Champion trainer Aidan O'Brien is the Goffs Irish Racing Personality for 1997 after emerging as a clear winner in a poll of Irish racing writers. O'Brien became champion trainer on the flat for the first time this year, in addition to picking up his fourth National Hunt championship. This year also saw O'Brien's emergence on the classic scene when winning three Irish classics including the Derby with Desert King.

Second Empire heads a formidable string of talent for next year's classics while O'Brien also trains the current Champion Hurdle favourite, Istabraq.

Whiskey Wisdom, beaten only once when demoted from third to fourth in the Breeders' Cup Classic, has been retired to stud.