Out with the Old, In with the New (Season)

 

Lloyd Jackson of www.anzbloodstocknews.com reports:

 

Out with the old and in with the new.

 

The transition from the 2020-21 season literally happens overnight and there is a new one to grab our interest, but not before some reflection.

In last week's Kiwi Chronicles much space was given to the NZTBA Breeders' Awards, especially the Broodmare of the Year.

Not to be confused with those awards is the Horse of the Year Awards conducted by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR).

NZTR annually recognises a broader range of categories, some human but mostly equine and their Awards Dinner is scheduled for Sunday, September 12th.

Of the human awards, one is Trainer of the Year and due to supreme dominance, Jamie Richards is the one and only nomination.

Since the departure of previous co-trainer and mentor Stephen Autridge and going solo, Richards has been unstoppable in his quest to re-write the record books yet through this remarkable rise he remains totally modest.

When interviewed he never fails to make the point that it is a major team effort, beginning with the purchasing prowess of Te Akau's David Ellis, the huge syndication efforts by David's wife Karen and, probably, the most important, Richards' stable team members.

 

 

Modesty aside, Richards has built a reputation of being totally dedicated, astute and is prepared to put in the long hours, from studying sales catalogs, looking at potential stable runners (from weanlings to two-year-olds) and spending most of his waking hours making the Te Akau racing stable the best it can be.

That NZTR saw fit to put forward a single nominee is really no surprise.

Talking of interviews, it seems that being able to handle the media is another modern-day asset, one which has changed the face of trainers and jockeys. It's as if we (the public) know these stars better than in the past.

Fifty years ago, Richards would have appeared in various publications as J. Richards (as distinct from Jamie).

This “friendlier” and closer association has affected other sports too. In printed news reports of New Zealand sports stars they were, in the past, referred to by their initials and surname. The famous All Black fullback and goal kicker D.B. Clarke and New Zealand's best-known golfer, R.J. Charles, come to mind.

Racing too was once rather staid. C.M. Jillings, R.C. Verner, and D.J. O'Sullivan are examples of the printed reference yet hardly ever Colin, Ray or Dave. In person, perhaps. Otherwise, printing first names was considered as being much too informal.

Initials actually make up the first name of one of the three nominees for Jockey of the Year. Opie Bosson is really O.P. (Owen Patrick), almost a throwback to the past. 

Bosson, Craig Grylls and Danielle Johnson make up the three and all can make solid claims for the award.

Bosson's seven New Zealand Group 1 wins and a strike rate of 4.11 stand out. His 15 stakes wins ties Johnson's, they heading this particular category.

Craig Grylls is from a family of top-line jockeys. Both his grand-father (John) and father (Gary) were among the best of their time so for Craig to also make a big noise is no shock. He is coming off his New Zealand career-best of 83 wins and his mounts earned $2.67 million, the second highest for the season.

Danielle Johnson's mounts earned $3.56 million from 151 winners. Her margin of 60 winners ahead of the next best total is astounding. In 825 rides her strike rate is a fabulous 5.46.

Three Jumps Jockeys will fight out their award led by Shaun Fannin with 16 wins including four features and a strike rate of 2.94. Another Shaun, this time Phelan, got off to a late start due to injury yet ended the season with a strike rate of 3.83 and two Premier Jumps races while newcomer Dean Parker has signalled that he will give the other nominees something to think about in future seasons.

NZTR has received nine nominees for Owner of the Year. Alphabetically they are: Joan Egan, Hermitage Thoroughbreds, Kevin Hickman, Jomara Bloodstock, Brendan & Jo Lindsay (and Partners), New Zealand Thoroughbred Holdings (Gerry Harvey), Kevin Tyler, Sir Peter Vela and Waikato Stud.

The equine awards total seven, made up of six separate categories from which the overall Horse of the Year will be named.

Champion Jumper:

 

Two steeplechasers, Magic Wonder (Eighth Wonder) and Yardarm (King's Chapel) plus hurdler The Cossack (Mastercraftsman) make up the three nominees. Magic Wonder was unbeaten in three starts nabbing two over the Ellerslie Hill, the Great Northern Steeplechase and Pakuranga Hunt Cup. Yardarm won two of his six starts over the big fences including the Wellington Steeplechase. 

The Cossack completely dominated the hurdling ranks, bagging the Great Northern, Wellington and Waikato Hurdles, winning five of his six starts.

 

Champion Stayer:

 

Performances beyond 2200 metres is the requirement for this category and the nominees are Ocean Billy (Ocean Park), Savy Yong Blonk (Savabeel), The Chosen One (Savabeel) and Waisake (Zed).

Ocean Billy scored the Waikato Cup (Gr.3, 2400m) defeating fellow nominee Savy Yong Blonk then added the Auckland Cup (Gr.1, 3200m) in the autumn.

Savy Yong Blonk's City of Auckland Cup (Gr.3, 2400m) was one of two Group 3's for the consistent mare, who recorded a brace of Group placings throughout the season.

