Legatissimo - Horse of the Year nominee© Photo Healy Racing
Nominations for the 2015 annual Horse Racing Ireland Awards have been announced with the likes of Champion Hurdle hero Faugheen, his trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Ruby Walsh all among the contenders.
Newstalk presenter and racing enthusiast Ivan Yates will be master of ceremonies for the awards, which take place at Leopardstown Racecourse on December 7.
Awards are presented in seven categories - Flat Racing, National Hunt Racing, Point-to-Point Racing, Horse of the Year, Contribution to Industry, Outstanding Achievement and Racecourse of the Year - with four category winners decided by a ballot of the Irish racing media.
The Horse of the Year award includes nominations for Faugheen, Punchestown Gold Cup winner Don Cossack, English and Irish 2000 Guineas victor Gleneagles, English 1000 Guineas winner Legatissimo, Morgiana Hurdle hero Nichols Canyon and Cheltenham Arkle Trophy winner Un De Sceaux.
The nominees in the National Hunt category are trainers Henry de Bromhead, Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins, along with jockeys Mark Walsh and Ruby Walsh.
The Flat nominees are trainers Aidan O'Brien, David Wachman and Dermot Weld and jockeys Pat Smullen and Colin Keane.
The Point-To-Point category is made up of Don Atkinson, Enda Bolger, Jamie Codd, Donnchadh Doyle, Liz Lalor and Derek O'Connor.
The winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award is selected by the Irish racing media and the general public through a dedicated HRI awards app or through forms available from HRI.
The nominees in this category, selected by the Irish racing media, include trainer Tony Martin, jockeys Jonathan Burke, Nina Carberry, Seamie Heffernan and Connor King, and the BoyleSports Irish Grand National-winning trainer/jockey combination of Sandra Hughes and Katie Walsh.
Gail Carlisle, groom of the record-breaking Hurricane Fly, is also nominated.
The Contribution to Industry Award will be announced by HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh, with previous winners including Mick O'Toole, Jim Bolger, Moyglare Stud, Dermot Weld, Colm Murray and Michael Kinane.
The Racecourse of the Year Award winner is chosen by the Racegoers' Consultative Forum, with sub-category awards for 'Best Information Services', 'Best Entertainment', 'Best Catering' and 'Most Family-Friendly'.
Kavanagh said: "The list of nominees for the 2015 Horse Racing Ireland Awards demonstrates the continuing strength-in-depth of Irish racing and allows us to celebrate the achievements of our jockeys, trainers, racecourses and others who have contributed so much to the reputation of the sport.
"I would like to congratulate all the nominees and look forward to celebrating their achievements at Leopardstown on December 7."
