Aidan O'Brien and Seamus Heffernan win Awards

Aidan O'Brien and Seamus Heffernan win Awards

Curragh Leading Training and Riding Performance of 2015 at Curragh Racing Awards.

Dermot Weld, Sandra Hughes and Willie Mullins receive Special Achievement Awards.


The crème de la crème of the Irish horse racing world attended the annual Curragh Racing Awards on Thursday, 12th November. The event was staged in association with Tipperary Crystal and Kildare Village, who hosted the evening at their superb L’Officina Restaurant.


Aidan O’Brien and Seamus Heffernan were the big winners as they were awarded the Irish Daily Mail Training and Riding Performance of the Year Awards. There were selected from 8 monthly winners, with O’Brien the monthly winner for May and September following a number of high profile successes, while Heffernan claimed his Award for his winning ride on Diamondsandrubies in the Group One Sea The Stars Pretty Polly Stakes last June.


Special Achievement Awards, in association with Kildare Village, were presented to Curragh based trainer Sandra Hughes for her success in the Irish Grand National with Thunder and Rose and to Dermot Weld to honour his magnificent season which included sending out two Group 1 winners from his Curragh base. An Award was also presented to Willie Mullins in recognition of using the Curragh Training Grounds to prepare many of his greatest winners in 2015.


John Weld, Chairman of the Curragh Racecourse, commented:


“The Curragh Racecourse enjoyed a very positive year in 2015 with increases in attendance, betting, prize money on offer and international competition and it is important that we celebrate and acknowledge some of the tremendous achievements that have taken place on our track over the past year. We appreciate the significant support of our partners Kildare Village, Tipperary Crystal and the Irish Daily Mail who have all helped us develop the CurraghRacing Awards into a major event in the Irish Racing Calendar.”


Andrew Marshall, Business Director at Kildare Village said, 


“We are delighted to once again play host to the Curragh Racing Awards here at Kildare Village for the 6th consecutive year and wish to offer our congratulations to Aidan O’Brien in winning leading training performance of the year for the second year running. The fashion stakes were high at this year’s Curragh Racing Awards and with glamour such an important ingredient, Kildare Village is proud to bring these elements to such an important event each year”.


The Curragh Racing Awards 2015 in association with Tipperary Crystal and Kildare Village

Monthly winners

March

Presented by John Weld, Chairman of Curragh Racecourse, Ger Humphreys of Tipperary Crystal

Leading Riding Performance: Shane Foley

Leading Training Performance: Bill Farrell

Teamed up to win the Lodge Park Stud Park Express Stakes with Ramone, at odds of 100/1


April

Presented by John Weld, Chairman of Curragh Racecourse, Ger Humphreys of Tipperary Crystal

Leading Riding Performance: Kevin Manning

Leading Training Performance: Jim Bolger

Teamed up to win the Alleged Stakes with Parish Hall, Big Bad Bob Gladness Stakes with Flight Risk and 2 year old Maiden with Mimmicking


May

Presented by John Weld, Chairman of Curragh Racecourse, Ger Humphreys of Tipperary Crystal

Leading Riding Performance: Ryan Moore

Leading Training Performance: Aidan O’Brien

Teamed up to win the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas with Gleneagles. Aidan also won two other races over Irish Guineas weekend, while Ryan landed three other races including Air Force Blue in the Big Bad Bob EBF Maiden.


June

Presented by John Weld, Chairman of Curragh Racecourse, Ger Humphreys of Tipperary Crystal

Leading Riding Performance: Seamus Heffernan

Rode Diamondsandrubies to win the Group 1 Sea The Stars Pretty Polly Stakes and Bondi Beach to win the At The Races Curragh Cup

Leading Training Performance: John Gosden

Won the 150th Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby with Jack Hobbs


July

Presented by John Weld, Chairman of Curragh Racecourse, Ger Humphreys of Tipperary Crystal

Leading Riding Performance: Pat Smullen

Leading Training Performance: Hugo Palmer

Teamed up to win the Darley Irish Oaks with Covert Love. Pat also won three other races that weekend including Stepper Point in the Invincible Spirit Sapphire Stakes, while Hugo also trained Home of the Brave to win the Friarstown Stud Minstrel Stakes on the same weekend


August

Presented by John Weld, Chairman of Curragh Racecourse, Ger Humphreys of Tipperary Crystal

Leading Riding Performance: Fran Berry

Leading Training Performance: David Wachman

Teamed up to win the Tote Irish Cambridgeshire with Hint Of A Tint, while Fran also won the Dance Design Stakes on the same day on Boca Baciata


September

Presented by John Weld, Chairman of Curragh Racecourse, Ger Humphreys of Tipperary Crystal

Leading Riding Performance: Joseph O’Brien

Leading Training Performance: Aidan O’Brien

Teamed up to win the Group One Palmerstown House Estate Irish St Leger with Order of St George and Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes with Air Force Blue, while Aidan also trained Minding to win the Moyglare Stud Stakes and also won the CL & MF Weld Park Stakes with Coolmore and Juddmonte Beresford Stakes during the month of September


October

Presented by John Weld, Chairman of Curragh Racecourse, Ger Humphreys of Tipperary Crystal

Leading Riding Performance: Billy Lee

Leading Training Performance: Willie Mullins

Teamed up to win the Tote Irish Cesarewtich with Digeanta, while Billy also rode Fort Del Loro to win the Waterford Testimonial Stakes on the same day


Special Achievement Award in association with Kildare Village

Presented by John Weld, Chairman of Curragh Racecourse, Ger Humphreys of Tipperary Crystal and Andrew Marshall representing Kildare Village

Dermot Weld

Another magnificent year for the Curragh based trainer which included 14 winners at the Curragh and two Group One victories at Ascot with Free Eagle and Fascinating Rock.


Special Achievement Award in association with Kildare Village

Presented by John Weld, Chairman of Curragh Racecourse, Ger Humphreys of

Tipperary Crystal and Andrew Marshall representing Kildare Village

Sandra Hughes

Trained the winner of the Irish Grand National with Thunder and Roses from her Curragh base


Special Achievement Award in association with Kildare Village

Presented by John Weld, Chairman of Curragh Racecourse, Ger Humphreys of Tipperary Crystal and Andrew Marshall representing Kildare Village

Willie Mullins

To honour his magnificent year and use of Curragh training facilities


Leading Training Performance of 2015 in association with the Irish Daily Mail

(selected from the monthly winners)

Presented by John Weld, Chairman of Curragh Racecourse, Ger Humphreys of Tipperary Crystal and David Vaz of the Irish Daily Mail

Aidan O’Brien


Leading Riding Performance of 2015 in association with the Irish Daily Mail

(selected from the monthly winners)

Presented by John Weld, Chairman of Curragh Racecourse, Ger Humphreys of Tipperary Crystal and David Vaz of the Irish Daily Mail

Seamus Heffernan


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