THE PEOPLE'S JUMP SEASON AWARD AND OFFICIAL HORSE OF THE YEAR AWARD
15/04/2011
Sandown Park Racecourse today opens a public vote at www.sandown.co.uk/bet365-ultimate-celebration, offering racing fans the opportunity to choose the winner of both The People’s Jumps Season Award and Jump Racing’s Horse of the Year Award, both of which are to be presented at a special Award Ceremony ahead of racing on bet365 Gold Cup Day on Saturday 23rd April.
The People’s Jumps Season Award, which is run in conjunction with Channel 4, is a celebration of the human and equine stars of the Jump season, which last year saw fifteen times Champion Jump Jockey, AP McCoy, voted the inaugural winner after winning the John Smiths Grand National 2010. Racing fans can vote for their favourite moment of the 2010/11 season from five magic moments selected by Channel 4 Presenters, John Francome and Nick Luck. All voters will automatically be entered into a draw to win a VIP prize to present the Award alongside a member of the Channel 4 Racing team and receive full hospitality at this top raceday.
The five magic moments to choose from are:
- Amateur Jockey Sam Waley-Cohen winning the King George VI Chase and the Cheltenham totesport Gold Cup 2011, plus achieving second place in the John Smith’s Grand National
- The remarkable performances of equine superstars Denman & Kauto Star in the 2011 Cheltenham totesport Gold Cup, 18th March
- Rodi Green’s winning ride on The Giant Bolster, Cheltenham Racecourse Festival Trials Day, 29th January
- Pat Rodford and Kieren Burke’s Cheltenham Festival story. An unbelievable week for the 10-horse Trainer, Pat Rodford, with two Festival runners that came first; Holmwood Legend at 25-1 in the Byrne Group Plate and second place - Sparky May in Tuesday’s David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle. Both ridden by Kieren Burke.
- Willie Twiston-Davies – the 16-year-old jockey on board Baby Run wins the John Smith’s Fox Hunters’ Chase, earning him a place in Aintree history as the youngest jockey to win over the famous Grand National fences.
In the absence of the Anglo-Irish Jump Racing Awards this year, Sandown Park has also teamed up with Racing for Change to host the prestigious Horse of the Year Award, which was decided by public vote for the first time last year. Five truly deserving candidates have been shortlisted by representatives from Britain and Ireland, including the Head of Handicapping from both the British Horseracing Authority and the Irish Turf Club, and have been chosen based on their official rating, their role in promoting Jump Racing, or a combination of the two. On this basis, the challengers are as follows:
- Big Buck’s: Current holder of the Horse of the Year Title, trained by Paul Nicholls and owned by The Stewart Family
- Long Run: Trained by Nicky Henderson and owned by Robert Waley-Cohen
- Hurricane Fly: Trained by Willie Mullins and owned by George Creighton and Mrs. Rose Boyd
- Master Minded: Trained by Paul Nicholls and owned by Clive Smith
- Sizing Europe: Trainer by Henry De Bromhead and owned by Ann and Alan Potts Partnership
David Mackinnon, Managing Director for Sandown Park Racecourse, commented: “Last year was the first year we launched The People’s Award and we received over 1,000 entries, which was a fantastic response from the public. This year, not only do we have five great nominations for the public to choose from for this Award, but we are also delighted to be hosting the annual Jump Racing Horse of the Year Award, and have five fantastic nominations for this as well. We would encourage the public to get behind these Awards once again and visit our website over the forthcoming week to make their selection and in turn, play their part in awarding these worthy winners.”
VOTING CLOSES AT MIDDAY ON THURSDAY 21ST APRIL 2011
VISIT WWW.SANDOWN.CO.UK/BET365-GOLDCUP
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Contact: Johnno Spence
Tel No: 020 7385 8819 / 07860 583307
Notes to Editors
Voting Mechanic
Voting will open at midday on Thursday 14th April and will close at midday on Thursday 21st April. Visit www.sandownd.co.uk/bet365-ultimate-celebration for more information, general T&Cs and to place your vote.
Jump Racing 2010/11 Horse of the Year Award
- Big Buck’s: This incredible horse made history this year, with a third consecutive win in the World Hurdle at The Cheltenham Festival, with trainer Paul Nicholls hailing his win as his career best. The horse has been undefeated in 12 successive races spanning two seasons and has won almost £1million in prize money for his lucky owners, The Stewart Family.
- Long Run: He was earmarked for stardom when cruising to a 13-length victory in the Grade 1 Feltham Novices Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day in 2009. A magnificent performance when winning the King George VI Chase in January 2011 cemented this, and was followed up by an extraordinary win in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, where the six-year-old won a vintage renewal, beating Denman and Kauto Star in a race that will live long in the memory.
- Hurricane Fly: With setbacks having forced him to miss the two previous Cheltenham Festivals, this Irish superstar finally claimed a victory in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, seeing off both Peddlers Cross and Oscar Whisky in emphatic style. He is unbeaten this season and since arriving at Willie Mullins’ yard from France, he has only ever raced in Grade 1 company and been beaten just once in 9 starts.
- Master Minded: The dual Champion Chaser won the prestigious Cheltenham race in both 2008 and 2009 but disappointed the following year, after which he was diagnosed as suffering a rib problem. He returned to form this year with three successive wins, two at the top level, before disappointing at Cheltenham. The eight-year-old bounced back in some style with a breathtaking nine-length victory in the Melling Chase at Aintree.
- Sizing Europe: Henry De Bromhead’s popular nine-year-old saw off defending Champion Big Zeb in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, leading home a 1-2-3-4 for Ireland in the race, having already tasted Festival success with a win in the Arkle Chase the previous year.
