A Ryedale stable groom, who suffered serious injuries and came within a photo-finish of losing her life when she was kicked in the face by one of her beloved horses, has won the trip of a lifetime.

Anne Blanchard, who works for Great Habton trainer Tim Easterby, has been named the Racing Post Stable Employee of the Year and has won a trip for two to the 2004 Breeders' Cup at Lone Star Park, Texas, including flights, accomodation, and £250 spending money.

The prize, a new initiative by racing's only daily newspaper dedicated to racing, was presented to Anne, 42, at the lavish Horserace Writers and Photographers' Derby Awards at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on Monday.

Easterby had kept quiet about the presentation and simply told Miss Blanchard that she had been invited to attend the luncheon as a stable representative after her name had been picked at random.

"I couldn't believe it when they asked me to come up for the award," said Anne. "I was totally overwhelmed."

Blanchard's prize came as a result of the fighting spirit she showed to return to work at Easterby's yard, only four months after her dreadful accident at work during the summer of last year.

Having gone into a paddock to bring in high-class sprinter Artie, she was given a knockout punch when her best equine pal, in a fit of high spirits, gave a jump and a kick and caught Anne right underneath her jaw.

Rendered unconscious, her jaw in bits and the inside of her mouth cut to ribbons, she lost so much blood and had such difficulty breathing that a tracheotomy was performed to open her airways as soon as she arrived at York District Hospital.

"According to those who went with me to the hospital, they thought I was going to die," she recalls.

After several days in intensive care, not to mention a four-hour operation to piece together her shattered jaw, and a fortnight-long stay in hospital, Anne began the uncomfortable recovery process.

She recalls: "I was lucky in that there were other people, like Dave O'Meara and Steve Lawes, around when the accident happened. And, although I was unlucky to get kicked, it was just being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Anne attended Monday's luncheon with her partner, Jeremy Corkell, and was in tears when she stepped on to the stage to receive her prize from John Sexton, president of the Horserace Writers and Photographers Association.

But she still managed to compose herself to say a few words of thanks to an audience of nearly 700 people, including many star names from the world of racing.

She also recalled a subsequent incident at the races, when she was leading Artie around the parade-ring. "I heard someone say, 'Watch out for that horse, he kicks.' He doesn't, really," she added, "What happened was a sheer one-off."

Updated: 12:05 Wednesday, December 10, 2003