Written by Trent Masenhelder
Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) on Thursday announced its finalists for the 2023 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year awards, and, after a phenomenal season on both sides of the Tasman, the list of nominees is ladened with stars.
The finalists in the 3-year-old category – Legarto (NZ) (Proisir), Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}), Pier (NZ) (Proisir), Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) and Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) - all won at the highest level in New Zealand and all bar Pier also triumphed in Group 1 class in Australia. It is the only instance, since the Group-racing Pattern was introduced in the late 1970s, that four New Zealand-trained 3-year-olds from the same crop have won a Group 1 in Australia.
Gallery: Some of the 3-year-old finalists for the 2023 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year awards
The brilliant filly/mare Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi {GB}), cult hero Gingernuts (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and top stayer Jon Snow (NZ) all claimed elite-level victories at the 2017 Sydney autumn carnival, however, Jon Snow was not a Group 1 winner in New Zealand. The dual Oaks heroine Domino (NZ) (Grosvenor {NZ}), as well as Diego (NZ) (Oak Ridge {Fr}) and Rough Habit (NZ) (Roughcast {USA}), were Classic winners in Australia in 1989/90, but Domino was the only one of that trio to record a Group 1 success at home.
Ken and Bev Kelso’s superstar filly Legarto is not only a finalist in the Champion 3-Year-Old category, she also finds herself in contention for the Champion 3-Year-Old and Champion Sprinter-Miler gongs.
The Team Rogerson-trained Sharp ‘N’ Smart is a finalist in three categories - Champion 3-Year-Old, Champion Middle Distance Horse and Champion Stayer.
Sharp 'N' Smart (NZ) (red and blue silks) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The Horse of the Year black-tie dinner will be held in Auckland on September 10.
The finalists for the flat racing categories are:
Champion 2-Year-Old
Pignan (NZ) (Staphanos {Jpn}), Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}), Ulanova (NZ) (Santos), Zourion (NZ) (Zoustar), Trobriand (Kermadec {NZ})
Champion 3-Year-Old
Legarto, Pennyweka, Pier, Prowess, Sharp ‘N’ Smart
Champion Sprinter-Miler (up to and including 1600 metres)
He’s A Doozy (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}), Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}), Legarto, Levante (NZ) (Proisir), Prise de Fer (NZ) (Savabeel)
Champion Middle Distance Horse (1601 metres - 2200 metres)
Defibrillate (NZ) (Shocking), Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh), Prowess, Sharp ‘N’ Smart
Champion Stayer (2201 metres and further)
Aquacade (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}), Dionysus (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), Pennyweka, Platinum Invador (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), Sharp ‘N’ Smart
