Audrey O’Neill, an Exercise Rider and Groom at John
Oxx’s yard at the Curragh, was announced as the Irish Racing Excellence Award
winner at the 2019 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards which were held in
Killashee Hotel, County Kildare on Tuesday, October 29.
Audrey, who also won the Horse Care Award and was
among eight individual category winners, was selected by the judging committee
for the highest accolade.
Audrey has worked for John Oxx for the last 25
years. Described as a vital team player, Audrey’s application wowed the judging
committee for the sheer breadth of her day-to-day capabilities and the empathy
she shows for the horses in her care and her young colleagues starting out in
the industry. Regularly riding out four or five lots a day, Audrey’s all-round
skills know no bounds and she is hugely popular with her colleagues.
Wayne Middleton, Strength and Conditioning Coach
with RACE, Kildare, won the Racing & Breeding Support Services Award.
Wayne’s innovative and inspiring approach to
strength and conditioning for racing trainees and apprentices, as well as
established jockeys, has had a huge impact on hundreds of racing personnel. His
health programmes have dramatically improved the level of support and his
approach has added a scientific edge to the professional support system given
to jockeys under the HRI’s Jockey Pathway Scheme.
Cheryl McClean, Exercise Rider and Groom with Willie
McCreery’s successful yard on the Curragh, won the Newcomer Award.
Cheryl came to the McCreery yard in 2016 after
completing a two-year course in horse management at CAFRE in Enniskillen and in
that short space of time has established herself as a vital cog in one of the
country’s top stables.
Robert Gallagher, Head Lad at Michael’s Halford’s
yard in Doneany, Kildare, won the Dedication to Racing & Breeding Award.
Robert ‘Robbie’ Gallagher has been in racing all his
life and in a career spanning over 50 years with most of his early career spent
as Headman with Paddy ‘Darkie’ Prendergast during which he regularly had
responsibility for travelling Group 1 horses abroad. Later he worked for 13
years as Headman to Paddy’s son Kevin and helped young apprentices like Charlie
Swan and Kieren Fallon through their early years as jockeys. For the past 19
years Robbie has been an integral part of Michael Halford’s training operation
and, as well as having that expert eye for horses developed in 58 years in racing,
he continues to be a role model for his fellow staff members.
Dorothy Fleming, Racing Secretary at Ken Condon’s
yard on the Curragh, won the Administration Award.
A career spent in racing and spanning spells working
for Paddy Woods, Michael Grassick and Forenaughts Stud, for the past eight
years Dorothy Fleming has been racing secretary at Ken Condon Racing and has
become an indispensable part of the team. She is described by her employer as
being much more than the job description – indeed she is at the heart of all
the business decisions in the yard and runs the office single-handedly.
Tony O’Meara was the recipient of the Leadership
Award (Stud) at the 2019 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards.
O’Meara, a Stallion Manager at the world-famous
Coolmore Stud in County Tipperary, has been with the stud for over 20 years and
manages a stable of 14 of the world’s best stallions, including Galileo, the
most successful stallion in the world.
In his role Tony organises staff rota for the 14
people under his care, Tony also liaises with vets, farriers and specialists,
ensuring stallion parades are run in a safe and efficient manner. Tony also
manages the quarantine and shuttling of Coolmore’s stallions to the southern
hemisphere.
Previously, as a yearling manager for the farm, Tony
was responsible for breaking both dual Derby winners, Camelot and Australia.
David Roche, head man at Henry De Bromhead’s yard at
Knockeen, took the In The Saddle Award, David has been with the stable for over
10 years and has played a significant role in the many big race successes in
that time.
Group 1 winners Sizing Europe, Special Tiara and
Minella Indo were all under David’s care and his application remarked on the
inspiration that he brings to all of those working around him in one of the
country’s top yards.
Emma Connolly, a stalwart at Noel Meade’s yard in
Castletown, County Meath, won the Leadership Award for stable employees and was
selected by the 12 members of the judging committee for the much-sought after
accolade.
Emma has worked in the industry for over 20 years
and is travelling head lass and assistant trainer with Noel Meade’s, one of the
most successful yards in the country. One of the most recognisable faces in the
industry, Emma’s experience has been vital to the yard between getting the most
from difficult horses and ensuring horses representing the stable are always
turned out to the highest possible standard.
