Victorian Premier Denis Napthine will join the some of racing’s big names to help toast the success of Victorian thoroughbred owners and breeders at an intimate awards night on Thursday.
The annual Victorian Owners and Breeders Awards, presented by Racing Victoria in conjunction with Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria (TBV) and the Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners’Association (TROA), will recognise the outstanding achievements of Victorian-based owners and breeders of thoroughbred racehorses in the 2012-13 season.
A total of 12 awards will be presented on the night, with Dr Napthine handing over the trophy to the winner of the TBV Leading Victorian Small Breeder award.
Eliza Park Stud banner stallion Bel Esprit, the sire of superstar mare Black Caviar, has had a stranglehold on the TBV Champion Victorian Stallion award for the last five years and is expected to again be one of the contenders on Thursday.
Gilgai Farm were named the Leading Victorian Breeder last year and Rick Jamieson’s operation again looks well in contention with superstars Black Caviar and All Too Hard, both progeny of star Gilgai producer Helsinge, winning seven Group 1 races between them in 2012-13.
Connections of Black Caviar last year took home another of the night’s feature awards, the TROA Metropolitan Owner of the Year, which will again be a highlight of night.
Supporters of Victoria’s lucrative Super VOBIS scheme will also take centre stage with the leading horse, nominator, owners and trainer across last season to be honoured with awards presented by Racing Victoria Chairman Robert Roulston.
Awards presented on Thursday include:
- Super VOBIS Horse of the Year
- Super VOBIS Nominator of the Year
- Super VOBIS Owner of the Year
- Super VOBIS Trainer of the Year
- TBV Leading Victorian Small Breeder
- TBV Champion Victorian Broodmare
- TBV Champion Victorian Stallion
- TBV Champion Victorian Freshman Sire
- TROA Outstanding Contribution to Ownership Award
- TROA Country Owner of the Year
- TROA Metropolitan Owner of the Year
Thursday’s Victorian Owners and Breeders Awards, which will be hosted by Rosemont Stud’s Anthony Mithen, can be followed on Twitter with the #VOBA hashtag.
