CONSTITUTION HILL CROWNED HORSE OF THE YEAR AT 41ST ROA HORSERACING AWARDS

Last night, Thursday 7 December, saw the Racehorse Owners Association host its annual Horseracing Awards ceremony to crown the stars who have lit up the sport in 2023.

The event at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel saw owners, trainers and key industry figures gather to celebrate the highlights of another memorable year of incredible action on Britain’s racecourses, with the award winners decided by the votes of ROA members.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of The ROA Horse of the Year award, which was won by Michael Buckley’s outstanding unbeaten Champion hurdler Constitution Hill, who in seven races has a cumulative winning margin of 89 lengths. Constitution Hill also won the Tote Outstanding Hurdler Award on the night, following his Outstanding Novice Hurdler Award at last year’s ROA ceremony.

This year’s ROA Owner of the Year is the Shadwell Estate Company Ltd. Fresh from the brilliance of Baeed in 2022, Shadwell’s iconic blue and white colours have had another incredible year on the track, led by the likes of Mostahdaf, Hukum and Al Husn for Sheikha Hissa, the head of Shadwell and daughter of its founder Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum.

The 16 categories were sponsored by The Large Independent Racecourses, Arena Racing Company, Sports4Causes, The Tote, Fitzdares and Owner Breeder Magazine. Commenting on the Awards, ROA Chief Executive Charlie Liverton said “The ROA Awards continue to hold a special place in the hearts of the participants in British Horseracing and tonight’s event was as exciting as ever.

The winners ranged from horses owned by small syndicates to some of the world’s biggest owner breeders and are voted for by the owners themselves.

The sport is going through a period of change and challenge at the moment, but the enthusiasm in that room this evening demonstrates that the passion for racing is as strong as ever.”

The full list of winners is as follows:

Arena Racing Company Outstanding All-Weather Horse Lord North HH Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing

Large Independent Racecourses Outstanding Juvenile City Of Troy Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith

Large Independent Racecourses Outstanding Sprinter Shaquille Hughes, Rawlings, O’Shaughnessy

Large Independent Racecourses Outstanding Miler Paddington Tabor, Smith, Magnier, Westerberg, Brant

Large Independent Racecourses Outstanding Middle Distance Horse Auguste Rodin M Tabor & D Smith & Mrs J Magnier & Westerberg

Large Independent Racecourses Outstanding Stayer Trueshan Singula Partnership

Large Independent Racecourses Outstanding Filly or Mare Highfield Princess Trainers House Enterprises Limited

Sports4Causes Flat Special Achievement Quinault TJE Racing

Tote Outstanding Novice Hurdler Facile Vega Hammer & Trowel Syndicate

Tote Outstanding Hurdler Constitution Hill Michael Buckley

Fitzdares Outstanding Novice Chaser The Real Whacker Neville, Mann, Duffus and Dennis

Fitzdares Outstanding Chaser Galopin Des Champs Mrs Audrey Turley

Owner Breeder magazine Outstanding National Hunt Mare Honeysuckle Kenneth Alexander

Sports4Causes National Hunt Special Achievement Corach Rambler The Ramblers

ROA Owner of the Year Shadwell Estate Company Ltd

ROA Horse of the Year Constitution Hill Michael Buckley