Kauto Star horse of the year at Jump Awards.

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Kauto crowned Horse of the Year at jumps awards


GOLD CUP winner Kauto Star was named Horse of the Year for the second time at the Anglo-Irish jumps award on Monday.

He regained the title he last won in 2007 and his rating of 186 was the joint-highest of any chaser in the ten-year history of the classifications.

Kauto Star also won the award for Champion Staying Chaser and his owner Clive Smith also picked up the Champion 2m Chaser award courtesy of Master Minded.

Big Buck’s, whose season started with lofty chasing ambitions, ended up as Champion Staying Hurdler after victories in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and John Smith’s Liverpool Hurdle and the Nicky Henderson-trained Binocular was crowned champion 2m hurdler ahead of stablemate Punjabi.

Unbeaten Hurricane Fly, as short as 3-1 for next year’s Champion Hurdle, was Champion Novice Hurdler and his Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Cooldine, winner ofthe RSA Chase, was named Champion Novice Chaser.

Trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Ruby Walsh dominated last season, both breaking records for the number of wins at the Cheltenham festival, and the pair were named Champion Trainer and Jockey respectively.


2009 ANGLO-IRISH JUMPS AWARD WINNERS Awards Winners Rating
Champion Novice Hurdler Hurricane Fly 157
Champion Novice Chaser Cooldine 160
Champion 2m Hurdler Binocular 169
Champion 2m Chaser Master Minded 178
Champion 2½m Hurdler Big Buck's 174
Champion 2½m Chaser = Exotic Dancer
171
= Voy Por Ustedes 171
Champion 3m+ Chaser Kauto Star 186
British Champion Conditional Aidan Coleman
British Champion Jockey Tony McCoy
British Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls
British Champion Owner John P McManus
Horse of the Year Kauto Star 186