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At the seventh edition of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Horseracing Excellence Awards, Equinox, Aidan O'Brien, and Ryan Moore were among the distinguished names recognized. The awards ceremony, which took place at Meydan Racecourse during Emirates Super Saturday, honored individuals in seven categories: Best Horse, Best Jockey, Best Trainer, Best Owner, People's Choice, Lifetime Achievement, and Excellence Award.
The criteria for these categories were established by the Dubai Racing Club and overseen by the Trustee's Committee.
Equinox, a remarkable six-time Group One winner, received the Best Horse Award, while Silk Racing, the horse's owners, were honored with the Best Owner Award. The award for the top-rated horse that has competed at the Dubai World Cup meeting determines the winner.
"We are honoured to receive a prestigious award such as this one," said Masashi Yonemoto, representing Silk Racing.
"Equinox's win here in Dubai was very special and we enjoyed watching the horses who finished behind him go on to win several big races around the world."
Aidan O'Brien had a fantastic 2023 season, winning 20 Group One races, which earned him the Best Trainer award. Meanwhile, Ryan Moore, the stable jockey, won 19 top-level races, earning him the Best Jockey award.
It was the first time in the history of HH Sheikh Mohammed Horseracing Excellence Awards that two people were recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Colonel Ali Khamis Al Jafleh and Sheikh Abdulla Al Qasemi were both honoured for their significant contributions towards establishing racing in the UAE.
Saeed Bin Suroor won the Excellence Award for his impressive record of nine Dubai World Cup wins and global victories that helped promote racing in Dubai and the benefits of training horses in the UAE.
Equinox, the son of Kitasan Black, won the Best Horse Award for an outstanding performance in 2023. He won the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, Takarazuka Kinen, Tenno Sho, and the Japan Cup. Silk Racing Co Ltd, the owners of Equinox, received the Best Owner Award for their phenomenal year. Silk Racing members had previously owned the 2019 Dubai Turf winner, Almond Eye.
Ryan Moore won the Best Jockey Award for his 19 Group One wins, which included Sibelius in the Gr.1 Dubai Golden Shaheen and eight of the world's top 100 races. Aidan O'Brien was awarded the Best Trainer Award for winning 20 Group or Grade One races in 2023, including the Derby, Irish Champion Stakes, and Breeders' Cup Turf with Auguste Rodin, and four Group Ones in a row with Paddington.
Colonel Ali Khamis Beljafleh and Sheikh Abdulla bin Majid Al Qasimi were both awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for their significant contributions to the establishment of racing in the UAE. Saeed bin Suroor won the Excellence Award for his exceptional contributions to horse racing. Finally, Hamdan Sultan Al Sabusi won the People's Choice Award for his success with Algiers, which won the Gr.2 Maktoum Challenge Round 1 and 2, and was a runner-up in the 2023 Dubai World Cup.