TOP TROTTER MONBET VOTED NZ HARNESS HORSE OF THE YEAR
Brilliant squaregaiter Monbet has become only the seventh trotter to achieve NZ Harness Horse Of The Year honours.
Monbet, winner of seven Group Ones in the 2015-16 season for Woodend trainers, Greg and Nina Hope, overshadowed brilliant 4YO pacer Have Faith In Me for the top honour, by 15 votes to 12.
Monbet arrives on the open class scene, winning the Group One Granite Benchtop Company NZ Trotting Free-For-All on NZ Cup day at Addington.
Monbet won 11 of 12 NZ starts during his 4YO season, taking his seasonal earnings to $387,521 with an easy end of season victory in the 4YO Jewels at Cambridge on June 4 in 1:56.6 (1609m).
He follows in the hoofsteps of No Response (1978-79), Sir Castleton (joint Horse of the Year with pacer Steel Jaw in 1983-84), Merinai (1997-98), Lyell Creek (1999-2000), Take A Moment (2002-03), and I Can Doosit (2011-12), as trotters to take the elite award.
He also won two of three Australian starts during the season, for another $50,978.
Besides the Jewels win, his other Group One wins during the season came in the 2016 Canam Rowe Cup, the Anzac Cup (at Auckland), the Fred Shaw NZ Trotting Championship (at Addington), the 2105 Jen Campin Bloodstock National Trot (at Auckland) and the 2015 Granite Benchop Company NZ Trotting Free-For-All on NZ Cup day at Addington.
He also defeated top older trotter Master Lavros in the Group Two Rosslands Lyell Creek Stakes at Auckland in December, and took out the Group Three The Pres Ashburton Trotters Flying Mile (beating Stent) at Ashburton in 1:55.5 in October.
Top pacer Have Faith In Me won two of five NZ starts last term including the Group One $250,000 2015 Trillan Trust Auckland Cup on December 31, and the Group Three Fahey Fence Hire Free-For-All at Addington on NZ Cup day, for $161,899.
He was unbeaten in four Australian starts for $668,995 in stakes.
Have Faith In Me created history in the Group One $750,000 Miracle Mile at Menangle when he paced an Australasian record 1:47.5 (1609m) on February 28, two weeks after taking out the Group One Chariots Of Fire in 1:48.8.
PACING AWARDS
Auckland Trotting Club 4YO Pacing Mare: THE ORANGE AGENT 22 (Owners: Mrs P C Green, J P Green, Mrs M E Green, P C Bult).
Alabar Farm Pacer of the Year: HAVE FAITH IN ME 26 (Other nominee, Lazarus 1)
TROTTING AWARDS
Race Images 2YO Trotting Filly: DI’Z LUCK 21 (Owners: Mrs S A Smith, Winsome Dormer, Cleland Racing Syndicate, N R Armstrong, E G Sawma, D W Aitken).
(Other nominees, Winnie MacGoogan – 4, Our Rosa – 1, One Bid Buys – 1)
Commodore Airport Hotel 3YO Trotting Filly: HIGH GAIT 16 (Owners: Breckon Farms-Super Seven Syndicate).
(Other nominees, Donegal Bettorgretch 9, Wilma’s Mate 2).
NRM 4YO Trotting Mare: SUNNY RUBY 26 (Owners: W F Fletcher, S F Smolenski).
(Other nominee, Harriet Of Mot 1)
NRM 4YO Trotting Mare: QUITE A MOMENT 16 (Owners: Mrs C L Stewart, W R Stewart, A R Pullar, Mrs B E Pullar)
(Other nominee, Queen Kenny 11).
Farmlands 2YO Trotting Colt or Gelding: ENGHIEN 20 (Owners: R G Dellaca, G P Hope).
(Other nominees, Custodian 6, Habibi Inta 1).
Master Lavros, shown winning his second G1 Hellers Dominion at Addington on November 13 for trainer-driver Mark Jones. He was voted NZ 5YO or older Trotter Of The Year.
Trackside 3YO Trotting Colt or Gelding: MARCOOLA 27 (Owners: K B Ford, C B Ford).
Crombie Lockwood Bloodstock 4YO Trotting Entire & Gelding: MONBET 27 (Owners: G P Hope, Mrs N M Hope, M J Molloy).
Garrards Horse & Hound 5YO & Older Trotting Entire & Gelding: MASTER LAVROS 27 (Owner: Kypros Kotzikas).
Breckon Farms Trotter of the Year: MONBET 27
PEOPLE
McMillan Equine Feeds Leading Trainers: Mark Purdon & Natalie Rasmussen.
Harnessed Leading Driver: Dexter Dunn.
Cruickshank Leading Junior Driver: Brad Williamson.
Addington’s Met Multiplier Owners of the Year: Merv & Meg Butterworth.
Primary ITO Cadet of the Year: Erin Isherwood.
NZRB Outstanding Contribution to Harness Racing: Gary Allen.
BREEDING AWARDS
The Breeders Breeder of the Year: Woodlands Stud.
HRNZ Media Trotting Stallion of the Year: Love You.
Lone Star Pacing Stallion of the Year: Bettor’s Delight.
The Breeders Trotting Broodmare of the Year: Diedre Darling (dam of Monbet).
The Breeders Pacing Broodmare of the Year: Splendid Dreams (dam of Dream About Me 1:53.3, Christen Me 1:49.1, Hands Christian 1:52.5, Splendid Bet 1:57.9 and Aliante, 1:55.9).
HRNZ NZ HARNESS HORSE OF THE YEAR
MONBET 15 (Other nominee, Have Faith In Me 12)