Starring roles for stud and stable staff at awards - and even the PM can't upstage them

You could tell this was a special evening from the start. While we are all used to introductory words on screen from Rishi, they usually come from Mr Persad. Not Sunak.

Many a jaw dropped when the prime minister upstaged even Ed Chamberlin and Sir Anthony McCoy as good luck video messages played out before the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards.

Addressing the 250 gathered at York racecourse in enthusiastic expectation, the PM identified himself as MP for Middleham and Catterick racecourse and told of how he had “seen the sheer hard work, grit and determination of all in British racing for the horses in their care", saying "tonight’s finalists exemplify all that is best about British racing and breeding".

His predecessor but one might have reflected this event was racing’s version of “levelling up”, honouring those who rarely make the spotlight, in a ceremony moved out of London for the first time.

The PM is a hard act to follow for a mere chair of the BHA, although Joe Saumarez Smith did his best by taking to the stage to announce: “This is the most important evening in the racing calendar. It is an opportunity to celebrate some truly inspiring individuals.”

And Nick Luck, chair of the judges, added: “It’s a huge honour and privilege to be involved, it’s an evening of complete positivity. Unsung heroes? We want to sing the heroism of all of you from the rooftops.”

The superlatives were matched by the serious money on offer – nearly £130,000 thanks to support from Godolphin.

“It’s great that Sheikh Mohammed is sponsoring this,” said former jockey Freddy Tylicki. “This is probably the best money that he’s investing into the industry. It’s a very important night for the whole industry and that’s why I’m here, to be part of it.”

A self-labelled former stable lad handed out the trophies and, even if Richard Johnson has ridden several thousand winners since, he has not forgotten those days.

“There are plenty of days that even when you love horses it’s pretty testing,” he recalled. “The weather’s cold, the mornings are early and if you’ve got a runner in the last at Fakenham it’s a very long day. It’s nice to see them getting recognised for all their hard work.”

But the reasons why this is a special evening really became clear once the awards started, as tearful winners got cheered on to the stage and revealed something of themselves.

Ryan Kavanagh, 19, who fell into working for Amy Murphy by accident, bounced back from the loss of his brother and won the newcomer award the day before starting an apprentice course.

Ryan Kavanagh: newcomer award winnerCredit: Dan Abraham

“I came in to earn a bit of money during Covid when I was at college and I started falling in love with the horses,” he said.

“I lost my brother and within two weeks I came straight back and it was the first thing that made me smile and actually feel like there was a reason to keep kicking and keep going forward.”

Claire Ricks, who has been in racing since 1974, played a key role in saving the horses when fire hit Luca Cumani’s stable in 2012 and received the dedication award.

“You never stop learning and you hope that you can inspire some of the younger staff and encourage them to follow your thoughts and ideas,” she said. “I hope I’ll leave some sort of legacy. It’s a community. It’s not just a job, it’s a vocation.”

Bethan Byrne, who won the stud staff award, said: “To be recognised by someone you work with is a fantastic feeling, and even at that point I genuinely thought I was a winner. To get down to the last ten, the final three and then to win is phenomenal.”

Bethan Byrne: stud staff award winnerCredit: Dan Abraham

Sarah Guest won the leadership award and was also judged overall employee of the year, having stepped into the breach when boss John O’Shea was taken ill.

“It was challenging but we’re all here standing and still going,” she shrugged. “I’ll mop the floors, I’ll muck out the stables, I’ll talk to the owners. You name it, I’ll do it. That’s the way it is in smaller yards.”

It was a special night for special people and Godolphin’s managing director Hugh Anderson summed it up by saying: “These finalists and all the nominees have done fantastically well and we’re incredibly proud to share the industry with them.

“But let’s celebrate what they do all year round, not just tonight. Our sport and our industry require an awful lot from everyone who works in it. Let’s look after the people who work in our industry every day of the year.” 

You hope Rishi would agree – both of them.

Read these next:

'Standout selection' Sarah Guest named employee of the year at Thoroughbred Industry awards 

George Baker: Stable staff really helped me as a jockey - now it's an honour to be part of their day 

'Things like that don't happen to people like me' - 2022 Stable Staff Awards winner's astonishing rise 

Follow your favourites with our amazing Horse Tracker feature. Add up to 1,000 horses to your stable, filter them and keep up to date with automatic email alerts. Join Members' Club Ultimate now and never miss a winner again!