The Irish Stablestaff Association chose Gowran Park
for the Racecourse Award. The judging committee commented on the huge strides
made by the track in recent years including the doubling of the staff canteen,
stable staff hospitality on racedays and general constant improvements at the
racecourse. The winning prize is €2500 which is to be used for continuing to
upgrade stable staff facilities.
Bernard Caldwell, Chairman, Irish Stablestaff
Association, said: “It was an excellent night and it was great to see so many
well-deserving members of our industry walk away with such recognition. The
standard of the awards scheme was at a new level this year and I would like to
thank all of those who nominated stud and stable staff, congratulate all of the
finalists and thank Godolphin for their sponsorship and HRI for all their help
organising the night.”
Joe Osborne, Managing Director, Godolphin Ireland,
commented: “The quality of the finalists this year was off the charts and I
would like to pay tribute to all of our finalists and winners. There was a huge
spectrum of people participating in the awards this year and that could be seen
from the enthusiasm and brilliance of the Newcomers Award, to the finalists in
the Dedication to Racing & Breeding Award where the three finalists have 150
years of work in the industry between them.”
Irish Racing Excellence Award Winner and Horse Care
Award Winner, Audrey O’Neill, said: ”It’s an honour because there’s some
fantastic people who’ve been nominated and winning awards here tonight. I love
horses and everything about them but riding them is my favourite part of it.
I’ve been lucky to work with Sinndar and Sea The Stars to name but a few, it’s
been brilliant working with such horses over the years. To get an award like
this for doing something that you love doing is special.”
A total of ten awards, worth over €80,000 were
presented by well-known writer and comedian, Jarlath Regan. David Jennings,
Deputy Editor of the Racing Post in Ireland, acted as MC for the occasion.
The
10 winners and runners-up for the 2019 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards
were:
Irish
Racing Excellence Award
Audrey O’Neill, Rider/Groom, John Oxx’s, Kildare
Racing
and Breeding Support Services Award
Wayne Middleton, Strength & Conditioning Coach,
RACE, Kildare
Runners
up:
Willie Gibbons, Track Foreman, Leopardstown
Racecourse, Dublin
Perry Power, Track & Facilities Manager,
Tipperary Racecourse, Tipperary & Cork Racecourses
Administration
Award
Dorothy Fleming, Racing Secretary, Ken Condon
Racing, Kildare
Runners-up:
Geraldine Ryan, Office Manager, Camas Stud,
Tipperary
Marie Rowley, Racing Secretary, Pat Flynn Racing,
Waterford
Newcomer
Award
Cheryl McClean, Exercise Rider & Groom, Willie
McCreery’s, Kildare
Runners-up:
Tom Harney, Stable Lad & Work Rider, Ross
O’Sullivan’s, Kildare
Chris McGill, Head Lad, John J Hanlon’s, Carlow
Horse
Care Award
Audrey O’Neill, Groom, John Oxx’s, Kildare
Runners-up:
Paul Dupli, Groom/Rider, Martin Brassil’s, Kildare
Gerry Hanratty, Meadowcourt Stud, Kildare
In
The Saddle Award
David Roche, Head Lad, Henry De Bromhead’s,
Waterford
Runners-up:
Ganna German, Work Rider & Travelling Groom,
Sheila Lavery’s, Meath
Martin Molloy, Work Rider, Pat Fahy’s, Carlow
Leadership
Award (Stud Employees)
Tony O’Meara, Stallion Manager, Coolmore, Tipperary
Runners-up:
Helder Ferreira, Assistant Head Lad, Kildangan Stud,
Kildare
Edward Farrell, Head Man, Liseux, Kildare
Leadership
Award (Stable Employees)
Emma Connolly, Travelling Head Lass & Assistant
Trainer, Noel Meade’s, Meath
Runners-up:
Niall Amond, Travelling Head Lad, Jessica
Harrington’s, Kildare
Damien Byrne, Yard Manager & Travelling Head
Lad, Joseph O’Brien’s, Kilkenny
Dedication
to Racing and Breeding Award
Robert Gallagher, Head man, Michael Halford’s,
Kildare
Runners
up:
Paddy Duffy, Assistant Trainer, Shane Duffy’s, Laois
Eamon Leigh, Head Lad, Jessica Harrington’s, Kildare
Racecourse
Award
Gowran Park
