Many Clouds: Horse of the Year

Oliver Sherwood put on his bravest face to fight off the tears in front of the packed stands at Sandown after the late Many Clouds was unveiled as this year's Jumps Horse of the Year.

The 2015 Grand National winner, who died on the track after defeating Thistlecrack when landing his second Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January, registered a landslide victory in the Racing Post-backed competition after receiving 65 per cent of the public vote.

In winning the coveted prize for a second time, the Trevor Hemmings-owned Many Clouds, who also won the 2014 Hennessy, beat off competition from the likes of Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Sizing John, Champion Hurdle winner Buveur D'Air and Grand National victor One For Arthur.

Sherwood said: "I can't thank all the public enough. It means a lot. Trevor could not be here as he had another engagement but he asked me to thank everybody.

"It means a lot not just to racing in general but all of us at home.

"I need a large drink now. I just can't believe it. It happened three months ago. I thought I was quite hardened to this game but I'm not.

"It says a lot the public were clapping him watching the videos back on screen. I think it says a lot for National Hunt racing as well.

"He was a horse of a lifetime."

The Upper Lambourn trainer has finally come to terms with the void that the son of Cloudings has left at his yard.

He said: "The first few days were very sombre but life moves on.

"My wife (Tarnya) and Emma my secretary had over 1,000 emails and letters and they answered every single one

"It absolutely blew me away. We kept the whole lot. They were not just from this country but from across the whole world. It is quite staggering how he has captured the public's imagination.

"I think as well, going out the way he did at the top of his game doing something he loved, the public can relate to that.

"It was tough because when you have that amount of horses I've not got any of the big guns to replace him at the moment, but I am still looking and dreaming.

"Who knows we might have something else from the youngsters come through but you will never get another like Clouds again."