OWNERS AWARDS: Special night for Ireland's racehorse owners 26 October 2018 Free

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26 October 2018

Mark Costello on 26 Oct 2018

OWNERS AWARDS: Special night for Ireland's racehorse owners

Rich Ricci and Martin Heydon gave thought-provoking addresses at the 2018 Owners Awards

26 October 2018

All the award winners at the 2018 Owners Awards. Back (l-r) Mr O'Connell, Anthony Rogers, Suzanne Fahey and Kathleen Whelan, Andrew Hogan, Eddie O'Leary, Alan Cooper and Peter Roe. Front (l-r) Des Scahill, Brian Polly (AIRO chairman), Eddie Moran, Jamie Moriarty (Coolmore), Amy Kidd and Rachel Treacy, Niall Flynn and Caren Walsh (AIRO Council) Photos: Philip Doyle and Barry Cronin

Anthony Rogers makes his way to the stage to accept the Flat Owner-Breeder Award

Ted Walsh of Coolmore Stud presents Eddie O'Leary with the Leading NH Owner Award of behalf of Gigginstown House Stud

Attracta Mongey of Diamonds And Pearls boutique presents the NH Horse of the Year trophy to Eddie O'Leary for Tiger Roll, owned by Gigginstown House Stud

Paul Ferriter sculpted the trophies for the Owners Awards

Representing the Magnier/Tabor/Smith partnership, Jamie Moriarty of Coolmore Stud accepts the Leading Flat Owner Award from Sharon O'Regan of Weatherbys Ireland

Jarlath Fahey (second from right) with the owners of Racing Dream Award winner Sea The Lion

Kathleen Whelan and Suzanne Fahey, representing the owners of Sea The Lion, accept the Racing Dream Award from Aiden Burns, manager of the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners

Kevin O'Ryan (centre), representing sponsors the Hanged Man's Restaurant, jokes with members of the O'Connell family,owners of Un De Sceaux, winner of the Racing Syndicate/Family Ownership Award

Robert Reynolds (right), representing Philip Reynolds, accepts the Value Purchase at Tattersalls Ireland Award from Matt Mitchell, on behalf of Presenting Percy

Mary Kilduff (left) presents Amy Kidd and Rachel Treacy with the Value Purchase at Goffs Award on behalf of Rashaan

Stephen Collins of Derrinstown Stud presents Eddie Moran with his Services to Racing Award

Retired commentator Des Scahill chats to MC Richard Pugh after receiving his Services to Racing Award

The Cork Racecourse team were among the award winners

Leo Powell of The Irish Field presents Fairyhouse manager Peter Roe with a Racecourse Award

Winner of the NH Owner-Breeder Award, Niall Flynn received a huge cheer

Jessica Harrington and Alan Cooper, representing Alpha Centauri's owners, received the Champion Flat Horse Award from Alex Cairns of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing

CLOSE to 200 guests filled the ballroom at the Killashee House Hotel in Naas last Saturday evening for The Owners Awards.

Staged jointly by the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners and The Irish Field, the black-tie event has raised its profile significantly in recent years. The addition of a guest speaker has lifted the night and this year Rich Ricci gave a very engaging speech.

Among the many topics he touched on was the domination of top-level racing by a small group of racehorse owners. “It’s a legitimate debate but also one filled with emotion,” he said. “I think it’s proper to have the debate, but balance and perspective – as well as the frustrations expressed – need to inform the discussion.”

The full speech is available (text and audio) on The Irish Field website.

Martin Heydon, the Kildare South TD and chairman of Fine Gael, also addressed guests on nehalf of the Government. Brexit dominated his comments and he warned: “The Tripartite Agreement [which allows for frictionless movement of thoroughbreds between Ireland, Britain and France] is just one of 750 international treaties which will be nullified if there is no deal agreed between Britain and the EU. The best possible deal will still be worse than what we have at the moment, so that is the difficulty we have and that is why we are working so hard on it.”

Web: theirishfield.ie

THE AWARD WINNERS

Racecourse Merit: CORK

Sponsored by Association of Irish Racecourses

Racecourse Merit: FAIRYHOUSE

Sponsored by The Irish Field

Services to Racing: DES SCAHILL

Sponsored by Horse Racing Ireland

Services to Racing: EDDIE MORAN

Sponsored by Derrinstown Stud

Value Purchase at Goffs: AMY KIDD & RACHEL TREACY (RASHAAN)

Sponsored by Goffs Bloodstock Sales

Value Purchase at Tattersalls Ireland: PHILIP REYNOLDS (PRESENTING PERCY)

Sponsored by Tattersalls Ireland

Racing Syndicate/Family: O’CONNELL FAMILY (UN DE SCEAUX)

Sponsored by Hanged Man’s Restaurant

Racing Dream: SUZANNE FAHEY/KATHLEEN WHELAN (SEA THE LION)

Sponsored by Howden Insurance UK

Leading Flat Owner: TABOR/MAGNIER/SMITH

Sponsored by Weatherbys Ireland

Leading NH Owner: GIGGINSTOWN HOUSE STUD

Sponsored by Coolmore Stud

Flat Owner-Breeder: ANTHONY & SONIA ROGERS (SKITTER SCATTER)

Sponsored by Darley

NH Owner-Breeder: NIALL FLYNN (COLREEVY & JUST JANICE)

Sponsored by Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association

Champion Flat Horse: NIARCHOS FAMILY (ALPHA CENTAURI)

Sponsored by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing

Champion NH Horse: GIGGINSTOWN HOUSE STUD (TIGER ROLL)

Sponsored by Diamonds & Pearls

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Irish Field Contributor

RICH RICCI: 'The dominance of big owners is a legitimate debate'

Rich Ricci was the guest speaker at the 2018 Owners Awards. He tackled many of the big issues facing Irish racing. Read or listen to his full speech here.

OWNERS AWARDS: 'Special' night for racehorse owners attracts capacity crowd

Mark Costello reports from The Owners Awards, presented jointly by The Irish Field and the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners