New Zealand Racing, 2009-10

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Upsala was 6th in a G1 and then 2nd and 4th in two stakes races, so he's been performing well in good company and deserved that win. He's on the 2000 Guineas trail now.

Katie Lee news - she's likely to have a trial race at Cambridge on Tuesday, then she'll be coming back to racing in the G3 Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa on August 14. I'll be there, of course!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL THE KIWI HORSES!

So it's officially the end of a great season. I guess it's time to think about the awards...

2yo
This is tough. No horse really won more than one of the really big races. I'll probably say Banchee just ahead of Nacho Man, because Banchee won a G1 and a G2.

Banchee
2 f Oratorio - Miss Jessie Jay
Season: 6 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, 1 third.
Major wins: G1 Diamond Stakes, G2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes



3yo
Two words - Katie and Lee.

Katie Lee
3 f Pins - Miss Jessie Jay
Season: 10 starts, 5 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds
Major wins: G1 2000 Guineas, G1 1000 Guineas, G2 Eight Carat Classic, G2 Sir Tristram Classic


But also respect to Monaco Consul, My (Miss) Keepsake, Time Keeper, Keep The Peace, Military Move and Joey Massino. Very good crop.


Sprinter
Vonusti, Coup Align and Australian invader Gold Trail were all good, but I think Tavistock wins this because of his two G1 wins.

Tavistock
4 c Montjeu - Upstage
NZ Season: 8 starts, 4 wins, 1 second, 1 third
Major wins: G1 Mudgway Stakes, G1 Waikato Sprint, G2 Blamey Stakes (AUS)


Middle Distance
I think Vosne Romanee's 3 G1 wins at 2000m make him a clear winner of this.

Vosne Romanee
7 g Electronic Zone - Madison Avenue
NZ Season: 8 starts, 3 wins
Major wins: G1 Kelt Stakes, G1 Zabeel Classic, G1 NZ Stakes


Stayer
Red Ruler had an excellent season in these races, so he should win this.

Red Ruler
5 g Viking Ruler - Ransom Bay
Season: 7 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, 1 third
Major wins: G2 City of Auckland Cup, G2 Wellington Cup, G3 Trentham Stakes


Apprentice Jockey
James McDonald (151 wins (8 stakes))


Jockey
Opie Bosson (158 wins (11 stakes))


Trainer
Mark Walker (108 wins (10 stakes)


HORSE OF THE YEAR
I think it's down to these two...


Katie Lee



Vosne Romanee


I'll go for Katie Lee for HOTY. Winning both Guineas races in that one week in November was something that has NEVER been done before in 150 years of racing at that Riccarton track. All of her starts this season were in stakes races, and she was only further back than third once (in the Derby, when something obviously wasn't right). She's had a great season, and deserves to be recognised with the award.

[my miss storm cat]

Oh damnit I forgot to say happy birthday!

I don't know ed, I thought you would have said Wealth Princess for Sprinter.

Poor Zarzuela, Boundless, Military Move, Monaco, Harris Tweed et al cause no one can win over Katie!

Maybe next year kids.

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Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

I don't know ed, I thought you would have said Wealth Princess for Sprinter.

Maybe. She's the best horse nominated for that award, but she didn't actually win a G1 race (even though she went so close in Brisbane!). She ran in three G1s and ran second in two of them. She broke a track record and won her first five races in a row, but her best win was a G3.

I'd love to see her win it, but I think Tavistock's two G1 wins and Australian G2 win will get him the award.

[my miss storm cat]

Okay got it.

Just curious... does du Plessis have any shot for jockey?

Of course i like Opie as well but just wondering!

Forgot to say hooray for Red Ruler.

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He definitely does.

Mark Walker has gone to train in Singapore this year and taken quite a few of his NZ horses with him (including Tell A Tale ), so John Sargent now has the biggest stable in NZ. Mark's the contracted rider for that stable, and I think he'll have a great season riding horses like Passchendaele, St Germaine, Red Ruler, Banchee and the good 2yos they always have.

Opie might have trouble winning enough races in NZ because he's said he's going to follow Katie anywhere she goes to ride her. It sounds like she'll be doing a bit of racing in Australia from about October. Opie will miss quite a few NZ rides because of that, but I think it's the right choice!

[my miss storm cat]

Interesting about Tell a Tale, etc.

As an aside this is on the hk thread but incase you're one of the thousands who don't look at it Corporal Jones and Handsome Zulu are both in HK (which you probably knew was gonna happen months ago or posted and I had forgotten).

Here's hoping Tell a Tale becomes the star of Singapore racing.