DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH DERBY TROPHY 2016

“I t’s not something I take lightly, I am truly honoured and delighted.” These are the words of artist Ani Mollereau, designer of the 2016 Duby Duty Free Irish Derby trophy.

For the second year in a row, the Kilkenny-based sculptor was approached by Curragh Racecourse for her imagination and creativity, but with quite a concise brief, which was to find a way to symbolise the Arabic, Irish and Celtic connection, Ani certainly felt the pressure to come through.

“There was such a narrow brief that I felt pressure to get something that they’d like,” Ani explained.

“I felt totally honoured to be asked for a second time, I never expected it but it was a challenge because I felt that I had to live up to last year’s trophy when creating this year’s story.” It certainly paid off as Ani’s design is an inventive representation of Ireland’s bond with the United Arab Emirates. The trophy is a horse’s head with a few twists and turns. The falcon, which can be seen along the horse’s forehead, is a symbol of force and courage, both important in the Arab culture. The Celtic knot of friendship can be seen towards the neck and illustrates the close bond between the two nations. The ears point forward to represent the growth of this friendship into the future. The base of the sculpture is bog oak sourced in Kildare. “I tell my stories through horses, because I love horses and I identify with them,” Ani said. “My work has carried my energy and my spirit really. I use the animals to portray my story or whatever emotion I feel at the time.”

The combination of this with the energy of Celtic art makes for an inspired piece of work.

Ani said: “I just love the Celtic energy. It’s all around us, but I think we’re losing touch with it a bit. For this design, I tried to bring it back to that energy we have within.”