Nominees For ROA Epsom Awards In Aid Of Racing Welfare Announced

The nominees for the ROA Epsom Awards, sponsored by the Racehorse Owners Association (ROA), have been revealed.

The awards will take place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on Saturday, Nov. 30, and will celebrate the achievements of Epsom's NH and Flat horses, trainers, and industry staff over the past year. The awards ceremony and dinner will be hosted by Frankie Foster and Mattie Batchelor. The nominees for the awards are as follows:

• Best 2yo – Beautiful Things (M Attwater), Many Men (J Boyle)
• Best 3yo -Carnival (J Boyle), Hello Cotai (A West), Mc Loven (S Dow)
• Best Older Horse – Epsom Faithful (P Phelan), Hodler (J Boyle), Live In The Dream (A West)
• Best National Hunt Horse – Blue Universe (M Attwater), Classic Anthem (J Boyle), Martin Spirit (A West)
• Most Improved Horse/Handicapper – Carnival Day (J Boyle), Thursday (S Dow), Tronido (S Dow)
• Horse of the Year – Cabeza De Llave (M Attwater), Rabinal (S Dow), Smasher (M Attwater)

There will also be a 'Horse with the most wins' award presented on the evening. Three human awards will also be given: the Stanley Wootton Award (incorporating the Racing Welfare Dedication to Racing Award) and sponsored by Epsom Downs Racecourse, which will recognise outstanding merit on behalf of Epsom as a racing and training centre; the Howard Wright Special Recognition Award, sponsored by RaceTech, will recognise a person, horse or special achievement that might otherwise slip under the radar of the conventional awards; and the Sir David Prosser Trophy, sponsored by Lady Rosemary Prosser and Orbital Veterinary Services, will be given to the Epsom trainer with the most winners in a calendar year (Nov. 5 2022 to Nov. 4 2023).

The judging panel will be Epsom Downs and Sandown Park's  Andrew Cooper, the Racing Post's Lee Mottershead, Rishi Persad, and the ROA's Sarah Holton.

Dawn Goodfellow, Racing Welfare chief executive, said, “We're delighted to once again be staging the ROA Epsom Awards, and we'd like to wish all of the nominees the very best of luck. We look forward to finding out who the judges have chosen as winners, at what promises to be a wonderful evening of entertainment and celebration and would like to thank our sponsors, hosts and judges for their support.”