Katie Clark, who works for trainer Henrietta Knight at West Lockinge, near Wantage, received the Special Merit/Hero prize at the annual Stud and Stable Staff Awards - after beating cancer.

She was chosen for the award, which is made to those who have shown bravery, courage or outstanding achievement in the course of their work.

Clark was presented with separate cheques of £3,000 for herself and her West Lockinge colleagues by three-times champion jump jockey Richard Dunwoody at a ceremony at the Cafe Royal, London.

It was while working for Knight as a full-time stable lass in the summer of 2005 that she experienced severe back pain, which resulted in her having to stop work in October of that year.

She was diagnosed with aggressive Hodgkins lymphnoma, which she had probably been suffering from for three years and underwent extensive chemotherapy.

Despite severe depression, the thought of going back to work kept her focussed.

Now she is riding out again, and looks after Racing Demon, who is set to run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup next month.

She said: "Being at the racecourse is seeing the end result to all your hard work at home, whether they win or run really well you know all your work has been worth it."

Jerry Walsh, who works for Paul Webber at Cropredy, near Banbury, was joint runner-up.

The travelling head groom, who has spent 35 years in racing, received a cheque for £2,000.