Next Tuesday in London the world of horseracing will gather to honour the champions of 2015 and to present one of the most prestigious awards in the sport, that of the Award of Merit.

When you consider that Queen Elizabeth, the Aga Khan, Sheikh Mohammed, Sheikh Hamdan and Prince Khalid Abdullah are five of the previous recipients of the award, you will understand how highly valued the award is. A number of Irishmen have also been honoured over the years and they include the late Sir Peter O’Sullevan, John Magnier, John Oxx and Jim Bolger, while Tony McCoy was given a special award in 2002.