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
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