The shortlists for the 59th year of the HWPA Derby Awards have been announced, headlined by the first edition of the Racing Writer of the Year as the Alastair Down Trophy.
Fittingly, for a prize named in memory of one of the Post’s greatest writers, all four of the nominees write for the Post. Previous winners Lee Mottershead, Peter Thomas and Patrick Mullins, last year’s winner, are joined by David Jennings, picking up a second nomination in this category.
Elsewhere, the nominations were much more widely spread. The new Content Award features a shortlist of four first-time nominees, Stephen Darbyshire, Jake Price and Ash Symonds, who both work for Racing TV, along with Tom Kirby for attheraces’ Unbridled With Matt Chapman and Paddy Brennan.
The nominees for Photographer of the Year and Picture of the Year include three names on both lists – Debbie Burt, Steve Cargill and the Post’s Patrick McCann – as well as the PA’s David Davies for Photographer and Jack Williams for Picture.
The Post’s Bill Barber features on two shortlists as well, Specialist Writer and Reporter of the Year. He is joined on the former list by his Irish-based colleague Alan Sweetman and two bloodstock writers, Emma Berry of TDN and Laura Joy of EBN. The other Reporter nominees are Jack Keene of The Sun, Jon Lees of Mirror online, and Nick Luck, for Nick Luck Daily.
Nick Luck also makes an umpteenth appearance on the Broadcaster of the Year shortlist, as does his Racing TV colleague and last year’s winner Lydia Hislop. The shortlist is completed by the BBC’s John Hunt, the ubiquitous Rishi Persad and ITV’s Adele Mulrennan.
The Emerging Talent Award, open for the first time to all-aged candidates, has a eclectic shortlist – Andrew Blair White from Racing TV, photographer Darren Cool, LAB Racing’s paddock watcher Vicki Gibbins and Sam Westerside, who scores a second nomination for a writer for the European Bloodstock News.
The winners will be presented with their Trophies at the Royal Lancaster Hotel on 1st December, the event most generously sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, World Pool, Ladbrokes and My Pension Expert.
Full List of Nominees
Racing Writer of the Year – Alastair Down Trophy
David Jennings (Racing Post)
Lee Mottershead (Racing Post)
Patrick Mullins (Racing Post)
Peter Thomas (Racing Post)
Photographer of the Year
Debbie Burt (freelance)
Steve Cargill (freelance)
David Davies (Press Association)
Patrick McCann (Racing Post)
Broadcaster of the Year – Sir Peter O’Sullevan Trophy
Lydia Hislop
John Hunt
Nick Luck
Adele Mulrennan
Rishi Persad
Reporter of the Year – John Oaksey Trophy
Bill Barber (Racing Post)
Jack Keene (The Sun)
Jon Lees (Mirror online)
Nick Luck (Nick Luck Daily)
Picture of the Year – Gerry Cranham Trophy
Debbie Burt (freelance)
Steve Cargill (freelance)
Patrick McCann (Racing Post)
Jack Williams (freelance)
Specialist Writer of the Year
Bill Barber (Racing Post)
Emma Berry (Thoroughbred Daily News)
Laura Joy (European Bloodstock News)
Alan Sweetman (Racing Post)
Content Award
Stephen Darbyshire
Tom Kirby (Unbridled with Matt Chapman and Paddy Brennan)
Jake Price
Ash Symonds
Emerging Talent Award – Alan Lee Trophy
Andrew Blair White (Racing TV)
Max Carter (freelance)
Vicki Gibbins (LAB Racing)
Sam Westerside (European Bloodstock News)
Trainer of the Year
Andrew Balding
Karl Burke
Francois-Henri Graffard
Willie Mullins
Jockey of the Year
Sean Bowen
Billy Loughnane
Patrick Mullins
Oisin Murphy
Owner of the Year
Aga Khan Studs
Coolmore & Partners
Godolphin
J. P. McManus
IRB International Trainer of the Year
Charlie Appleby
George Boughey
James Owen
George Scott