Cover image courtesy of NSW Racehorse Owners
Chris Waller dominated the Racing NSW and the NSW Racehorse Owners Association Night Of Champions, held on Thursday. More than 300 guests at the glittering annual event stepped out on the red carpet with Sky Thoroughbred Central’s Chantelle Buckley and Ally Mosley interviewing key players as they entered the Ballroom at Royal Randwick.
“The standard of finalists is exceptionally high,” NSWROA President, Tony Mitevski said. “The 40 finalists earned a combined total of $76,503,601 in prizemoney during the 2023/2024 season and more than half recorded at least one Group 1 win. As always, we wouldn’t be able to stage Racing’s Night of Champions without our wonderful sponsors, many of whom are long-time supporters of the event.”
“The 40 finalists earned a combined total of $76,503,601 in prizemoney during the 2023/2024 season and more than half recorded at least one Group 1 win.” - Tony Mitevski
Chris Waller was the big winner on the night taking out the Bart Cummings Medal and Trainer Of The Year, as well having three of his horses feature in the award’s lists led by NSW Horse Of The Year Fangirl (Sebring). Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}) won NSW Champion 3YO while Zougotcha (Zoustar) won Queen of the Autumn.
Fangirl takes top honours
The NSW Horse of the Year award went to Fangirl who also won Champion Miler. Fangirl opened her account in 2023/24 with a win in the G1 Winx S. before running third in the $1 million 7 S. Next up, she won the G1 King Charles III S. (formerly the G1 George Main S.) before heading to Victoria for two starts.
Fangirl | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Back in the autumn she won the G2 Apollo S. before running second to Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}) in the G1 Chipping Norton S. Soon after that, she was badly injured in a stable accident, but Waller’s team combined with veterinary excellence ensured she was nursed back to health and ran third first up in the G1 Winx S. to open this season.
In 2023/24, Fangirl won three of her seven starts, and in total, she has a career record of eight wins and nine placings from 26 starts with earnings over $7.9million for owners Ingham Racing.
| NSW Horse Of The Year (sponsored by TAB) | Fangirl |
| NSW Champion 2YO (sponsored by Pinpoint Talent) | Broadsiding |
| NSW Champion 3YO (sponsored by Inglis) | Riff Rocket |
| NSW Champion Sprinter (sponsored by ATC) | Think About It |
| NSW Champion Miler (sponsored by Wild Oaks) | Fangirl |
| NSW Champion Middle Distance (sponsored by Woppitt Bloodstock) | Pride Of Jenni |
| NSW Champion Stayer (sponsored by Warren Saunders) | Circle Of Fire |
| Queen Of The Autumn (sponsored by Baumgartners) | Zougotcha |
| NSW Country Champion (sponsored by Sky Thoroughbred Central) | Front Page |
| NSW Provincial Champion (sponsored by Sky Thoroughbred Central) | Think It Over |
| BOBS Highest Earner/Horse Of The Year | In Flight with $78,750 in BOBS bonuses |
Table: Racing’s Night of Champions award winners for the 2023/24 season
Waller scores 13th Bart Cummings Medal and 14th TJ Smith Award
The Bart Cummings Medal for the best achievements in Sydney is created by a points score – honouring the legendary trainer who passed away nine years ago – comprised of votes from seven leading Sydney racing journalists, and Chris Waller won by just one point for the 2023/24 season with 75, over James McDonald who garnered 74 votes.
“Congratulations to Chris Waller and his highly professional team for taking out another Bart Cummings Medal and a 14th successive Sydney trainers’ premiership,” said Mr Peter V’landys AM, Racing NSW’s Chief Executive. “The amazing achievements of Chris Waller are now widely acclaimed not only in horse racing but in sport generally and showcases our state’s racing to Australia and internationally.”
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of the NSW Racehorse Owners
This was Waller’s 13th time winning this award, having previously won it 12 times in succession up to 2021/22.
Chris Waller picked up his 14th successive TJ Smith Award for Leading Sydney trainer with 148 wins for the season finishing in advance of co-trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott on 88.5 winners and Ciaron Maher on 62 wins.
Lloyd wins second Theo Green Award
Zac Lloyd took out his second Theo Green Award for leading Sydney apprentice with 60.5 wins for the season, defeating runner-up Dylan Gibbons, who had 36 winners, and who is now a fully-fledged jockey.
Zac Lloyd | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
McDonald claims eighth George Moore Award
James McDonald won his eighth George Moore Award for the Sydney Jockeys’ Premiership with 90 wins for the season, edging out Nash Rawiller on 81 wins. McDonald had previously won the 2013/14 (72 wins), 2015/16 (89.5), 2018/19 (104), 2019/20 (103.5), 2020/21 (131), 2021/22 (105) and 2022/23 (96) titles.
Ashish Kumar named Stapper of the Year
Bjorn Baker’s employee Ashish Kumar won the Sydney Strapper of the Year title. “When Ashish joined our stable in 2017, he was a young man from India with little experience working with horses,” said Bjorn Baker’s statement.
“Over the past seven years Ashish has shown exceptional growth thanks to his hard work and strong horsemanship skills. He is completely reliable, and we have unwavering trust in him. Ashish doesn’t only handle the ‘Glory Horses’ as he often ends up with some of the more highly strung ones due to his lovely, calm and gentle demeanor; both the horses and the staff respond positively. Ashish is a fantastic example of how it doesn’t matter where you start or who you know in this industry, it’s the work you put in.”
“Ashish (Kumar) is a fantastic example of how it doesn’t matter where you start or who you know in this industry, it’s the work you put in.” - Bjorn Baker
Caryl Williamson Racing Writers’ Personality of the Year - Adrian Bott
“A mighty big shadow falls over Adrian Bott in his training partnership with Gai Waterhouse. The first lady of racing has been the face of the sport for more than two decades as an outstanding media performer, alongside being one of the best trainers in the world,” wrote Fairfax’s Chris Roots.
Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“Bott joined the unstoppable force in partnership several years ago and has made his own way in the sport. He might not come out with ‘outlandish’ predictions like Waterhouse, but his measured approach is a style of his own, which has earned respect. Adrian handles a massive stable and during a remarkable 2023/24 season where Tulloch Lodge dominated the juvenile ranks, Bott blossomed like the 2-year-olds under his scrutiny, always providing time for the media.”
