Imperatriz crowned Horse of the Year
Trackside.co.nz • September 9th, 2024 11:59 AM
Champion Matamata mare Imperatriz, as expected, was named Horse of the Year 2024 at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year awards in Hamilton on Sunday.
Imperatriz also took the sprinter-miler category, top filly Orchestral was named as both the champion three-year-old and champion stayer, Velocious earned the two-year-old title and Legarto topped the voting in the middle-distance category.
The only male horse to triumph was West Coast, who is the jumper of the year.
Imperatriz’s trainers, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, were voted trainer of the year and Waikato couple Denise Bassett and John Elstob, who had a quarter share in Imperatriz, topped an eclectic group of finalists for owner of the year.
Elstob and Bassett have been significant investors in Te Akau Racing syndicates and had 45 individual runners during the season. While Imperatriz was their main flagbearer, they were also part-owners of a second Group One winner, in Move To Strike, and the Group Two winners Captured By Love and Ascend The Throne.
The husband-and-wife training partnership of Peter and Dawn Williams, who retired from training in June, were rewarded for decades of excellence with the award for an outstanding contribution to racing.
Peter began his training career in 1975 and Dawn, who went on to become the first woman to train 1000 winners in New Zealand, joined the partnership in the early 1980s.
Trackside Premier won the Loveracing.nz Award for Contribution to Media, Digital & Content. Trackside Premier beat out Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, Blow Up! Broadcasting and SENZ's The Mail Run to take the award.
On stage Scott Freeman, Executive Producer for Trackside Media accepted the award, alongside Trackside presenter Pip Morris, and noted: “This is an award won by the unseen work of many behind the scenes.”
In other awards, Warren Kennedy was named Jockey of the Year, after just his second season in New Zealand. The former South African premiership winner made the brave decision to move to New Zealand in his 40s and has been quick to make an impact.
Kennedy, 44, topped the national premiership in 23-24 and was also the leading rider in terms of domestic stake earnings and black type wins. His season included a memorable day at Pukekohe, on January 1, when he rode seven winners at one of the biggest meetings of the year.
Voting for the leading jumps jockey produced the smallest margin, with Portia Matthews edging Shaun Fannin by three votes.
All About Imperatriz – New Zealand Horse of the Year
Imperatriz made an irrefutable case to be named Horse of the Year with an almost perfect Australian campaign, which produced six wins, including five at Group One level, and two placings, from eight attempts.
The now-retired mare was the most prolific Group One winner in Australasia, with Mr Brightside the next best, with four.
The I Am Invincible mare, who was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for A$360,000 as a yearling, earned $6.7 million in stakes in the 2023-24 season, taking her career earnings to $7.5 million. She had a career record of 19 wins from 27 starts, including 10 Group One wins, and only once finished further back than fourth.
She was ranked among the best race-mares in the world and added to the returns for her ownership syndicate when sold as a broodmare prospect, for A$6.6 million, in May. It was an Australasian record price for a broodmare.
The now six-year-old was bought by Yulong, an international thoroughbred racing and breeding operation, and will be based in Australia. She will be mated with the Yulong stallion Pierata this spring.
Imperatriz’s impact in her final season was further illustrated when she was announced as the recipient of the award for outstanding global achievement, which usually recognises the efforts of the human participants.
Imperatriz dominated the Horse of the Year voting, receiving 41 of the 51 votes cast, with Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Orchestral the runner-up.
The Full List of Winners
Jockeys – sponsored by OnTrack: Warren Kennedy.
Trainers - sponsored by OnTrack: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson.
Apprentice Jockeys: Lily Sutherland.
Owners – sponsored by OnTrack: Brendan & Jo Lindsay
Newcomer to Training – sponsored by gavelhouse.com: Sam Mynott
NZ Bloodstock Filly of the Year: Molly Bloom
Champion Two-Year-Old – sponsored by Race Images NZ: Velocious
Champion Three-Year-Old – sponsored by TAB NZ: Orchestral
Champion Sprinter-Miler (up to 1600m) – Sponsored by RACEFORM: Imperatriz
Champion Middle Distance Horse (1601m-2200m) sponsored by Happy Hire: Legarto
Champion Stayer (2201m & further) – sponsored by Entain Australia & New Zealand): Orchestral
Champion Jumper – sponsored by Sandfield: West Coast
Jockey of the Year – sponsored by betcha: Warren Kennedy
Jumps Jockey of the Year – sponsored by NZ Equine Academy: Portia Matthews
Trainer of the Year – sponsored by Dunstan Horsefeeds: Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson partnership
Owner of the Year – sponsored by TAB NZ: Denise Bassett and John Elstob
NZ Stablehand of the Year – sponsored by Saddlery Warehouse, Cambridge & Tauranga: Joanne Pearson (employed by Lisa Latta, Awapuni Central).
NZTR Award for Outstanding Contribution to Racing: Dawn and Peter Williams.
NZTR Award for Outstanding Global Achievement: Imperatriz
SENZ NZ Thoroughbred Horse of the Year: Imperatriz
Photo Details: Imperatriz winning
Credit: Bruno Cannatelli
Credit: Bruno Cannatelli
