The battle for the apprentice title has lit up the concluding weeks of the 2010 Flat season, and the final evening of the campaign provided the greatest drama of all as the destination of the title went right down to a photo-finish in the final race.
Gary Carroll was just denied by a head in the final race to leave him tied on 39 winners with both Ben Curtis and Joseph O'Brien.
O'Brien had earlier partnered a double on Empowering and Regent Street both trained by his father Aidan, to earn him a part of the first ever three-way tie for the title.
Carroll, champion last year with 44 wins, was understandably disappointed to just miss out on taking the title outright but he said afterwards: “I've had another fantastic year, and would like to thank all the trainers that supported me throughout the year."
"Alot of people have taken an interest in the apprentice title over the past few weeks who would not normally follow racing. Hopefully this will encourage them to continue to support the sport in the future,” he added.
Ben Curtis said: “The season started off well, and carried on through the year. I've made a lot of new contacts this year, and people went out of their way to help me in the closing weeks of the season. It's probably the best way for the title race to finish.”
Joseph O'Brien, who was four behind the other pair before riding a double at Dundalk on Wednesday and again tonight, said: “I thought when I went four behind it was going to be very hard. I would like to thank the support I got from Mr John Magnier, Mr Michael Tabor and Mr Derrick Smith. I picked up a lot of suspensions this year which was my own fault, and I need to sort that out for next year.”
Pat Smullen was confirmed Champion Flat Jockey for the sixth time after winding up the campaign with 95 wins, leaving him seven ahead of Fran Berry.
Smullen's tally includes the victories of Bethrah in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Chinese White in the Pretty Polly Stakes, while he also recorded further Group 1 success for his boss Dermot Weld aboard Rite Of Passage in the Ascot Gold Cup.
Smullen highlighted that Ascot victory as a big moment in his year saying: “It is such a historic race, and that win would be the highlight of any jockeys season. It was a great day.”
He added: “I've had a great battle all year with Johnny Murtagh and Fran Berry, and this gives me more satisfaction than any of the other championships I've won.”
Michael Kinane was on hand to present Smullen with his trophy, and he also did the honours for leading trainer Aidan O'Brien who continued his domination with a 14th successive title. The master of Ballydoyle amassed over 4.5 million euro in win and place prize-money, well over twice that of his nearest challenger, with an impressive tally of 109 winners this year.
O'Brien is looking forward with relish to 2011 and said: “St Nicholas Abbey is doing light exercise at the moment, and he should be an exciting four-year-old. We also have three Group 1 winning two-year-old's in Roderic O'Connor, Recital and Zoffany, so there is plenty to look forward to.”
Cape Blanco's Irish Derby and Irish Champion Stakes wins were the highlight of six domestic Group 1's, while Cape Blanco and Fame And Glory (Tattersalls Gold Cup) helped Derrick Smith to the leading owner award.
