The Irish Flat season came to a close at Leopardstown on Sunday and not surprisingly, Aidan O’Brien comfortably retained his Champion Trainer title, his 17th in total. Team Ballydoyle enjoyed a number of highlights throughout the year including an 11th victory in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby with Australia in June. O’Brien also won the Etihad Airways Irish 1,000 Guineas with Marvellous and the Darley Irish Oaks with Bracelet.

Australia’s part-owner Mrs John Magnier was crowned Champion Owner. Her involvement with Group 1 winners Bracelet and Dick Whittington ensured her success. Crowned Champion Jockey for the first time in 2000, Pat Smullen claimed the title for the seventh time and he set a personal record of 108 winners. His highlights included winning on the recently retired Tarfasha in the Blandford Stakes, while he won four races on the prolific Carla Bianca and partnered Free Eagle to take the KPMG Enterprise Stakes at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend.

20-year-old Colin Keane won the Champion Apprentice title with an impressive tally of 54 winners. Keane is the retained rider for the Ger Lyons stable and he came close to matching the record number of wins by an apprentice in a season, currently held by Joseph O’Brien whose 57 wins in 2011 beat Raymond Carroll’s 52 wins set in 1976.