HORSE OF THE YEAR AWARD SHARED

There was oestrogen, and masses of it, on South African racetracks during the 2005-06 racing season when the major races all over the country seemed to be dominated by fillies.

Two in particular! Owner-breeder Mary Slack`s Brazilian-bred Ilha da Vitoria won the two principal Grade 1 races on the Highveld, the Summer Cup, HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes as well as the Grade 2 Gommagomma Challenge. Trained by Mike de Kock, she also won the Ipi Tombe Stakes (G2) and finished second in both the Paddock Stakes (G1) and J&B Met (G1).

The other dominant filly was stalwart owner Chris van Niekerk`s National Colour, who is possibly the fastest horse to have looked through a bridle since Tommy Hotspur and "Goofy" (Golden Loom) just over a decade ago. National Colour, a daughter of National Assembly, won the three principal sprint races in the country � the Computaform Sprint over 1000m, the SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m and the Mercury Sprint over 1200m.

These two, both pretty greys, completely dominated their disciplines to the extent that nobody could have been surprised that they shared South African racing`s highest accolade, Horse of the Year, when the Equus Awards were presented at a glittering black-tie banquet at Emperors Palace on Monday night.

Their connections also received the awards for Equus Champion Older Middle-Distance Horse: Female (Ilha Da Vitoria) and Champion Three-Year-Old Sprinter: Female (National Colour). And Mary Slack was named Champion Owner, while her breeding establishment Wilgerbosdrift won the Outstanding Breeder Achievement Award.

The equivalent awards for males were won by Let`s Rock�n Roll, who won the Golden Horse Casino Sprint (Champion Three-Year-Old Sprinter: Male) and Champion`s Cup winner Equal Image (Champion Older Middle-Distance Horse: Male), who also won the Victory Moon Handicap (G2) and King`s Cup (G3).

Twelve other racing awards and six breeders` awards were presented on Monday to recipients chosen by an Equus panel that comprised handicappers Mike Wanklin, Roger Smith and Vee Moodley, Phumelela Racing Manager Graeme Hawkins, Gold Circle Racing Manager Colin Aitkin, Racing Association General Manager Colin Gordon and journalists Karel Miedema, Jehan Malherbe, Chad Cooke and Mel Kaplan. Horse of the Year was not the only joint award: the Equus panel could not separate the unbeaten two-year-olds Fearless, who is owned by Hong Kong-based trainer David Ferraris and Paul So, and the RMG Syndicate`s Kildonan. Fearless took a steep rise in class in his stride to win the Schweppes Golden Horseshoe, while Kildonan won the Premier`s Stakes on the last Saturday of the season.

The equivalent award for fillies went to Asylum Seeker, a daughter of boom sire Count Dubois (who took the breeders` outstanding stallion achievement award) and winner of four of seven starts last season, including two of the most important races for her age and sex, the Golden Slipper and SA Fillies Nursery. She is owned by Eben and Isabelle Prinsloo, Barry Welch and John Wright Vodacom Durban July winner Eyeofthetiger (Fieldspring Racing) took laurels as the three-year-old classic male of the season, while Sabine Plattner`s Cape-based Bad Girl Runs, who beat Ilha Da Vitoria in the Paddock Stakes, was named classic female. Three-year-olds also took home the trophies for the country`s top stayers � the female award went to SA Oaks winner Candy Critic, while SA Derby winner Elusive Fort took the equivalent trophy for males.

Fillies dominated internationally for South Africa as well � full-sisters Irridescence and Perfect Promise. It was fitting, then, that their dam Meretricious was named Broodmare of the Year and Hendrick Winterbach, who bred both, receiving an award "for exceptional international achievement". Perfect Promise became the first South African-bred runner to win a Group 1 race in Australia, while Irridescence flew the South African flag high in Dubai early this year before going on to win the QEII Cup in Hong Kong. The 2005-06 Equus Award winners:

The 2005-06 Equus Award winners:

Ilha Da Vitoria

HORSE OF THE YEAR: Ilha da Vitoria AND National Colour

National Colour

CHAMPION TWO YEAR OLD FILLY: Asylum Seeker

Asylum Seeker

CHAMPION TWO YEAR OLD COLT/GELDING: Fearless AND Kildonan

Kildonan & Fearless

CHAMPION THREE YEAR OLD SPRINTER: FEMALE: National Colour

CHAMPION THREE YEAR OLD SPRINTER: MALE: Let`s Rock �n Roll

CHAMPION THREE YEAR OLD CLASSIC HORSE: FEMALE: Bad Girl Runs

CHAMPION THREE YEAR OLD CLASSIC HORSE: MALE: Eyeofthetiger

CHAMPION OLDER SPRINTER: FEMALE: Overarching

CHAMPION OLDER SPRINTER: MALE: Nhlavini

CHAMPION OLDER MIDDLE DISTANCE HORSE: FEMALE: Ilha Da Vitoria

CHAMPION OLDER MIDDLE DISTANCE HORSE: MALE: Equal Image

CHAMPION STAYER: FEMALE: Candy Critic

CHAMPION STAYER: MALE: Elusive Fort

BREEDER AWARD FOR EXCEPTIONAL INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Mr H F Winterbach (Perfect Promise and Irridescence)

OUTSTANDING STALLION ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Count du Bois

OUTSTANDING BREEDER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Wilgerbosdrift

BROODMARE OF THE YEAR AWARD: Meretricious (Iridescence and Perfect Promise)

CHAMPION STALLION: Western Winter

CHAMPION BREEDER: Summerhill Stud

WORK RIDER OF THE YEAR: Jackson Feni (extra prize: saddle to be supplied by Henry Merwitz)

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR: Gavin Lerena

CHAMPION JOCKEY: Mark Khan

CHAMPION TRAINER: Michael de Kock

CHAMPION OWNER: Mary Slack