The Chosen One faced hot opposition, especially in Melbourne, where he finished third in the Caulfield Cup (Gr.1, 2400m) behind star Verry Elleegant (Zed) then fourth in the Melbourne Cup (Gr.1, 3200m).

Waisake really came into his own this past season, racing ten times for five wins and five placings, wrapping up the season with back-to-back victories in the Wellington Cup (Gr.3, 3200m) and the New Zealand St Leger (Listed, 2500m).  Waisake was bred by highly successful breeder Miss Lorraine Jameson who, sadly, passed away last week.

 

Champion Middle Distance:

 

Five nominees have put up their hands in this category, namely Avantage (Fastnet Rock), Beauden (Bullbars), Concert Hall (Savabeel), Melody Belle (Commands) and Royal Performer (Medicean).

Avantage is also nominated for the Sprinter-Miler award but twice finished second to stablemate Melody Belle in two of the country's most important Group 1s, the Livamol Classic (2040m) and the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m).

Beauden proved to be the find of the season, winning three stakes races including two at Group level. Beauden is very honest and consistent. 

Similar to Avantage, Concert Hall is also nominated for the Sprinter-Miler award but in two starts beyond 1600 metres secured a win in Ellerslie's Zabeel Classic (Gr.1, 2000m). 

Melody Belle may be retired and headed for the breeding barn but her four Group 1s, two in this category for the season, cannot be overlooked. They were the Livamol Classic and the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes, defeating Avantage on both occasions. Melody Belle also finished two and half lengths third behind Australian star Arcadia Queen (Pierro) in the LKS Mackinnon Stakes (Gr.1, 2000m).

Royal Performer was the surprise package in this category, taking out the county's richest WFA 2000 metre middle distance race, the Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa, defeating The Chosen One (above).

 

Champion Sprinter-Miler:

 

Two of the four nominees are not only stablemates but are also nominated in the Middle Distance category, underlining their outstanding and versatile performances.

They are Avantage and Melody Belle who clashed on several occasions as well as at these awards.

To win five Group 1s in a season, including the three premier sprints, the Railway (1200m), the Telegraph (1200m) and the BCD Sprint (1400m), is a magnificent achievement.

With four Group 1's, two in this category, the Windsor Park Plate (1600m) and the Thorndon Mile (1600m), is Melody Belle. Te Akau's star mares provided the highlights of the New Zealand season. 

Callsign Mav (Atlante) sprang a major surprise in the first Group 1 of the season, the Tarzino Trophy (1400m), defeating Avantage, then kept showing up against the best, recording three Group 1 placings behind Avantage and Melody Belle.

Probabeel (Savabeel) was up against the best in Melbourne and Sydney getting the better of Arcadia Queen in the Futurity Stakes (Gr.1, 1400m) plus a splendid victory in Randwick's historied Epsom Handicap (Gr.1, 1600m), defeating Funstar (Adelaide).

 

Champion Three-Year-Old:

 

This category will be very competitive with three of the four nominees having secured Group 1 victories while the other was the dominant sprinter among this age group. 

Aegon (Sacred Falls) won his first five starts including the New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) and showed great determination, fresh-up, when defeating fellow nominee Amarelinha (Savabeel) in the rich Karaka Classic (Listed, 1600m). Aegon also made a big impression in Sydney when scoring the Hobartville Stakes (Gr.2, 1400m) on his Australian debut.

The above mentioned Amarelinha not only was a game second to Aegon, she also took out the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year series courtesy of the New Zealand Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m) as well as two Group 2s and a Group 3. 

Need I Say More (No Nay Never) found his niche once kept to the sprint distances and was successful twice at Group 2 level and twice at Group 3 level. In similar form Need I Say More could be among the nominees for Champion Sprinter-Miler this time next year.

New Zealand Derby (Gr.1, 2400m) winner Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock) is the fourth three-year-old in this category. He also won the Auckland Guineas (Gr.2, 1600m) and the Avondale Guineas (Gr.2, 2100m), showing a marked liking for Ellerslie.

 

Champion Two-Year-Old:

 

Certainly one of the best 2YO fillies, Bonny Lass (Super Easy) had four starts, winning the Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr.2, 1200m) and was twice third, in the Sistema Stakes (Gr.1, 1200m) and the Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr.1, 1400m).

Her third in the Sistema Stakes was to the two other nominees, Sword Of State (Snitzel) and On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau).

On The Bubbles' six starts resulted in four wins which included the Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes as well as the rich Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m). He finished second to stablemate Sword of State in the Sistema Stakes.

Sword Of State was ineligible for the riches available in the Karaka Million but beat his stablemate twice, in the Sistema and again, somewhat convincingly, in the Matamata Slipper (Gr.3, 1200m). His five starts brought four wins and a third.

 

Horse of The Year:

 

New Zealand Horse of the Year may, or may not, be one of the above category winners, so stay tuned. The winners will be announced at the September 12th Awards Dinner.

 

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