HWPA Derby Awards Nominations Revealed

The nominations are announced today for the 46th Annual HWPA Derby Awards, generously supported by Boylesports.com in conjunction with Spinal Research and the Spinal Injuries Association.

For the first time this year, the Flat and National Hunt Awards have been merged, with the result that giants of the sport go head to head.

Reigning Flat Trainer of the Year and seven-time Derby Award winner Sir Henry Cecil must face Paul Nicholls, new Flat champion John Gosden and Aidan O'Brien for Trainer of the Year, while 13-time Derby Award winner A P McCoy is up against newly crowned Flat Champion and 2002 Flat Jockey of the Year Richard Hughes plus William Buick and Graham Lee in the riding category.

Khalid Abdulla bids to win the Owner of the Year award for the third year in succession, while Nick Luck is among the nominations for Broadcaster of the Year as he attempts to capture that title for the fifth time in six years.

Four-time Derby Award champion Edward Whitaker faces George Selwyn, Tracy Roberts and Louise Pollard (third nomination in four years) for the Photographer of the Year Award.

Whitaker is also among the nominations for the newly inaugurated Picture of the Year Award where he again faces Roberts, and the Selwyn brothers, Bill and George.

Racing Post men Alastair Down, reigning Journalist of the Year Lee Mottershead and Peter Thomas, as well as Lissa Oliver, are the four going forward for the Racing Writer of the Year Award.

The nominations for the inaugural John Oaksey Trophy for Racing Reporter of the Year  feature the 2009 Journalist of the Year Greg Wood, who must fend off Marcus Armytage, Chris Cook and Jon Lees, all of whom seek their first Derby Award.

Full list of the HWPA Derby Awards nominations:

International Trainer of the Year

Marco Botti

Roger Charlton

Ed Dunlop

David Simcock

Owner of the Year

Khalid Abdulla

Anthony Knott

Lady Rothschild

Derrick Smith

Jockey of the Year

William Buick

Richard Hughes

Graham Lee

A P McCoy

Trainer of the Year

Sir Henry Cecil

John Gosden

Paul Nicholls

Aidan O'Brien

Photographer of the Year

Louise Pollard

Tracy Roberts

George Selwyn

Edward Whitaker

Picture of the Year

Tracy Roberts

Bill Selwyn

George Selwyn

Edward Whitaker

Peter O'Sullevan Trophy for Broadcaster of the Year

Clare Balding

Mike Cattermole

Graham Cunningham

Nick Luck

John Oaksey Trophy for Racing Reporter of the Year

Marcus Armytage

Chris Cook

Jon Lees

Greg Wood

Clive Graham Trophy for Racing Writer of the Year

Alastair Down

Lee Mottershead

Lissa Oliver

Peter Thomas

The awards are completed by the Presidents Award and the George Ennor Trophy for lifetime achievement in racing.

The winners of the 46th Annual HWPA Derby Awards will be announced at the Lancaster Hotel, London on Monday, December 3.