Yorkshire riders triumph at Lesters

RISING star Frederik Tylicki and recently retired weighing room rival Dale Gibson led the way for Yorkshire by winning Lesters at horse racing's equivalent of the 'Oscars' last night.

At a glittering ceremony in London, Malton-based Tylicki won the 'Apprentice Jockey of the Year' award – a fitting achievement for the German-born horseman attached to Richard Fahey's yard.

The find of the 2009 Flat season, Tylicki rode more winners than any other young rider, while also showing remarkable dignity in coming to terms with the deaths of two fellow riders, Jamie Kyne and Jan Wilson, in a tragic fire in Malton in September.

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The lives of both were celebrated at the Lesters where Gibson, who retired last year after a 24-year career in the saddle, won the 'Flat Jockey Special Recognition' award for his work as a safety officer.

Tylicki, just back from California where he rode out during the winter, dedicated the apprentice title to Kyne and Wilson.

Gibson, who lives at Boston Spa near Wetherby, was a key figure in the recent track improvements at York and he is involved in the ongoing overhaul of Haydock Park's racing surfaces.

There was disappointment for Yorkshire Flat jockey Phil Makin, who missed out in two categories at the awards, which take their name from the imperious Lester Piggott, while Alan Swinbank's stable jockey, Brian Hughes, lost out to Aidan Coleman in the race to become National Hunt racing's top conditional.

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Hughes can be consoled by the fact that he won the category last year and by how his recent Cheltenham victory on Tidal Bay has helped to raise his profile. He is so dedicated that he missed the awards because he was due to be schoooling horses at Swinbank's stables near Richmond at dawn today.

Once again, the NH categories were dominated by Tony McCoy, the soon-to-be 15-times champion jockey, who took his career haul of Lesters to 16 after winning 'Jump Ride of the Year' for Wichita Lineman at the Cheltenham Festival and 'Jump Jockey of the Year'.

Ryan Moore was named 'Flat Jockey of the Year' while international honours went to Mick Kinane, the man who had the privilege of partnering the incomparable Sea The Stars to an unprecedented six Group One successes last summer.

Professional Jockeys' Association chief executive Kevin Darley said: "2009 was a year of momentous achievements, both human and equine, in the sport of British horse racing. However, for jockeys especially, it will be a year recalled with great sadness because of the deaths of Jan Wilson and Jamie Kyne."

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Nigel Twiston-Davies'S assistant Carl Llewellyn has nominated Imperial Commander as one of the biggest dangers to Kauto Star in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 19.

The Grand National-winning rider was aboard an unnamed younger stablemate of the nine-year-old when he was put through his paces under big-race jockey Paddy Brennan after racing at Kempton on Saturday where the stable landed the feature Racing Post Chase with Razor Royale.

The duo covered two miles in testing conditions to prep Imperial Commander for his rematch with Kauto Star after the pair were separated by just a nose at Haydock in November.

Imperial Commander has since disappointed in the King George VI Chase but has an enviable record at Cheltenham and is 14-1 with Ladbrokes for the blue riband. Llewellyn said: "If you ignore the King George, then he has got to have as good a chance as anyone of beating Kauto Star. On their Haydock run, he is no forlorn hope. Cheltenham suits him well. He has plenty of form there and goes well fresh, which is something else in his favour."

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Llewellyn was buoyant after Razor Royale's triumph following an epic struggle with the McCoy-inspired Nacarat, who was going for successive victories in the Kempton feature.

The heavy going took its toll in the closing stages, with Brennan, one of the shortlisted jockeys beaten by McCoy at the Lesters, doing well to survive a last-fence blunder to claim another big-race success.

"I knew AP wouldn't go away so I was happy to hold on," said Brennan. "I went for it and was bold at the last. You do these things as you want to win so badly. I asked him for a big one and he didn't come up.

"He had nothing left on the run-in. He was all out and I wouldn't have wanted to go much further. He is getting stronger and stronger and the National might be the right race for him."

WHERE THE LESTERS WENT

International Jockey of the Year: Mick Kinane

Apprentice Jockey of the Year: Frederik Tylicki

Lady Jockey of the Year: Hayley Turner

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Flat Ride of the Year: Tom Queally – Midday, Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Santa Anita

Flat Jockey Special Recognition: Dale Gibson

Conditional Jockey of the Year: Aidan Coleman

Jump Ride of the Year: Tony McCoy – Wichita Lineman, Cheltenham Festival

Jump Jockey Special Recognition: Jimmy McCarthy

Jump Jockey of the Year: Tony McCoy

Flat Jockey of the Year: Ryan Moore

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