Stobart Lester Award Nominations

Named in honor of legendary British flat racing Champion Jockey, Lester Piggott, the Stobart Lester Awards honor jockeys for a range of achievements at a ceremony held in Britain each year. With the 22nd annual Stobart Lester awards due to take place at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham on Thursday April 5th…

The list of nominees has been published, with the world’s top jockeys in line for what has been described as the horse racing industry’s own “Oscars”.

As has become the custom, the 2012 Stobart Lester Awards will be presented to the “Jockey of the Year” under each code. Voting for the Lester Awards is done by members of the Professional Jockeys Association by means of ballot. A “Special Recognition” Award will go to someone outside of the Jockey profession, but in the horseracing industry, who has been voted as having been helpful and contributing to the sport throughout the year. As a change from previous years, the “International Jockey of the Year” award will now become the “International Jockey Ride of the Year”.

With the nominations list out, there is much speculation regarding possible award winners. Nominated for “Flat Jockey of the Year” and “Flat Ride of the Year” on Barefoot Lady at Newmarket in April, it is anticipated that Paul Hanagan will collect his sixth Lester Award. Hanagan’s rival for these titles is Silvestre De Sousa who is nominated for the same awards, with his “Flat Ride of the Year” based on his performance in September at Pontefract where he was riding Barefoot Lady. It is thought to be more than likely that Champion Jump Jockey AP McCoy will add two more Lesters to his collection, following his nomination at Warwick for “Jump Ride of the Year” on Folie A Deux in January, as well as being on the nominations list for “Jump Jockey of the Year”.

The Full List of Nominations is as follows:

International Jockey Ride of the Year

Johnny Murtagh – Sweet Lightning, William Hill Lincoln, Doncaster

Davy Russell – Quito de La Roque, John Smith’s Mildmay Novices’ Chase, Aintree

Paul Townend – What A Charm, Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, Cheltenham

Joseph O’Brien – Camelot, Racing Post Trophy, Doncaster

Lady Jockey of the Year

Lucy Barry
Cathy Gannon
Gemma Gracey-Davison
Hayley Turner

Apprentice Jockey of the Year

Harry Bentley
Martin Harley
Kieran O’Neill
Julie Burke

Flat Ride of the Year

Silvestre De Sousa – Art History, Simon Scrope Dalby Screw-Driver Handicap, Pontefract
Paul Hanagan – Barefoot Lady, Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes, Newmarket
Richard Hughes – Dubawi Gold, Betfair Celebration Mile, Goodwood
Tom Queally – Frankel, QIPCO 2000 Guineas, Newmarket

Flat Special Recognition

Sir Henry Cecil (trainer)
David Mustow (valet)
Philip Robinson
Simon Whitworth

Conditional Jockey of the Year

Campbell Gillies
Richie McLernon
Peter Toole
Sam Twiston-Davies

Jump Ride of the Year

AP McCoy – Folie A Deux, 100% British Barley Handicap Chase, Warwick
Timmy Murphy – Poker De Sivola, bet365 Gold Cup, Sandown
Maurice Linehan – Ravini, Racing UK Handicap Hurdle, Huntingdon
Sam Twiston-Davies – Zimbabwe, Hepworth Blonde Handicap Chase, Plumpton

Jump Jockey of the Year

Richard Johnson
Aidan Coleman
Jason Maguire
AP McCoy

Jump Special Recognition

Mattie Batchelor
Steve Charlton (valet)
Dave Roberts (agent)
Anna O’Brien (physiotherapist)

Flat Jockey of the Year

William Buick
Tom Eaves
Paul Hanagan
Silvestre De Sousa