Shamus Award crowned Champion 3yo
Shamus Award has defeated a stellar field to claim the Herald Sun Champion Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding of the Year award.
After famously leading throughout to break his maiden in the Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m), the son of Snitzel became the first horse to also win the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) in the same season.
Shamus Award collected a total of 162 votes, with Golden Rose (1400m) and Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) victor Zoustar in second spot on 82 and another multiple Group 1 winner in Criterion in third on 74.
The win gave his trainer Danny O'Brien his third champion three-year-old produced in the past four years, with the others being Star Witness and Shamrocker.
Another highlight on the night was the racing.com Champion Middle Distance Racehorse of the Year Award which went to It’s a Dundeel.
The first horse to lower the colours of star mare Atlantic Jewel in the Underwood Stakes (1800m), the son of High Chaparral capped a consistent season by beating a star-studded line-up in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at his final career start.
It’s A Dundeel polled 126 votes with ahead of triple Group 1 winner Boban on 85 and Atlantic Jewel and Shamus Award equal-third on 43.
Though he lost the night’s top gong to Lankan Rupee, Fiorente added the racing.com Champion Stayer of the Year title to the Victorian Racehorse of the Year award he had already collected.
The Melbourne Cup (3200m) winner had the biggest margin of all the awards on the night collecting 175 votes, with The BMW (2400m) winner Silent Achiever in second on 57, Sydney Cup (3200m) victor The Offer third on 53 and Caulfield Cup (2400m) hero Fawkner on 43.
The most tightly contested award on the night was the Monjon Australia Australia Champion Two-Year-Old of the Year which went to Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) winner Earthquake.
Polling 153 votes, the daughter of Exceed And Excel who was prepared by former Darley Australia head-trainer Peter Snowden had just eight votes to spare over her Golden Slipper (1200m) conqueror Mossfun (145), with Champagne Stakes (1600m) winner Go Indy Go next best on 21.
Another Darley – now known as Godolphin – daughter of Exceed And Excel to win on the night was Guelph, who secured the New Zealand Bloodstock Champion Three-Year-Old Filly of the Year.
Courtesy of victories at the highest level in the Flight Stakes (1600m) and Thousand Guineas (1600m) she polled 123 votes, with Tatt’s Tiara (1400m) winner Cosmic Endeavour and Crown Oaks (2500m) victor Kirramosa in equal-second spot on 63 and ATC Oaks (2400m) winner Rising Romance next best on 41.
The highest single number of votes for any award on the night went to Lankan Rupee in the Inglis Bloodstock Champion Sprinter of the Year title.
As well as collecting the overall Australian Racehorse of the Year title, the world’s highest rated sprinter polled 178 votes in the sprinter’s title, with triple Group 1 winner in Buffering next best on 81 followed by another Queenslander in Spirit of Boom on 29.
Story by Ben Asgari, to view full story at Racing.com click here
Photo by Bruno Cannatelli, to view Bruno's website click here