The category finalists for the 2011 Australian Racehorse of the Year Awards presented by Sky Racing, Tabcorp and Staging Connections have been released with a star-studded Inglis Bloodstock Champion Sprinter category among the highlights.
Unbeaten Victorian mare Black Caviar heads a field of four and in any other year her rivals would be a short-priced favourite to claim the Sprinter of the Year title.
Black Caviar's arch rival, Hay List, fellow New South Wales star More Joyous and boom colt Sepoy are those vying with the Peter Moody-trained mare for Champion Sprinter honours.
The winner will be announced, along with all of this year's Champion Racehorse of the Year recipients, at Melbourne's Crown Palladium on Sunday night, 18 September.
The Peter Snowden-trained Sepoy and Gai Waterhouse's stable star More Joyous are two of only three horses in the running to claim multiple category awards at this year's ceremony.
Sepoy is locked in battle with stablemates Benfica and Helmet, along with the Clarry Conners-trained filly Satin Shoes, for the Eliza Park Champion Two-Year-Old title, while More Joyous joins last year's Champion Stayer Shocking, So You Think and Whobegotyou as the Monjon Australia Champion Middle Distance Award finalists.
So You Think is the other horse nominated for multiple awards. Along with the Middle Distance division, the former Bart Cummings-trained champion is also a finalist for the New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing Champion Stayer Award.
The two horses that beat home So You Think in last year's Emirates Melbourne Cup, French raider Americain and Team Hawkes' Maluckyday, join the Waterhouse-trained BMW Caulfield Cup winner Descarado as his rivals in the long-distance award.
New Zealand is represented in two of the remaining awards for presentation with Rosehill Guineas winner Jimmy Choux among the finalists for the
BPA Print Group Champion Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding Award and Queensland Oaks winner Scarlett Lady a contender for the New Zealand Bloodstock Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Award.
The IRT Champion Australian-Bred International award is the other category voted on by senior racing administrators from all Australian principal racing authorities and metropolitan racing clubs, along with members of the Australian Racing Writers Association that will be presented on the night.
Following the collation of their votes, based on performances on the 2010-11 racing season (1 August – 31 July), the top four vote-getters in each category have been announced as the finalists.
The category finalists, in alphabetical order, are as follows;
Eliza Park Champion Two-Year-Old Award Finalists
· Benfica
· Helmet
· Satin Shoes
· Sepoy
New Zealand Bloodstock Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Award Finalists
· Brazilian Pulse
· Scarlett Lady
· Shamrocker
· Yosei
BPA Print Group Champion Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding Award Finalists
· Ilovethiscity
· Jimmy Choux
· Sincero
· Star Witness
Inglis BloodstockChampion Sprinter Award Finalists
· Black Caviar
· Hay List
· More Joyous
· Sepoy
Monjon Australia Champion Middle Distance Award Finalists
· More Joyous
· Shocking
· So You Think
· Whobegotyou
New Zealand Thoroughbred MarketingChampion Stayer Award
· Americain
· Descarado
· Maluckyday
· So You Think
IRTChampion Australian-Bred International Award Finalists
· Igugu (Sire – Galileo, Trainer – Mike de Kock, South Africa)
· Kinshasa no Kiseki (Sire – Fuji Kiseki, Trainer – Noriyuki Hori, Japan)
· Rocket Man (Sire – Viscount, Trainer – Patrick Shaw, Singapore)
· Sacred Kingdom (Sire – Encosta de Lago, Trainer – Ricky Yiu, Hong Kong)
Sky Racing Australian Racehorse of the Year
Each category finalist, excluding those vying for the title of IRT Champion Australian-Bred International, is eligible for the title of Sky Racing Australian Racehorse of the Year which will be presented on 18 September also. The top four vote-getters will be unveiled on the night of the awards.
Under the conditions of the awards, So You Think has been judged on his Australian performances only.
Staging Connections Most Popular Racehorse
The title of Staging Connections Most Popular Racehorse is also up for grabs. Members of the public are now invited to vote on the horse they deem Australia's most popular over the 2010-11 season.
The contenders are; Black And Bent, Black Caviar, Hay List, More Joyous, So You Think and Zipping, with voting open until 12 noon (AET) on Friday, 16 September.
Votes can go be lodged by
clicking here with everyone that votes going into the draw to win two tickets to the awards ceremony plus a night's accommodation at Crown Promenade.
