TASMANIA’S thoroughbred industry will celebrate its star performers from last season at a gala dinner at Country Club Tasmania in Launceston tonight.
The horse of the year award is expected to be a battle between the state’s equine cult hero The Cleaner and the three stayers that fought out both of the state’s major cups in Launceston Cup winner Genuine Lad, Geegees Blackflash that won the Hobart Cup and Banca Mo that was placed in both.
Banca Mo also travelled to Victoria to win the Mornington Cup before heading to Queensland where he performed admirably in feature races.
The Cleaner won the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam and the Group 3 JRA Cup at Moonee Valley before finishing a game ninth in the Cox Plate.
He ended his Victorian campaign with a gallant third in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes.
And just to spice things up three-year-old Admiral also is expected to poll well given his efforts in his own age group and his brilliant win over The Cleaner in the weight-for-age George Adams Plate (1600m) on Launceston Cup day.
Admiral then ventured to Victoria for the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) in which he finished a game fifth.
Admiral was the standout three-year-old although smart filly Geegees Goldengirl will poll well as she capped her season by winning the $100,000 Strut Stakes and $100,000 Tasmanian Oaks which were two of her five wins for the season.
The John Luttrell-trained Gee Gees Top Notch should take out the top two-year-old title as she was superior in the Alexandra Plate, Autumn Plate and the Listed $100,000 Elwick Stakes with her season record standing at five wins and three placings from 10 starts for $138,000 in Stakes.
Her only danger will be Siorca that placed in most features juvenile races but was triumphant over Gee Gees Top Notch in the $40,000 Sires produce Stakes at their last outing of the season in May.
The breeding awards will no doubt revolve around sires Wordsmith and the late Savoire Vivre that have donated for the past three seasons while Grenville Stud’s broodmare Centafit, the dam of boom three-year-old colt Mongolian Khan, is favourite to be named broodmare of the year.
Presentations will be made to the state’s leading trainer Scott Brunton and leading jockey David Pires who celebrated his first premiership while Ismail Toker won the apprentices title.
The leading owner award will go to Paul and Elizabeth Geard who dominated during the Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival.
The Tasmanian Racing Hall of Fame inductions should again be a highlight of the night.
This year the TRHOF will induct two horses; two trainers; two associates and a jockey and one inductee from the inaugural intake in 2005 will be upgrade to legend status.