Rachael Blackmore awarded top honour at the Horse Racing Ireland Awards in recognition of her trailblazing career

Rachael Blackmore received the highest honour at Horse Racing Ireland's annual award ceremony in Dublin on Monday night in recognition of her sensational career. 

The record-breaking jockey, who retired from race-riding in May, received the contribution to the industry award on an evening that celebrated excellence across all strands of Irish racing.

Blackmore’s impact on the sport was warmly acknowledged by HRI chief executive Suzanne Eade, who presented the award. Eade praised Blackmore as a “true trailblazer", noting her extraordinary haul of 33 Grade 1 victories and 18 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, achievements crowned by landmark triumphs in the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and, most memorably, the 2021 Grand National. 

Many of those feats came during the Covid period, Eade added, when Blackmore’s exploits “helped brighten the mood of the nation” and inspired a new generation of fans.

The horse of the year category resulted in a rare tie between two Willie Mullins horses. Last year’s champion Galopin Des Champs shared the honour with Ethical Diamond, who provided Mullins with his maiden Breeders’ Cup success with an unexpected victory at Del Mar last month. It was just the second time the horse of the year title had been awarded jointly after Faugheen and Don Cossack were dual winners in 2015. 

The result was just one feature of an exceptional night for Closutton, with the champion trainer scooping the National Hunt award and son Patrick Mullins being recognised with the National Hunt achievement award for his Grand National success aboard Nick Rockett.

Dylan Browne McMonagle collected the Flat award following a fantastic season in which he became Ireland’s champion jockey, while Tipperary trainer Joe Murphy was a popular winner of the Flat achievement award. Murphy’s honour followed on from the biggest success of his career, Cercene’s stirring Group 1 Coronation Stakes victory at Royal Ascot.

Nicola Burns: one of the sport's brightest prospectsCredit: Patrick McCann

The emerging talent award went to 17-year-old Nicola Burns from County Westmeath, who has ridden more than 30 winners in just over a year on the scene, marking her as one of the sport’s brightest young prospects. In the point-to-point sphere, Tipperary trainer Sam Curling was recognised following Wonderwall’s success in the St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase at Cheltenham and Curling’s strongest domestic season.

In the public-voted racecourse of the year award, Punchestown came out top after polling strongly with racegoers, industry representatives and a dedicated HRI sustainability-focused committee.

There was a poignant success for Cork amateur jockey Alan O’Sullivan, who picked up the ride of the year for his brilliantly judged success on Filey Bay in the Connacht Hotel (QR) Handicap at Galway— an award made more emotional as his late brother Michael was also honoured during the ceremony.

Horse Racing Ireland Award winners

Contribution to the industry: Rachael Blackmore
Racecourse of the year: Punchestown
Flat award: Dylan Browne McMonagle
National Hunt award: Willie Mullins
Flat achievement award: Joseph Murphy
National Hunt achievement award: Patrick Mullins
Emerging talent award: Nicola Burns
Point-to-point award: Sam Curling
Ride of the year: Alan O'Sullivan on Filey Bay at Galway
Horse of the year: Galopin Des Champs / Ethical Diamond

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