Motivator named Horse of the Year

Motivator, who was retired to stud last October, was also honoured as champion three-year-old colt.

BHB chairman Martin Broughton said: "Motivator made his mark last season beyond the racing industry's confines.

"He achieved an outstanding level of racecourse performance and raised the profile of British racing."

Azamour was confirmed as the top-ranked European horse of 2005 and picked up the champion middle distance and champion older male horse awards.

For the second consecutive year, Soviet Song was champion older female, with Flashy Wings collecting the champion two-year-old filly title.

Each award went to the highest-rated horse in the respective rankings category, provided the horse was either trained in Britain or, if trained abroad, achieved the category-topping rating on a British racecourse.

The awards for champion owner, trainer, jockey and apprentice jockey - won by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, Sir Michael Stoute, Kieren Fallon and Philip Makin respectively - were based on prize money earned in 2005.

British Horseracing Board award winners: