire) (Power {GB})
- Edward Lynam who won the G1 Flying Five S. with Romantic Proposal (Ire) (Raven's Pass)
- Jim and Jackie Bolger for their Classic and Group 1 success with Poetic Flare and Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire})
- Noel Meade who enjoyed a first Group 1 success with Helvic Dream (Ire) (Power {GB})
- Paddy Twomey
- Rory Cleary, who won the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas aboard Mac Swiney
Point-to-Point Award
- Colin Bowe
- Barry O'Neill
- John Nallen
- Pat Doyle
Emerging Talent Award
- Jordan Gainford
- Shane Fitzgerald
- Dylan Browne McMonagle
- Mikey Sheehy
- Sam Ewing
Suzanne Eade, interim CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, said, “The number of nominations is a true reflection of the success enjoyed by Irish owners, trainers and jockeys in 2021. There were so many great days at home and abroad and these terrific achievements deserve to be honoured. Best of luck to all the nominees as they go forward to join our Racing Hero Award winner Rachael Blackmore on this year's roll of honour.”
The Irish racing media will determine the winners through a ballot process. However, a public vote will decide the outcome of the 2021 Ride of the Year, with the contenders, chosen by Fran Berry and Davy Russell to be announced in due course. Full profiles of the nominees are available at www.hri.ie.
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