The 35th Racehorse Owners Association Awards were held in London on Thursday night and it was recently retired steeplechaser Sprinter Sacre (Fr) (Network {Fr}) that scooped the ultimate accolade of Horse of the Year for 2016. The 10-year-old made a heroic comeback to rescale the heights of jump racing when winning the G1 Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March for trainer Nicky Henderson and owner Caroline Mould. The Owner of the Year was the Coolmore triumvirate of Mrs Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith whose brilliant filly Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was voted Outstanding Miler. The Coolmoore team also picked up awards with Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who were voted Outstanding Filly & Mare and Outstanding Juvenile respectively.
The Outstanding Middle Distance Horse award was given to Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) who rounded off a tremendous season when winning both the G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown and the G1 QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot. G1 Darley July Cup winner Limato (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}), owned by Paul Jacobs, was Outstanding Sprinter, while the Outstanding Stayer was Bill and Tim Gredley's G2 Qatar Goodwood Cup hero Big Orange (GB) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}). Middleham Park Racing enjoyed another successful year that was capped by their Grendisar (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) receiving the award for Outstanding All Weather Horse while the Special Achievement Award went to Mrs Danvers (GB) (Hellvellyn {GB}), owned by the Turf Club 2014, who went unbeaten in five races during her juvenile season, winning almost £200,000 in prize-money despite being led out of the sales ring as a yearling unsold at £1,000.
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