2016 Flat Owner Championship Goes Down to the Wire

Published: Wed 19 Oct 2016, 11:55 AM

Last updated: Wed 19 Oct 2016, 1:00 PM

The title of Champion Owner looks set to go right down to the wire with Mrs Sue Magnier holding the slenderest of leads over HH The Aga Khan. Part-owner of the brilliant Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes winner Alice Springs and the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes winner Caravaggio, Mrs Magnier is bidding for her 14th owners’ title since 2000.

HH The Aga Khan lies in a close second place in the current standings and he counts the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Harzand and Longines Irish Champions Weekend winner, Shamreen among his big winners.

Aidan O'Brien is once again the Champion Flat Trainer.

The fillies Minding and Found were his big prize-money winners during another tremendous season for Ballydoyle. O’Brien saddled Seventh Heaven to win the Darley Irish Oaks while he also enjoyed Group 1 success with the two-year-olds Churchill and Caravaggio.

His other domestic Group 1 winner in 2016 was Alice Springs who won the Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on Longines Irish Champions Weekend.

Pat Smullen was first crowned Champion Jockey in 2000 and he heads the list for the ninth time this year.

He is on-course to better his 2014 tally of 108 winners and will certainly count his Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby success on Harzand as the highlight of his domestic season.

He also enjoyed notable success with Fascinating Rock, Shamreen and Zhukova. For the second successive year, Smullen looks set to beat Colin Keane into second place in the title race.

Donnacha O’Brien (18) is another to enjoy a tremendous season and in just his third season riding has captured the Champion Apprentice title.

Closing in on 50 winners, Donnacha is clear of Gary Halpin, Killian Leonard and his sister Ana in the table.

The standout moment of his season was undoubtedly his first Group 1 success which came at the Curragh on Longines Irish Champions Weekend where he won the Moyglare Stud Stakes on Intricately, trained by his brother, Joseph.

For good measure, the filly was bred by their mother, Annemarie. Donnacha also won a listed race and a Group 3 race on Order Of St George during the season.