Imperatriz - Crowned Australia 2023/24 Champion Sprinter of the Year

Overnight there has been an amazing result for New Zealand Horse of the Year Imperatriz - who has been crowned Champion Sprinter at the Australian Horse of the Year Awards held on 8 October in the Wolf Blass Event Centre at Morphettville Racecourse, Adelaide, in South Australia.

Imperatriz won the title over nominees that included dual Group One winner I Wish I Win (Savabeel), owned by Waikato Stud, whom Te Akau Racing also trained before he transferred to Australia. Other finalists included Group 1 winners Asfoora (winner at Royal Ascot), Bella Nipotina and Think About It.

But for the mare that swept all before her, as the Logines Highest Rated Mare and Best Sprinter in the World last season, Imperatriz was an extremely worthy winner of the title. 

Imperatriz – 2023/24 season timeline: 

9 September Moonee Valley – 1st McEwen Stakes (Gr. 2, 1000m) - track record

29 September Moonee Valley – 1st Moir Stakes (Gr. 1, 1000m) - broke own track record

28 October Moonee Valley – 1st Manikato Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) 

11 November Flemington – 1st Champions Sprint (Gr. 1, 1200m)

17 February Flemington – 1st Lightning Stakes (Gr. 1, 1000m) 

9 March Flemington – 2nd Newmarket Handicap (Gr. 1, 1200m) 

23 March Moonee Valley – 1st William Reid Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) 

6 April Randwick – 4th T J Smith Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) 

Trained by Mark Walker, and alongside Sam Bergerson when in New Zealand, Imperatriz recorded each of her five Group One wins last season in the hands of Te Akau stable rider Opie Bosson ONZM, who recorded his 98th Group One win when she won her second Group 1 William Reid Stakes in March at Moonee Valley. 

“It was a great honour to win Australian Sprinter of the Year and it was thoroughly deserved,” Walker said. 

“It was an unbelievable season of racing that she had in 2023/24 and everyone involved was so proud of her, which included those that worked with her at Te Akau Stud, the stables at Matamata and Cranbourne, and every part of the Te Akau training operation played its part in her success.

“The ownership group was fantastic to deal with and she was a dream horse ever since Dave (Ellis) bought her as a yearling at Magic Millions.

“Ben (Gleeson) and I visited her last week at Yulong Stud, north of Melbourne, and we were amazed at the facilities there, simply world-class, and we got to give Imperatriz a pat and see what wonderful order she’s in after being served by Pierata (Pierro) the week before.

“So she’s on to the next stage of her career as a broodmare and mother and we look forward with great interest to seeing her progeny racing.”

Prior to her becoming Australian Champion Sprinter, Imperatriz became the ninth consecutive Matamata Horse of the Year for Te Akau, and followed former Te Akau trained Horse of the Year winners Melody Belle and Probabeel, who each won twice, and previously King’s Chapel, when crowned 2024 NZ Horse of the Year. All were purchased by David Ellis. 

Purchased for A$360,000 by David Ellis CNZM at the 2020 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Bhima Thoroughbreds, Imperatriz was owned by the Te Akau Invincible Empress Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). 

 Retired and sold in June this year for A$6.6 million, becoming the highest priced filly or mare ever sold in the Southern Hemisphere, Imperatriz recorded 10 Group One wins, from 1000m – 1600m, among 19 victories from 27 starts, and nearly NZ$7.6 million in prize money. 

 Imperatriz was also one of five horses nominated for Australian Racehorse of the Year, won by Pride Of Jenni.