West Waterford jockey Sean Houlihan has been named the winner of the April WLR Granville Waterford Sport Awards following his sensational victory aboard Kap Vert in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr.

Houlihan produced one of the standout moments of the racing season when guiding the 20/1 outsider to a famous success in the prestigious marathon contest, delivering a composed and confident ride on a horse having just its fifth start over fences.

Representing Dungarvan and the wider Waterford racing community with pride, Houlihan kept Kap Vert travelling strongly throughout before timing his challenge perfectly in the closing stages to secure a memorable victory.

Midlands National winner Isaac Des Obeaux briefly looked a danger turning for home but faded late on, while Git Maker stayed on for second, a length and a half behind the winner. The well-fancied Kim Roque finished third.

The success marked a landmark moment in Houlihan’s career and also provided trainers Philip Hobbs and Johnson White with their biggest victory since forming their training partnership.

Speaking after receiving the award, Houlihan’s achievement was praised as a major boost for Waterford racing and a moment that captured the imagination of local sports fans throughout April.

Kap Vert’s stunning Ayr success is already being viewed as one of the great recent racing stories involving a Waterford jockey, with Houlihan’s calmness, skill, and tactical awareness earning widespread acclaim across the sport.

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