NOMINEES ANNOUNCED FOR ROA EPSOM AWARDS IN AID OF RACING WELFARE
Epsom will celebrate its racing achievements at a glittering awards ceremony in aid of Racing Welfare this weekend, and nominees for the prestigious prizes have now been announced.
The ROA Epsom Awards, generously sponsored by the Racehorse Owners Association, will take place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on Saturday 30th November and will feature an awards ceremony celebrating the achievements of Epsom’s National Hunt and Flat horses, trainers and industry staff over the past year. The evening will be hosted by Frankie Foster and Mattie Batchelor and will include a champagne reception, three-course meal, silent charity auction, games, raffle and entertainment from a live band.
The nominees for the awards are as follows:
Best 2yo
- Beautiful Things (M Attwater)
- Many Men (J Boyle)
Best 3yo
- Carnival (J Boyle)
- Hello Cotai (A West)
- Mc Loven (S Dow)
Best Older Horse
- Epsom Faithful (P Phelan)
- Hodler (J Boyle)
- Live In The Dream (A West)
Best National Hunt Horse
- Blue Universe (M Attwater)
- Classic Anthem (J Boyle)
- Martin Spirit (A West)
Most Improved Horse/Handicapper
- Carnival Day (J Boyle)
- Thursday (S Dow)
- Tronido (S Dow)
Horse of the Year
- Cabeza De Llave (M Attwater)
- Rabinal (S Dow)
- Smasher (M Attwater)
There will also be a ‘Horse with the most wins’ award presented on the evening.
The judging panel, made up of Andrew Cooper – Head of Racing and Clerk of the Course at Epsom Downs and Sandown Park; Lee Mottershead – senior writer for the Racing Post; Rishi Persad – sports broadcaster and Sarah Holton – Ownership Executive at the Racehorse Owners Association, will also recognise Epsom’s human achievements in awarding three special accolades, as follows:
The Stanley Wootton Award (incorporating the Racing Welfare Dedication to Racing Award) and sponsored by Epsom Downs Racecourse, which will recognise outstanding merit on behalf of Epsom as a racing and training centre.
The Howard Wright Special Recognition Award, sponsored by RaceTech, will recognise a person, horse or special achievement that might otherwise slip under the radar of the conventional awards. This award will be made in honour of Howard Wright, the former Associate Editor of the Racing Post, who was a long-serving Judge for the Epsom Awards, and sadly passed away in August this year.
The Sir David Prosser Trophy, sponsored by Lady Rosemary Prosser and Orbital Veterinary Services, will be given to the Epsom trainer with the most winners in a calendar year (5th November 2022 – 4th November 2023 inclusive.)
Dawn Goodfellow, Racing Welfare Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to once again be staging the ROA Epsom Awards, and we’d like to wish all of the nominees the very best of luck. We look forward to finding out who the judges have chosen as winners, at what promises to be a wonderful evening of entertainment and celebration and would like to thank our sponsors, hosts and judges for their support.
“Racing Welfare plays a pivotal role in supporting Epsom’s racing staff and retirees, so it’s fitting that funds raised from the ROA Epsom Awards 2024 will go towards Racing Welfare’s work in the local community.”