NH awards presented at Punchestown
The 2017/2018 National Hunt champions in six categories were presented with their awards at Punchestown racecourse this afternoon by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed TD.
Gigginstown House Stud are the leading owners for the fourth successive season and for the sixth time in all.
Their most valuable win came at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday when General Principle, trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by JJ Slevin, won the BoyleSports Irish Grand National.
The famous maroon and white colours were also carried to success in the TheTote.com Galway Plate with the Henry De Bromhead-trained, Davy Russell-ridden Balko Des Flos and the Guinness Kerry National with Potters Point, which was ridden by Lisa O’Neill for Gordon Elliott.
Gordon also sent out Monbeg Notorious to win the Goffs Thyestes Chase under Jack Kennedy.
Gigginstown House Stud enjoyed Grade 1 success with Outlander, Death Duty, Apple’s Jade (twice), Mengli Khan, Road To Respect, Shattered Love and Samcro.
They also enjoyed considerable success cross-channel, the highlight being the Aintree Grand National win of Tiger Roll, tarined by Gordon Elliott.
Champion trainer Willie Mullins left it late to secure the title and only went to the head of table on Wednesday of this week when he saddled six winners.
The biggest contributor to Mullins' record prizemoney tally of €5,968,275 was Un De Sceaux which recorded three wins in Ireland during the season culminating with his all-the-way success in the Grade 1 BoyleSports Champion Chase at Punchestown on Tuesday.
Davy Russell is champion jockey for the third time. He first won the title in the 2011/12 season with 104 winners and held on to the crown the following season with a final tally of 103. His final total this term is 119.
In only his second season as a professional, Limerick jockey Donal McInerney is the champion conditional rider with 33 winners.
Patrick Mullins is the champion amateur rider for the 10th time.
In terms of winners ridden, Lisa O’Neill has easily enjoyed her best season and is the Leading Lady Rider with a tally of 20 beating Nina Carberry and Katie Walsh, who both retired after riding winners during the 2018 Irish National Hunt Festival at Punchestown.
The highlight of Lisa’s season was her victory on Potters Point, trained by Gordon Elliott, in the Guinness Kerry National at Listowel in September, her second successive victory in the €175,000 race. Lisa also enjoyed a notable success on Rapid Escape in the Listed Future Champions INH Flat Race at Navan in December.
2017 / 2018 ROLL OF HONOUR
CHAMPION OWNER
Gigginstown House Stud
CHAMPION TRAINER
Willie Mullins
CHAMPION JOCKEY
Davy Russell
CHAMPION CONDITIONAL JOCKEY
Donal McInerney
CHAMPION AMATEUR JOCKEY
Patrick Mullins
CHAMPION LADY AMATEUR
Lisa O’Neill