Too easy for Big EV at Horse of the Year awards
Michael Guerin • September 8th, 2025 11:52 AM • 3 min read
It was a weekend to look back with pride and forward with confidence for the connections of newly-crowned Horse of the Year El Vencedor.
The equine bulldozer was a near unanimous winner of the glamour award at the Horse of the Year dinner in Hamilton on Sunday night, securing 45 of the 55 votes cast as our best thoroughbred racehorse of last season.
He also won the Middle Distance Horse of the Year after a wonderful season for trainer Stephen Marsh in which he created history by winning three domestic Group Ones in 28 days.
“He had a remarkable season and we are so proud of what he has achieved,” Marsh said.
El Vencedor may not have been getting any trophies after his comeback fifth in the Proisir Plate won by Quintessa at Ellerslie on Saturday but his brave effort suggested he hasn’t finished winning major races just yet.
The 1400m of the Proisir was always likely to be too pointy for the big boy but El Vencedor poked his head through a gap at the 250m and for a few seconds looked the winner until he was swamped in a wild finish.
“He was super because we knew the 1400m was going to be short of his best so we are stoked and can’t wait for the next two legs,” said Marsh.
El Vencedor will be far better suited by the 1600m second Group One of the season, the Howden Mile at Te Rapa in three weeks, and even more so the Livamol Classic back at Ellerslie on October 18.
The big EV was one of many dominant winners of the equine awards last night.
La Dorada easily defeated stablemate Return To Conquer for two-year-old of the year while Savaglee was a clear cut winner in the red hot three-year-old division, securing 37 votes while the next best was Leica Lucy with 10.
Grail Seeker’s two Group Ones last year won her the Sprinter-Miler award 34-12 over Alabama Lass as her closest challenger while NZ Derby winner Willydoit beat out the older horses for Stayer of the Year.
West Coast was the most clear-cut winner of the night, securing 56 of the 59 votes cast for Jumper of the Year.
One of the closest votes was for Trainer of the Year in which Sam Bergerson and Mark Walker claimed the title again 30-25 over Marsh.
Craig Grylls clearly won Jockey of the Year to add to his premiership title while Shaun Fannin bolted away with Jumps Jockey of the Year.
A mammoth season for Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay saw them win Owners of the Year.
Two of the most important awards of the night went to two horse people who have had very different but equally important impacts on the New Zealand racing industry.
Ross Coles won the coveted Outstanding Contribution to Racing award after 60 years as a Clerk of the Course at northern racing meetings, during which he earned the respect of all in the industry.
And the International Achievement Award went to former New Zealand-based trainer Sheila Laxon, who trained her second Melbourne Cup winner with Knight’s Choice at Flemington last November.
