Vodacom Durban July winner Legislate was the big winner at Thursday night’s KZN Racing Awards held at the Elangeni Hotel in Durban.

Justin Snaith’s runner garnered Horse of the Year honours as well as Champion Three-year-old Male and Champion Middle Distance runner.

On hand to collect the trophies were co-owners John Freeman, Dennis and Gael Evans along with Sue and Chris Snaith on behalf of the recently married Justin who was on honeymoon. Legislate’s groom, Jabu Ndludlu, was voted KZN Groom of the Year.

Duncan Howells dethroned the two perennial champions, Dennis Drier and Mike de Kock, as KZN Champion Trainer by number of winners. Howells also collected the trophy as Champion Trainer at Ashburton from where he saddled the two award-winning fillies Via Africa and Same Jurisdiction.

Equus Champion Via Africa was a shoo-in for Champion Sprinter while Same Jurisdiction, who was controversially overlooked at the Equus Awards gained some measure of satisfaction for her owners when voted Champion Two-Year-Old filly.

Paul Lafferty’s Equus Champion Harry’s Son was a certainty for the Champion Two-year-old Colt while two Cape Town raiders, King Of Pain and Hot Ticket collected awards for Champion Older Male and Champion Stayer respectively.

Equus Champion In The Fast Lane garnered the award for Champion Three-year-old Filly making it a red letter night for the Snaith stable.

Six of the awards in the horse categories were also winners at the national Equus Awards, underlining just how important the three-month Champion Season is on the racing calendar.

Anton Marcus was again KZN’s Champion Jockey by number of winners while Donovan Dillon, soon to come out of his time, was KZN’s Champion Apprentice.

Derek Brugman, Racing Manager to Markus and Ingrid Jooste, was on hand to collect the trophy on their behalf as KZN’s leading owners.

A special award was made to Hector Lawrence who celebrated his 101st birthday on the night and who gave an amusing speech on his first visit to a racecourse. Lawrence was a stalwart owner and breeder from the KZN Midlands in the middle of the last century.

The full list of winners is:

2yo filly - Same Jurisdiction

2yo colt - Harry's Son

3yo filly - in the Fast Lane

3yo colt - Legislate

Older Male - King Of Pain

Older mare - Beach Beauty

Sprinter - Via Africa

Middle distance - Legislate

Stayer - Hot Ticket

Ashburton Trainer of the Year - Duncan Howells

Clairwood - Charles Laird

Summerveld - Dennis Drier

Apprentice of the Year - Donovan Dillon

Jockey - Anton Marcus

Owner – Markus and Ingrid Jooste

Breeders – Summerhill Stud

Trainer of the Year - Duncan Howells

Anita Akal Special Award - Craig Peters

Racing Personality of the Year - Anita Akal

KZN Groom of the Year - Jabu Mdludlu

Horse of the Year - Legislate