THEY never met on the racetrack but superstar siblings Black Caviar and All Too Hard will battle it out for one of Victorian racing’s highest accolades on Sunday night, 1 September.
Racing Victoria (RV) on Thursday unveiled the glamour pair and Sportingbet Cox Plate winner Ocean Park as the three finalists for the 2013 Victorian Racehorse of the Year Award presented by TVN.
The award, which is voted on by members of the media, takes into account performances on Victorian tracks only during the 2012-13 season which commenced on 1 August 2012.
Black Caviar will be the sentimental favourite as she chases a hat trick of Victorian Racehorse of the Year titles, but her younger half-brother All Too Hard and visiting New Zealand star Ocean Park both enter the contest with more Group 1 victories to their name last season.
The winner of the award will be announced at the Scobie Breasley Medal Dinner presented by TAB – a gala ceremony to salute racing’s elite performers at Melbourne’s Grand Hyatt.
The three finalists, all of whom are now retired to the breeding barn, are those which amassed the most votes (statistics relate to 2012-13 Victorian performances only);
1. All Too Hard – 4 starts, 3 wins, 1 second (3 x G1), $1,592,000
2. Black Caviar – 2 starts, 2 wins (2 x G1), $546,500
3. Ocean Park – 4 starts, 3 wins, 1 third (3 x G1), $2,424,000
Black Caviar’s only appearances in Victoria last season were her track record-breaking comeback in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington – her third consecutive win in the opening leg of the Global Sprint Challenge – and her Melbourne finale under lights at Moonee Valley in the Group 1 Hacer Group William Reid Stakes (1200m).
All Too Hard well and truly stepped out of her shadow with his memorable triumph over the previously undefeated Pierro in the Group 1 BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) last October.
The Team Hawkes-trained three-year-old colt just failed to hold off Ocean Park when runner-up in the Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley before claiming two Group 1 titles over 1400m at Caulfield in February - the Sportingbet C.F. Orr Stakes and Cathay Pacific Futurity Stakes.
Gary Hennessy’s entire Ocean Park, who was recently named New Zealand Racehorse of the Year, has the unique opportunity to claim awards on both sides of the Tasman courtesy of a stellar 2012 Spring Racing Carnival.
An effortless winner of the Group 1 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield and Group 1 Cathay Pacific Caulfield Stakes (2000m), Ocean Park’s defining performance came when he conquered Australasia’s best in the Cox Plate.
The Victorian Racehorse of the Year is one of five awards to be presented on 1 September, alongside the Scobie Breasley Medal, Fred Hoysted Medal, Tommy Corrigan Medal and the Victorian Metropolitan Apprentice Award.
RACING VICTORIA MEDIA RELEASE
