Huge Meath interest in 2026 HRI Award nominations

Local trainers and jockeys prominent in racing shortlists

2026 HRI Awards nominees present the best of Irish racing

An outstanding cast of nominees has been revealed for next month’s 2026 HRI Awards which will celebrate and honour the very best of Irish racing over the course of the year.

The Flat Award is between five former winners of the title: Champion Trainer Aidan O’Brien, Champion Jockey Billy Lee, Dylan Browne McMonagle, Colin Keane and Joseph O’Brien.

The National Hunt Award has Champion Trainer Willie Mullins against the Champion Jockey, Jack Kennedy along with Gordon Elliott, Paul Townend, Darragh O’Keeffe and Mark Walsh.

The Flat Achievement Award looks wide open with the judging panel having to choose between Donnacha O’Brien, Paddy Harnett, Jessica Harrington, Wayne Lordan, Joey Sheridan, Fozzy Stack and Ronan Whelan.

The National Hunt Achievement Award is also very competitive with trainers Gavin Cromwell, Tony Martin, Emmet Mullins, Padraig Roche and Andy Slattery listed with highflying young jumps jockey Daniel King.

In the Emerging Talent Award, up-and-coming riders Sam Coen, Reese Holohan, Eoin Staples and Alan O’Sullivan join promising trainers Danny McLoughlin and Paddy Magee.

The Point-to-Point Award rests between Shane Cotter, Sam Curling, Pat Doyle, Nicole Lockhead Anderson, Ian McCarthy and Derek O’Connor.

The Horse of the Year category places four of Willie Mullins’ champions from last season against three from Aidan O’Brien’s all-conquering team.

Cheltenham heroes Lossiemouth (Champion Hurdle), Il Etait Temps (Champion Chase) and Gaelic Warrior (Gold Cup) join their stable companion, I Am Maximus, winner of the Aintree Grand National for the second time.

The Ballydoyle trio are the champion stayer Scandinavia, recent Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Benvenuto Cellini and the brilliant juvenile filly Sun Goddess, four times successful at the highest level.

Racegoers and racing fans will be asked to help select the winners of the Racecourse of the Year Award and the Ride of the Year Award, and the nominees for those will be announced in the coming weeks.

The winners of the awards in the categories of National Hunt, National Hunt Achievement, Flat, Flat Achievement, Point-to-Point, Emerging Talent and Horse of the Year will be decided by a ballot of the HRI Awards committee, made up of members of of the Irish racing media and announced at a ceremony in Dublin on Monday 7th December.

Suzanne Eade, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, said: “Looking at the nominees for the HRI Awards this year, it is striking the true depth of talent present in Irish racing. Our brilliant contenders hail from throughout the four provinces with 13 counties represented. The HRI Awards are a celebration of what makes our sport a genuine world leader and we are looking to another special occasion next month.”

HRI AWARDS 2026 NOMINEES:

Flat Award

Dylan Browne-McMonagle

Colin Keane

Billy Lee

Aidan O’Brien

Joseph O’Brien

National Hunt Award

Gordon Elliott

Jack Kennedy

Willie Mullins

Darragh O’Keeffe

Paul Townend

Mark Walsh

Flat Achievement Award

Paddy Harnett

Jessica Harrington

Wayne Lordan

Joey Sheridan

Donnacha O’Brien

Fozzy Stack

Ronan Whelan

National Hunt Achievement Award

Gavin Cromwell

Daniel King

Tony Martin

Emmet Mullins

Padraig Roche

Andy Slattery

Emerging Talent Award

Sam Coen

Reese Holohan

Paddy Magee

Daniel McLoughlin

Alan O’Sullivan

Eoin Staples

Point-to-Point Award

Shane Cotter

Sam Curling

Pat Doyle

Nicole Lockhead Anderson

Ian McCarthy

Derek O’Connor

Horse of the Year Award

Benvenuto Cellini

Gaelic Warrior

I Am Maximus

Il Etait Temps

Lossiemouth

Scandinavia

Sun Goddess