Harrington, Whelan Honored at Curragh Racing Awards
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Photo: copyright Kieran Harnett
Aidan O'Brien, Pat Webb, leading jockey Donnacha O'Brien received by Anne Marie O'Brien, leading owner Sue Magnier received by Eddie Irwin, Jessica Harrington, Ronan Whelan and Adrian McGoldrick at the Tipperary Crystal Curragh Racing Awards.
Kildare Village played host to the annual Curragh Racing Awards in association with Tipperary Crystal Oct. 15 where trainer Jessica Harrington and jockey Ronan Whelan were big winners.
Harrington and Whelan were awarded the leading Training and Riding Performances of the Year, having been selected by an expert panel of judges. Harrington trained Alpha Centauri to win the Tattersalls Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) and I'm So Fancy, a winner of three stakes races at the County Kildare venue, while victories on Skitter Scatter and Sea The Lion ensured Whelan his first Curragh Racing Awards accolade.
The Special Achievement Awards, in association with Kildare Village and the Irish Daily Mail, were presented to Dr. Adrian McGoldrick for his contribution to the Curragh and Irish Horse Racing through his role as IHRB medical officer and Curragh Racecourse foreman Pat Webb along with his ground staff team for the work carried out during the season.
Aidan O'Brien was the leading trainer of the season, having won 34 races and more than €3.3 million (US$3.83 million) in total prize money, while his youngest son Donnacha was leading jockey with 19 victories. Sue Magnier was crowned leading owner for the 2018 season with a total of 35 winners.
Curragh CEO Derek McGrath said, "We have witnessed excellent racing and great performances throughout our 2018 season with 41 individual trainers, 40 individual jockeys and 101 owners visiting the winner's enclosure this year. Our races were strongly contested this season highlighted by 1,614 runners who competed for just over €10 ($11.61 million) in total prize money, while there were 73 overseas trained runners.
"We have appreciated the tremendous support of the racing industry over the past two years and look forward to working closely with all stakeholders as we approach a very exciting and historic year for the racecourse. The long hot and dry summer was very welcome, but it also created challenges and I would like to particularly commend that Curragh team for going to such great lengths to provide the best ground possible."
He added, "Our re-development project is progressing very well and the racecourse is currently a hive of activity with contractors working on the construction of the new grandstand to have it fully completed for our 2019 racing season with the first of 19 race days taking place on 13th April."