Racing Victoria (RV) has today announced the five finalists for the 2012 Staging Connections Victorian Racehorse of the Year Award.
The award, which is voted on by members of the media, takes into account performances on Victorian tracks only during the 2011-12 season which commenced on 1 August.
The winner will be announced at the Victorian Thoroughbred Racing Awards presented by Tabcorp at Crown’s Palladium on Sunday night, 12 August.
The five finalists, those which have amassed the most votes, are (statistics relate to performances on Victorian tracks during the 2011-12 season);
- Atlantic Jewel – 5 starts, 5 wins (1 x G1), $576,225
- Black Caviar – 6 starts, 6 wins (3 x G1), $2,321,000
- Dunaden – 2 starts, 2 wins (1 x G1), $3,950,000
- Manighar – 6 starts, 2 wins (1 x G1), $1,046,750
- Mosheen – 10 starts, 4 wins (2 x G1), $1,417,900
Three-year-old filly Atlantic Jewel was an effortless winner of the Group 1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield only two months after making her racetrack debut. She remained unbeaten when her season was derailed by injury during the spring.
Defending titleholder Black Caviar’s unbeaten streak included Group 1 victories in the Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) and Coolmore Lightning Stakes (1000m), both down the Flemington straight, along with the C.F.Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caufield.
Like countryman Americain 12 months earlier, French stayer Dunaden claimed the Group 3 Centrebet.com Geelong Cup (2400m) en route to his historic victory over Red Cadeaux in the Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m).
For the second year running, Manighar finished on the heels of the placegetters in the BMW Caulfield Cup and Emirates Melbourne Cup for visiting European trainer Luca Cumani.
He was then transferred to premier local trainer Peter Moody and was a revelation during the autumn, winning the Group 3 Carlyon Cup (1600m) first-up en route to a memorable victory in the Group 1 Dubai Australian Cup (2000m).
Three-year-old filly Mosheen was one of only four dual Group 1 winners in Victoria during the season with both of her elite level triumphs coming at Flemington.
She blitzed her rivals to claim the Crown Oaks (2500m) by nine lengths in the spring, before upstaging the colts in the Australian Guineas (1600m) during the autumn.
The Staging Connections Victorian Racehorse of the Year is one of five awards to be presented on 12 August, alongside the Scobie Breasley Medal, Fred Hoysted Medal, Tommy Corrigan Medal and the TVN Most Memorable Moment Award.
Tickets for the Victorian Thoroughbred Racing Awards are on sale to the public and can be purchased by calling 1300 139 401 or visiting www.racingvictoria.net.au/events.
