Jockey Tom Queally won the 2009 award for "Flat Ride of the Year" at the annual Lesters in Britain Feb. 28 for his performance on Midday in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita.
The 25-year-old British-based Irishman gained his first Breeders’ Cup success in that race. Midday, trained by Henry Cecil and owned by Juddmonte Farms, defeated Pure Clan by one length.
The 20th Lesters, the jockey awards sponsored by Shadwell, were held at the Hilton Hotel in Park Lane, London. Ryan Moore was named "Flat Jockey of the Year".
The "Apprentice Jockey of the Year'"award went to Freddy Tylicki, the winner of the 2009 Jan Wilson & Jamie Kyne Apprentice Championship.
Two recently retired jockeys were among the winners -- Mick Kinane as "International Jockey of the Year" and Dale Gibson for "Flat Jockey Special Recognition."
Hayley Turner won her seventh Lester when she took the "Lady Jockey of the Year."
Kevin Darley, chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association (which organized the awards), said that "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."
The two apprentices were killed in a house fire at Malton in North Yorkshire.
