South Africa’s national racing and breeding awards were held at the Convention Centre at Emperor’s Palace in Johannesburg on Tuesday evening.
Champion Legal Eagle – top of the pops
The Equus Awards are dubbed Horseracings ‘Oscars’ and acknowledge excellence in a variety of equine and human categories.
Legal Eagle, the Avontuur bred Greys Inn gelding was a popular choice as Horse Of The Year for the second consecutive season. The Sean Tarry trained 6yo gelding achieved back-to-back wins in the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes. He also won the Gr2 Green Point Stakes and ran second in the Gr1 Sun Met and Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge. He also clinched the awards of Champion Miler and Champion Older Male.
EQUUS AWARDS 2016-2017
HORSE OF THE YEAR
Legal Eagle
CHAMPION 2YO COLT:
Mustaaqeem
CHAMPION 2YO FILLY:
Lady In Black
CHAMPION 3YO COLT:
Edict Of Nantes
CHAMPION 3YO FILLY:
Just Sensual
CHAMPION OLDER MALE:
Legal Eagle
CHAMPION OLDER FILLY/MARE:
Carry On Alice
CHAMPION SPRINTER (1000 – 1200m; age/gender immaterial):
Carry On Alice
CHAMPION MILER (1400 – 1600; age/gender immaterial):
Legal Eagle
CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE (1800 – 2200; age/gender immaterial):
Whisky Baron
CHAMPION STAYER (2400m and up; age/gender immaterial):
Hermoso Mundo
*
BREEDER AWARDS:
STALLION OF THE YEAR
Silvano
OUTSTANDING STALLION
Dynasty
BROODMARE OF THE YEAR
Mystic Spring
BREEDERS OF THE YEAR
Klawervlei
OUTSTANDING BREEDER
Varsfontein
*
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:
CHAMPION APPRENTICE
Lyle Hewitson
CHAMPION JOCKEY
Anthony Delpech
CHAMPION OWNER (stakes earned)
Mayfair Speculators
CHAMPION TRAINER (stakes earned)
Sean Tarry
INDUSTRY MERIT AWARD
Mike de Kock
