IT was a great night for the Irish and horses trained here took three awards. It was a special night for Sabena and David Power who were joined on stage by their daughter Tessa to collect the leading sprinter accolade for Sole Power. This seven-year-old Eddie Lynam trained gelding beat his stable companion Slade Power, the Tom Hogan-trained Gordon Lord Byron and G Force to get the nod in a most competitive category. Mrs Power spoke from the heart when she paid tribute to her two stars and all of the teams who have played their part in the successes. Sole Power has won more than £1.5 million to date.

The Ballydoyle/Coolmore team were prominent as two of their stable stars were honoured. Leading Light’s thrilling victory in the Ascot Gold Cup was enough to ensure that he beat off all-comers to collect the award for leading stayer. Paul Smith, owner of another of the nominees in Kingston Hill, accepted the prize. Sadly the colt’s future racing career hangs in the balance. MV Magnier was in the limelight as he was presented with the two-year-old colt award for Gleneagles, the seventh such award Team Coolmore and Aidan O’Brien. .

Sadly Richard Hughes was unable to be present when Tiggy Wiggy was announced as the winner in the two-year-old filly category. Her outstanding juvenile career culminated in victory in the Connolly’s Red Mills Cheveley Park Stakes and she won six of her eight starts, the first of which came on the all-weather at Kempton Park.

Speaking of the many award winners, Harry Herbert, Cartier’s racing consultant, commented: “2014 was another exceptionally strong year for quality flat racing in Europe and horses trained here did well the world over.

The evening always pays tribute to those that we have lost in the past year, and among those remembered were Johnny Harrington, Alan Lillingston and Lucy Stack.