The much maligned "Majmu debacle" at the Equus Awards raised questions about the way the bestowing of these historical awards were conducted. The conferring of our national racing treasure that is the Equus Awards to certain horses, left us embarrassed and looking silly in the international world as we attempt to justify the result. One in particular made our "racing experts" on the panel looks like utter fools. 

When people are involved in a decision, the result is always subjective and sometimes even controversial. One such debate around an award for a champion two year old raged on through the night at the Equus Awards last week. 

Majmu was awarded the champion two year old filly of South Africa without having taken part in a Grade 1 event during the season in review whilst her rivals,  who sweated through the vigours of Group 1 races, were left in the lurch. Connections of the two camps, Carry in Alice and Same Jurisdiction,  must have been bewildered by the decision to award it to the Mike De Kock stablemate.

Let's take nothing away from Majmu, she is a superb animal. In fact she is on course to go onto be a world class athlete but the moot point is that she was injured for the biggest races and didn't compete. 

Equus Awards should be based on performance at the highest level. Horses are primed for those races. Winning anything less than a Group 1 (at weight for age) should not be considered as worthy of the status of being the best. Winning at the highest level involves ability, form, wellness and fitness. Getting it all right on the day means group 1 glory. Consistency for the season and/or beating the best in the best races should mean an Equus Award. 

In the end, a head separated Carry On Alice and Same Jurisdiction but it left heads shaking at the Emperors Palace Convention Centre as the award was given to a filly who wasn't even in a group 1 contest. 

It is time racing introduces a points system like Europe does. After all we are judging our best and that means placing value on our biggest races. Equus impacts our racing economy, our love for the sport and places our heros and heroines in the history books.

Surely it cannot be judged by a bunch of people who we will likely never be remembered as these decision makers in time to come.