Fortune and Moloney collect special awards at Stobart Lesters

Jimmy Fortune and Paul Moloney, stalwarts of the Flat and jumps and who retired this year, were honoured on Friday when they picked up special recognition awards at the 2017 Stobart Lesters.

The pair were two of the recipients of the nine accolades handed out at this year's occasion, held for the first time in the At The Races studio as a live broadcast owing to fixture clashes making it impossible to stage an event at a traditional venue like a hotel.

Derek Fox's performance to win the Grand National on One For Arthur was voted jump ride of the year, while Callum Rodriguez scooped the Flat equivalent for his victory on Nakeeta in the Ebor at York, a prize decided by viewers of ATR and Racing UK.

Rodriguez was in the studio to collect his award, along with Josephine Gordon (lady jockey of the year) and Kieran Shoemark, who won the apprentice jockey of the year accolade despite losing out narrowly in the championship race to David Egan.

The other awards went to the jumps and Flat season's champions as Richard Johnson was named jump jockey of the year, Harry Cobden was conditional jockey of the year and Silvestre De Sousa Flat jockey of the year.

PJA chairman Nigel Payne said: "Recognition by one’s peers is the best recognition of all and each of those jockeys who won will be thrilled and will cherish the honour. Very well done to Josephine, Kieran, Harry, Callum, Derek, Jimmy, Paul, Silvestre and Richard."

The Professional Jockeys Association is committed to the event returning to a traditional format on December 22 next year, the problem of finding a slot for it having started in 2014, when its former home over Easter became untenable with the BHA's decision to allow racing on Good Friday.

Stobart Lesters winners 2017

Lady Jockey of the Year: Josephine Gordon

Apprentice Jockey of the Year: Kieran Shoemark

Flat Ride of the Year: Callum Rodriguez, Nakeeta, Betfred Ebor, York

Flat Jockey Special Recognition: Jimmy Fortune

Conditional Jockey of the Year: Harry Cobden

Jump Ride of the Year: Derek Fox, One For Arthur, Randox Health Grand National, Aintree

Jump Jockey Special Recognition: Paul Moloney

Flat Jockey of the Year: Silvestre De Sousa

Jump Jockey of the Year: Richard Johnson

Look back on a sizzling year of racing in the new edition of the Racing Post Annual, which has 208 colour pages packed with the best stories and pictures of 2017. Order now at racingpost.com/shop or call 01933 304858