Monday, 10 September 2012: The category finalists for the 2012 Australian Racehorse of the Year Awards presented by Sky Racing World, TABCORP and Staging Connections have been announced with a star-studded New Zealand Bloodstock Champion Three-Year-Old Filly category among the highlights.
Victorian stars Atlantic Jewel and Mosheen will square off with classy NSW duo Sea Siren and Streama in what is shaping as one of the most intriguing categories with the quartet all enjoying multiple Group 1 success.
The Champion Three-Year-Old Filly will be announced at the Australian Racehorse of the Year Awards at Peninsula at Docklands, Melbourne on Sunday 16 September.
Seven category award winners will be unveiled before the Sky Racing World Australian Racehorse of the Year is crowned, with the ceremony to be broadcast live on Sky Racing World from 8.30pm.
The awards are voted on by members of Australia’s racing media, along with senior administrators from the principal racing authorities and metropolitan racing clubs nationwide.
Following the collation of their votes, based on performances during the 2011-12 racing season (1 August – 31 July), the top four vote-getters in each category have been announced as the finalists.
The Mark Kavanagh-trained Atlantic Jewel, who was unbeaten in seven starts as a three-year-old, and the
Robert Smerdon-trained Mosheen, who claimed four Group 1 titles including the Australian-Randwick Guineas double against the colts, are finalists in two categories.
The pair, along with Gai Waterhouse-trained star More Joyous and rejuvenated import Manighar, feature as finalists for the Monjon Australia Champion Middle Distance Award.
More Joyous won five feature races during the season, including the middle distance Group 1 treble of the Queen of the Turf, Doncaster Handicap and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Manighar, who secured a middle distance Group 1 double in the Australian Cup and Ranvet Stakes, is also a finalist for the New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing Champion Stayer Award.
The former European gelding’s win in the Group 1 The BMW for new trainer Peter Moody has been recognised in that category alongside the staying performances of Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden, Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed and dual Group 2 winning stayer Americain.
And while she may be currently on the sidelines, Manighar’s stablemate Black Caviar is in the running to defend her crown as the Inglis Bloodstock Champion Sprinter after nine successive wins in 2011-12.
The unbeaten Victorian mare heads a field that includes arch rival and Newmarket Handicap winner Hay List, Paul Messara’s globetrotting mare Ortensia and dual Group 1-winning three-year-old colt Sepoy.
The Peter Snowden-trained, Darley-owned Sepoy is also a finalist for the Mitchelton Champion Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding Award alongside former stablemate Helmet and Sydney-trained Group 1 winners Foxwedge and Manawanui.
Black Caviar’s half brother All Too Hard is among the finalists for the Eliza Park Champion Two-Year-Old award. Sydney Triple Crown winner Pierro, Blue Diamond Stakes-winning filly Samaready and Group 1-winning Queensland colt Sizzling are also in the running to be named the nation’s top juvenile.
Robert Smerdon has two finalists in the Staging Connections Champion Jumper Award in two-time winner Black And Bent and Grand National Hurdle winner Brungle Cry. The season’s premier steeplechase performers Awakening Dream and Bashboy ound out the category’s four finalists.
The category finalists, in alphabetical order, are as follows;
Eliza Park Champion Two-Year-Old Award: All Too Hard; Pierro; Samaready; Sizzling
New Zealand Bloodstock Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Award: Atlantic Jewel; Mosheen; Sea Siren;
Streama
Mitchelton Champion Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding Award: Foxwedge; Helmet; Manawanui; Sepoy
Inglis Bloodstock Champion Sprinter Award: Black Caviar; Hay List; Ortensia; Sepoy
Monjon Australia Champion Middle Distance Award: Atlantic Jewel; Manighar; More Joyous; Mosheen
New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing Champion Stayer Award: Americain; Dunaden; Manighar; Southern Speed
Staging Connections Champion Jumper Award: Awakening Dream; Bashboy; Black And Bent; Brungle Cry
Sky Racing World Australian Racehorse of the Year: Each category finalist is eligible for the title of Sky Racing World Australian Racehorse of the Year.
