Paul and Marie McCartan,

Ballyphilip Stud

Battaash – June 2020

Paul and Marie won a monthly award again for the now retired Battaash, and this nomination was following the son of Dark Angel’s victory in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. The McCartans are past winners of the Connolly’s Red Mills/The Irish Field Breeder of the Year award

Paul Shanahan, Lynch Bages

Even So – July 2020

A classic success for Even So in the Group 1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks saw Paul Shanahan beat John Magnier, Sheikh Mohammed and Dermot Weld to land this award. A daughter of Camelot, Even So is out of a half-sister to the Group 1 Derby winner Dr Devious and the champion sprinter Archway

Derek and Gay Veitch, Ringfort Stud

Minzaal and Miss Amulet – August 2020

Two of a trio of Group 2-winning juveniles bred by Derek and Gay at their farm in Co Offaly in 2020, Minzaal, a son of Mehmas, won the Gimcrack Stakes, while Sir Prancealot’s daughter Miss Amulet captured the Lowther

Stakes. Both went on to gain Group/Grade 1 placings before the end of the year

Karl Bowen

Champers Elysees – September 2020

Bred in Tipperary by Karl Bowen at his Archway Stud, Champers Elysees was a first Group 1 winner for the filly’s breeder, the trainer Johnny Murtagh and her sire, Ballyhane Stud’s Elzaam. She was sold as a foal for just €12,500. Her future now lies as a broodmare in Japan

Rowena Cotton and Stephen Lanigan-O’Keeffe

The Storyteller – October 2020

Victory in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Chase has been the highlight to date of The Storyteller’s career, and he subsequently was runner-up at Grade 1 level over hurdles and fences. Stephen has had this family for three decades, while Rowena won a couple of races with The Storyteller’s dam

H.H. The Aga Khan

Tarnawa – November 2020

Tarnawa doubled her Group 1 tally when she won the Prix de l’Opera, but brought her season to a thrilling climax with victory in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf. She also won the Prix Vermeille for His Highness The Aga Khan, and went to finish second in the 2021 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

Sean Murphy

Flooring Porter – December 2020

Flooring Porter won the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown and is out of a mare, Lillymile, a homebred of Sean Murphy’s who won a point-to-point and a couple of hurdle races. Flooring Porter later went to Cheltenham where he added the Grade 1 Stayers’ Hurdle to his roll of honour

Niall Flynn

Colreevy and Next Destination – January 2021

Niall Flynn has Five Naughts Stud in Dungarvan and had a marvellous National Hunt season, thanks to Flemensfirth’s daughter Colreevy, and the dual Grade 1 winner Next Destination. Colreevy went on to win at Cheltenham and end her career with a third Grade 1 win at Punchestown

Frank McNulty, Barmakin Ltd and South Lodge Stud

Appreciate It – February 2021

Bred by Frank and partners, Appreciate It added the Grade 1 Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Festival to a win weeks earlier in another Grade 1 at the track.

Better was still to come when he went to Cheltenham and won his third Grade 1 in succession, landing the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Anne Lalor

Minella Indo – March 2021

It was a dream come true for Anne Lalor and the ‘Carrigeen’ family when Minella Indo won his third Grade 1 with victory in the centrepiece of the Cheltenham Festival, the Gold Cup.

He previously won the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Hurdle at the Festival and was sold to Minella Hotel’s John Nallen as a foal for €24,000

Seamus Cooney

Belfast Banter – April 2021

Belfast Banter’s win in the Grade 3 County Hurdle at Cheltenham was reason for great celebration, but better was to come.

At Aintree he stepped up to Grade 1 level and won the Top Novices’ Hurdle. He had been one of four Cheltenham winners in 2021 for his much-missed sire Jeremy, the others all winning Grade 1s

Tony O’Dwyer and Keith O’Brien

Helvic Dream – May 2021

A son of Power that Tony and Keith, managers of Paul Shanahan’s Ashtown House Stud in Tipperary, could not get €4,000 as a foal in the ring, Helvic Dream gave Noel Meade a breakthrough first Group 1 winner on the flat when he landed the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh from Broome, a subsequent Group 1 winner of the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud