The Caviar legacy continues at the Victorian Owners and Breeders Awards. The cream rose to the top once again at the annual Victorian Owners and Breeders Awards held at the Myer Mural Hall on Thursday night.
Premier of Victoria and Minister for Racing, Denis Napthine, was on hand to help celebrate the success and growth of the Victorian thoroughbred breeding and racing industry at the intimate event conducted by Racing Victoria in conjunction with Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria (TBV) and the Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association (TROA).
“These awards recognise the dedication, commitment and hard work of breeders in Victoria over the past season,” Dr Napthine said.
“The awards are also an acknowledgment of the invaluable contribution made by owners to the Victorian racing industry.”
Not surprisingly, Victoria’s very own world champion Black Caviar and her relations were recipients of key awards.
Eliza Park’s stallion Bel Esprit – the sire of Black Caviar – and fellow Group One winner Bel Sprinter took out Champion Victorian Sire for the sixth successive year
Star producer Helsinge, the dam of Black Caviar as well as her champion brother All Too Hard, won the Champion Broodmare award.
To top it off, Nagambie's Gilgai Farm, run by the champion mare’s breeder Rick Jamieson, won the Leading Victoria Breeder for the third consecutive year.
Dr Napthine said the thoroughbred breeding industry is a major contributor to the Victorian economy, particularly in regional areas.
“Hundreds of millions of dollars of expenditure and many hundreds of jobs are generated annually by the thoroughbred breeding industry – mostly in regional Victoria,” Dr Napthine said.
“The Victorian Coalition Government is a strong supporter of the breeding industry. We are providing funding of $6.8 million over four years for the highly successful VOBIS Gold incentive scheme which helps to grow the economic benefits arising from the industry.”
A series of awards were also presented to recignise the grestest supporters of Victoria's Super VOBIS program.
While he has long been considered one of the bigegst proponents of the scheme, Cranbourne trainer Robbie Griffiths was rewarded for his regular success, being named the Super VOBIS Trainer of the Year.
Griffiths was well represented with some talented Super VOBIS-eligible gallopers and picked up lucrative bonuses for connections of horses inlcluding Angelic Light, Nadeem Lass and Maglissa.
Another feature award presented on the night was the TROA Outstanding Contribution to Ownership award, won posthumously by the late Vern Raynor,
Highly regarded as the man behind popular racehorse syndicator, Classic Bloodstock, Raynor was instrumental in attracting new owners into racing and his name has become synonymous with stars of the turf including Our Poetic Prince, Rose Archway and Skalato.
Rosemont Stud's Anthony Mithen led attendees through the night with other award winners including:
- Super VOBIS Nominator of the Year – Mr David Moodie/Contract Racing
- Super VOBIS Owner of the Year – Darley Australia owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
- Super VOBIS Horse of the Year - Ava's Delight (trained by Darren Weir)
- Leading Victorian Small Breeder – Mr Glen Bailey (breeder of Bel Sprinter)
- Country Owner of the Year – Mr David Moodie/Contract Racing
- Metropolitan Owner of the Year – owner group of All Too Hard
