JP McManus and Kevin Manning honoured at HRI Awards

JP McManus and Kevin Manning were among those honoured at the annual Horse Racing Ireland Awards which were held in Dublin on Monday night.

Winner of the Contribution to the Industry Award, McManus is a 19-time champion National Hunt owner in Ireland.

He has been associated with many of the top jumps' horses for over 40 years, enjoying well in excess of 4,000 winners, a list that includes Mister Donavan, Jack Of Trumps and Deep Gale, big early winners in the famous green and gold hoops.

The legendary Istabraq was a three-time winner of the Champion Hurdle, a race JP McManus also won on five other occasions, while the Cheltenham Gold Cup went his way with Synchronised and there was Aintree Grand National glory with Don’t Push It and Minella Times.

Manning brought the curtain down on a terrific career that spanned 40 years with a farewell winner for his great ally Jim Bolger at Galway in October and he won the Irish Racing Hero Award.

The champion apprentice in 1984 and again in 1987, his career yielded 36 Group One winners, including Derby success on New Approach in 2008.

The 10 winners at the 20th annual awards were:

Contribution to the Industry Award: JP McManus

Irish Racing Hero Award: Kevin Manning

Horse of the Year: Honeysuckle

Emerging Talent: Sam Ewing

National Hunt Award: Henry de Bromhead

National Hunt Achievement Award: John 'Shark' Hanlon

Point-To-Point Award: Liz Lalor

Flat Award: Billy Lee

Flat Achievement Award: Dylan Browne McMonagle

Ride of the Year: Wayne Lordan