The KZN Racing Awards were held on Thursday evening at the Elangeni Hotel in Durban, where Vodacom Durban July winner Legislate was the big winner.
Justin Snaith’s runner garnered Horse of the Year honours as well as Champion Three-year-old Male and Champion Middle Distance runner.
On hand to collect the trophies were co-owners John Freeman, Dennis and Gael Evans along with Sue and Chris Snaith on behalf of the recently married Justin who was on honeymoon. Legislate’s groom, Jabu Ndludlu, was voted KZN Groom of the Year.
Duncan Howells dethroned the two perennial champions, Dennis Drier and Mike de Kock, as KZN Champion Trainer by number of winners. Howells also collected the trophy as Champion Trainer at Ashburton from where he saddled the two award-winning fillies Via Africa and Same Jurisdiction.
Equus Champion Via Africa was a shoo-in for Champion Sprinter while Same Jurisdiction, who was controversially overlooked at the Equus Awards gained some measure of satisfaction for her owners when voted Champion Two-Year-Old filly.
Paul Lafferty’s Equus Champion Harry’s Son was a certainty for the Champion Two-year-old Colt while two Cape Town raiders, King Of Pain and Hot Ticket collected awards for Champion Older Male and Champion Stayer respectively.
Equus Champion In The Fast Lane garnered the award for Champion Three-year-old Filly making it a red letter night for the Snaith stable.
Six of the awards in the horse categories were also winners at the national Equus Awards, underlining just how important the three-month Champion Season is on the racing calendar.
Anton Marcus was again KZN’s Champion Jockey by number of winners while Donovan Dillon, soon to come out of his time, was KZN’s Champion Apprentice.
Derek Brugman, Racing Manager to Markus and Ingrid Jooste, was on hand to collect the trophy on their behalf as KZN’s leading owners.
A special award was made to Hector Lawrence who celebrated his 101st birthday on the night and who gave an amusing speech on his first visit to a racecourse. Lawrence was a stalwart owner and breeder from the KZN Midlands in the middle of the last century
A list of all the winners follows:
Same Jurisdiction – Champion 2yo flly
Champion 2yo filly
Same Jurisdiction
Champion 2yo colt
Harry’s Son
Champion 3yo filly
In the Fast Lane
Champion 3yo colt
Legislate
Champion Older Male
King Of Pain
Champion Older Mare
Beach Beauty
Via Africa – Champion Sprinter
Champion Sprinter
Via Africa
Champion Middle Distance
Legislate
Champion Stayer
Hot Ticket
Ashburton Trainer Of The Year
Duncan Howells
Clairwood Trainer Of The Year
Charles Laird
Dennis Drier – Summerveld Champion Trainer
Summerveld Trainer Of The Year
Dennis Drier
Apprentice of the Year
Donovan Dillon
Champion Jockey
Anton Marcus
Owner Of The Year
Markus and Ingrid Jooste
Champion Breeders
Summerhill Stud
Champion Trainer of the Year
Duncan Howells
Legislate – Horse Of The Year
Anita Akal Special Award
Craig Peters
Racing Personality of the Year
Anita Akal
Groom of the Year
Jabu Mdludlu
Horse Of The Year
Legislate
