The G1 Derby victory by City of Troy (Justify) in Epsom this spring was voted the World Pool Moment of the Year by the public. Overall, 48% of the votes were received. The £4,000 prize goes to City Of Troy's groom David Hickey, who – along with three friends – has received a VIP trip to Hong Kong in 2025.
Hickey said: “Winning the £4,000 World Pool Moment of the Day was a huge reward, so being named Moment of the Year is even more special and I'm now looking forward to a trip to Hong Kong.” I think I’m going there for the derby in March, so it should be great fun.”
Hickey added of his protégé's Blue Riband score: “A fantastic day that I will never forget. He is the most real horse you could ever have anything to do with. I’m crazy about him and it was a joy to look after him.”
Hickey coach Aidan O'Brien said: “David has always been a special guy. The number of horses he has looked after and managed is incredible; Yeats (Irish), Galileo (Irish), many more and of course City Of Troy, which we think is the best we've ever had.
“David is elevated, relaxed and has a great understanding of a horse. Things don't upset him, he's very composed and he's unique in the way he can influence horses. He is also a leading greyhound trainer in our area. He gets up early and trains them before he starts working on the horses, which says something about his work ethic.”
A total of 24 World Pool Moment of the Day awards were presented this year, with each winning groom receiving a check for £4,000, meaning World Pool gave back a total of £96,000 to grooms and racing stables this season.
Michael Fitzsimons, managing director of betting products at the HKJC, said: “We are proud to have highlighted 24 outstanding horse performances this year, not only that but also the tireless work and performance of the grooms who are the unsung heroes of Thoroughbred racing.”
“The Hong Kong Jockey Club is proud to give back to the community. That's why we're delighted to have donated almost £100,000 to grooms from South Africa, the UK, Ireland, Dubai and Australia over the course of this year through our World Pool Moment of the Day initiative.
“Choosing between the four finalists was certainly no simple task, but City Of Troy's derby win is clearly one that resonated most with many people and is considered a very worthy moment of the year's winner. We now look forward to welcoming David Hickey and his friends to Hong Kong next year.”
