Jessica Harrington and Davy Russell honoured at HRI Awards

Jessica Harrington and Davy Russell were among those honoured at the Horse Racing Ireland Awards which were held in Dublin.

Trainer Harrington won the Contribution to the Industry Award in recognition for her work in both National Hunt and Flat racing, with the likes of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Sizing John, Moscow Flyer, champion hurdler Jezki and Irish Grand National winner Our Duke shining over hurdles and Alpha Centauri and Alpine Star securing wins at Royal Ascot.

Russell, who retired as a jockey at the end of last year then made a temporary comeback before bringing the final curtain down after winning his 61st Grade 1 winner on Irish Point at the Aintree Festival, was presented with the Irish Racing Hero Award.

The Horse Of The Year is Auguste Rodin, owned by Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs Susan Magnier and Westerberg, and trained by Aidan O'Brien. He followed up on his Epsom Derby success when winning the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh and then added to a gutsy victory in Leopardstown's Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at the Irish Champions Festival with a most memorable win in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita in early November.

Other recipients on the night included John Kiely, who won the National Hunt Achievement Award, National Hunt Award winner Paul Townend, Aidan O'Brien with the Flat Award, Emerging Talent John Gleeson and Barry O'Neill with the Point-to-Point Award.

Wesley Joyce won the Flat Achievement Award for returning to race riding in the latter half of the 2023 season after suffering serious injury at the 2022 Galway festival.

Amy Jo Hayes won the public vote for Ride of the Year on Redstone Well in the nine-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Nasrullah Handicap at Leopardstown in