Young Irish writers successful in Martin Wills Awards Jack Cantillon (17) from Johnstown, in Co. Kildare and Limerick student Cathal Dennehy are among the winners in this year's Martin Wills Memorial Trust Awards. The prestigious Awards for creative writing on any aspect of horseracing, and which commemorate the amateur rider and journalist who died aged 39 in 1992, attracted a record 169 entries. Cantillon, whose family are well known in the thoroughbred breeding industry and who is currently studying for the leaving certificate at Newbridge College, won the under 19 catagory. He receives #500 for his article 'Tips Today, Exams Tomorrow', about a student's quest to place a bet during his mock exams. Dennehy (21), studying for a Masters in Film and TV Studies at Dublin City University having already obtained a BA in Journalism from that establishment, was runner-up in the under 26 category. He receives #750 for his article, 'Novice Chaser', about introducing a friend to racing and betting. The under-26 winner is 24-year-old Alistair Millar from Glasgow, who is studying for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism at Strathclyde University, having already obtained a BA (Hons) in Sociology from the same institution. He picks up #1,250 for his article 'Don't Look a Gift Horse', about a smug, disillusioned teenager who decides to take his employer for a ride. A selection of winning articles will be published in the coming weeks in both the Racing Post and The Irish Field, and they can also be read on the Awards' website (willswritingawards.co.uk). The judges were: Brough Scott (Chairman), three times Sports Feature Writer of the Year; Marcus Armytage, racing writer at The Daily Telegraph and Grand National winning jockey; Tim Cox, former Worldwide Media Director of the BBDO advertising agency and owner of a 13,000 volume racing library; former Home Secretary Michael Howard; racing author and journalist Sean Magee; Bruce Millington, Editor of the Racing Post; Catherine Wills, DPhil Art Historian sister of Martin Wills and a member of the Jockey Club. Brough Scott stated, 'The judging process this year was one of the most enjoyable we have had because of the real energy and talent that was coming off the page. That is exactly what these Awards had hoped to encourage.'
