Finalists Announced for Australian Racehorse of the Year

Media Release - Friday August 30

The nominees for the prestigious 2023/2024 Australian Racehorse of the Year awards have been announced today by Racing South Australia in association with Racing Australia.

CHAMPION 2YO
Broadsiding
Hayasugi
Lady Of Camelot
Manaal
Storm Boy
 

CHAMPION 3YO FILLY
Autumn Angel
Stefi Magnetica
Tropical Squall
Orchestral
Zardozi

CHAMPION 3YO COLT/GELDING
Celestial Legend
Cylinder
Riff Rocket
Veight
Warmonger
 
 

CHAMPION SPRINTER
Asfoora
Bella Nipotina
Imperatriz
I Wish I Win
Think About It

CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE
Alligator Blood
Fangirl
Mr Brightside
Pride Of Jenni
Romantic Warrior
 

CHAMPION STAYER
Circle Of Fire
Fawkner Park
Riff Rocket
The Map
Without A Fight

CHAMPION JUMPER
Bell Ex One
Count Zero
Port Guillaume
Stern Idol
Wil John

BART CUMMINGS AWARD – GROUP 1 TRAINER OF THE YEAR
Chris Waller
 
 
GROUP 1 JOCKEY OF THE YEAR AWARD
James McDonald
 
 
CHAMPION SIRE OF THE YEAR AWARD
I Am Invincible
 
 

Advertisement


The spectacular line up of finalists to take out the top gong “Australian Racehorse of the Year” and not surprisingly, extends to our equine greats: Without a Fight, Pride of Jenni, Imperatriz, Riff Rocket and Mr Brightside.

This year’s awards will be held at the $20m Wolf Blass Event Centre at Morphettville Racecourse, in what will be a spectacular evening acknowledging performances on Australian racecourses, as well as international performances by Australian-trained horses for the period from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024.

Racing South Australia’s CEO, Vaughn Lynch added “Racing SA is delighted to be hosting the 2024 Horse of the Year awards ceremony in Adelaide. The quality of the nominations across all categories highlights the fantastic performances that were achieved during the 2023/24 season”.

The nominees in each category have obtained the most votes from more than 70 of the nation’s most respected racing media, handicappers and form analysts.

Each nominee will be eligible to be crowned Australian Racehorse of the Year on the evening, joining previous winners including champions such as Winx, Black Caviar, Anamoe, Nature Strip, Verry Elleegant, Sunline, and Makybe Diva.

Broadsiding won two G1 races this season - image Grant Courtney
 
Contenders for the Champion Two-Year-Old category include the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Golden Slipper winner Lady of Camelot, with J.J Atkins and Champagne Stakes winner Broadsiding also a standout in the juveniles. Storm Boy and Manaal have also confirmed their place among the finalists, and who could forget the brilliance of Hayasugi in the Blue Diamond.

Riff Rocket won three G1 races this season - image Steve Hart
Some outstanding three-year-olds will be vying for 3YO Champion Colt or Gelding, including the phenomenal dual ATC and Victoria Derby winner Riff Rocket, Randwick Guineas and Doncaster Handicap winner Celestial Legend, Queensland Derby winner Warmonger, and rounding out a magnificent season is Veight, winner of the George Ryder.

For the Three-Year-Old Filly category, the contenders really came down to the wire with the exciting line up of Tropical Squall, winner of both the Surround and Flight Stakes, Stefi Magnetica’s magnificent triumph in the Stradbroke Handicap, Autumn Angel’s ATC Oaks, and Orchestral and Zardozi taking out the Vinery and the VRC Oaks respectively.

The Champion Sprinter finalists feature a star-studded line up:  Everest winner Think About It, Asfoora with her magnificent win in the King Charles at Royal Ascot, wonder mare Imperatriz taking out the Moir Stakes, The Manikato and back-to-back William Reid’s to name but a few, the mighty Bella Nipotina who showed her brilliance in the Doomben 10,000 and the Tatt’s Tiara, and I Wish I Win, victorious in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith.

PRide of Jenni delivered the best win of the season in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes - image Steve Hart

In what will be a hotly contested category, Champion Middle Distance, finalists include Cox Plate winner Romantic Warrior, Pride of Jenni, winner of multiple Group 1’s including her stunning victory in the Queen Elizabeth, the ever-popular Mr Brightside with wins in the Group1 Futurity and CF Orr stakes and crowd favourite Fangirl, winner of the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes, a most deserving finalist in this category.

Fighting it out for the Champion Stayer will be dual Caulfield and Melbourne Cup dynamo Without A Fight, Dual ATC and VIC Derby winner Riff Rocket, Circle of Fire who was also very popular with the judges, Fawkner Park and The Map.

The competition is also fierce for the Champion Jumper Award. Can the Ciaron Maher trained Stern Idol go back-to-back this year? Hot on his heels is Bell Ex One, with Count Zero, Wil John and Port Guillaume also deserving of their place in the list of Jumps finalists.

In addition to our equine stars, Chris Waller has clinched, yet again for the 12th consecutive year, the title of Champion Group 1 Trainer for the season with a phenomenal 12 Group 1 wins.

Champion hoop James McDonald dominated the 2023 / 2024 racing season amassing 14 Group 1’s for the season taking out the title of Champion Group 1 Jockey for the fourth straight year.

It comes as no surprise that Yarraman Park’s I am Invincible has already secured his fourth consecutive title for Champion Sire setting a new Australian prizemoney record with his progeny claiming just over $31m.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Wednesday November 20
Here is the full list of 39 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Cambridge Stud News
It’s been the spring that keeps giving for Cambridge Stud and it’s not over yet.
$1.3million Snitzel Colt Ready to Fire on Debut for Te Akau
Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are confident they have the young firepower to make an early impression in the first of the black type features at Pukekohe Park on Saturday.
Halo Racing Reduction features in November (Late) catalogue
Shares in reigning G1 Caulfield Cup champion Duke de Sessa, G1 Toorak Hcp winner Attrition and tomorrow’s G1 Railway Stakes favourite Light Infantry Man headline an exciting Inglis Digital November (Late) Online Sale.
$2,000 Gavelhouse Bargain Keeps on Winning!
The Grey Goose continued to belie her purchase price last start when recording her fifth win at Wingatui, bringing her career earnings to more than $225,000.
Pinhook Winners 2024 NZB Ready to Run – Churchill Colt the Star
A record breaking NZB Ready to Run Sale this week at Karaka delivered plenty of pinhook success with 18 two year-olds selling for $300,000 or more above their yearling purchase price, so let’s take a look at some of the best of them.