2020 Victorian Aged Horse of the Year

A key focus of our 2020 IRT Victorian Breeder Awards program are the championship awards. The full HBV committee of twelve cast votes for nominees from the open aged Vicbred-eligible, member-bred racehorses to determine our winners in these categories. Committee members abstain from voting in any category where they have bred or own a nominee.

We thank our regular sponsors - Northern Rivers Equine Veterinary Clinic and Total Equine Genetics - for their support in recognising this season’s babies.

2020 Northern Rivers Equine Aged Trotting Mare of the Year

 
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In 2019-20, Muscle Hill mare Dance Craze added a staggering six group wins to her already impressive record, including the Group 1 Australasian Trotting Grand Prix at Melton, the Group 2 EB Cochrane Cup at Ballarat, and the race named after her legendary dam (and winner of the inaugural 2020 HRA Maori Miss Trotting Broodmare of the Year award), the Group 3 La Coocaracha FFA. From her 18 starts, she banked over $164,000 and clocked her fastest ever time of TR1:56.4.

2019-2020 was also the last season on the track for the valuable mare, retired in February 2021 to the breeding barn – with two winner-producing sisters and a brother at stud, we will watch the next step of her career with interest!

 

2020 Northern Rivers Equine Aged Pacing Mare of the Year

 
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Another of the top-flight Lauriston Bloodstock mares, Speak No Evil dominated the season, adding the Group 1 Queen of the Pacific to her trophy cabinet, along with the Group 3 Angelique Club Pace and by just one placing, missing out on claiming the inaugural Elizabeth Clarke Mares Triple Crown at Melton. It’s no surprise she ranks as one of co-breeder Anne Anderson’s highlights – the daughter of Well Said recorded her fastest ever mile rate of 1:50.9 in the Ladyship Pace at Menangle, and overall banked almost $110,000 for the season. Unique to the harness code, she was also bred from in 2019 using embryo transfer, with a Captaintreacherous colt hitting the ground in early September, 2020.

“Top Tempo’s been a wonderful broodmare for us. Unfortunately or fortunately, I don’t know which, the fillies all take after their mum, so they can be difficult,” said Anne, “So full credit to Clayton and Emma for persevering with her. She’s a great filly on the racetrack, she’s all business.”

 

2020 Total Equine Genetics Aged Trotting Entire of the Year

 
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Another of the outstanding Yabby Dam Farms products, Ready Cash trotter Always Ready had a stellar season, banking over $127,000 and stopping the clock at TR1:56 at Melton. He took two Group races – the Group 1 Vicbred Super Series 4YO Trotting Entires Final at Melton, and the Group 2 Breeders Crown 4YO Trotting Entires Championship – completing a record for the season of 15 starts for an incredible 11 wins. “Winning any race is special, but when they’ve got a Group 1 next to them it’s pretty cool,” said GR1 Vicbred driver Jason Lee.

 

2020 Total Equine Genetics Aged Pacing Entire of the Year

 
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A Grand Circuit Chariots of Fire win was remarkably just the icing on the cake for Lochinvar Art’s 2019-20 racing season, with a further three Group 1 victories in his haul of 13 wins from 19 starts. The son of Modern Art claimed a Victorian treble of Group 1 wins – the Victoria Cup, the 4YO Bonanza and the Vicbred Super Series 4YO Pacing Entires Final – as well as the Group 3 Cobram Pacing Cup for member-breeder Daniel Cordina.

Amassing stakes in excess of $675,000 for the season and posting a best time of a sizzling 1:48.6, he was short odds to claim the Victorian Aged Pacing Entire of the Year, even against top class competitors like Hurricane Harley and Ride High.

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2020 Ian Daff Memorial Award

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2020 Victorian 3YOs of the Year