National Hunt Trainer of the Year

seThe lavish ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London will make a change for Britain and Ireland’s jump trainers, who usually spend December mornings on the chilly gallops. Training greats Fred Winter, Fulke Walwyn, Ginger McCain and Gordon Richards are among the first winners of the coveted prize.

In 1979, Peter Easterby became the first to successfully defend the prize, and the man best known for the success of Sea Pigeon would make it three at the start of the new decade. Martin Pipe took the honour for the first time in 1988, a prize he would win seven times.

Only fellow West Country trainer Paul Nicholls would match his tally with a latest success coming in 2019. After Irish trainers dominate for three years the prize – like many in jump racing – the award went to Scotland in 2023 as Lucinda Russell scooped it in her second Grand National-winning year.

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