NZ Honours its Achievers

The stars of the 2011/12 racing season were celebrated at New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s 2012 Horse of the Year Awards in Hamilton last night, with graduates of the Karaka sale ring amongst the award winners.

Taking the highest honours was the nine-time Group 1 winner Mufhasa (Pentire x Sheila Cheval), securing the NZ Horse of the Year title for the second time, in a landslide victory with 37 of the possible 43 votes. With brilliant performances on both sides of the Tasman, the eight-year-old won four Group 1 races last season for his owners David, Natalie and Simon Archer and Mrs DJ Wright, and trainer Stephen McKee.

His second New Zealand Horse of the Year title – the first in 2009 - Mufhasa now joins some of the great New Zealand gallopers to win the Award twice, including Sunline (Desert Sun), Xcellent (Pentire) and Seachange (Cape Cross).

New Zealand’s Horse of the Year Mufhasa

The son of Pentire won his first NZ Horse of the Year Award after winning the Group 1 Telegraph Handicap/Group 1 Waikato Draught Sprint double. Last season however was arguably his most successful as he celebrated four Group 1 victories: the Makfi Challenge Stakes and Captain Cook stakes in New Zealand, and the Toorak Handicap and Futurity Stakes at Caulfield in Australia.

“It was a thrill to pick up another Horse of the Year Award,” said Mufhasa’s trainer Stephen McKee. “He won his first Horse of the Year Award at age four so to get another one at age seven just shows how good he is, being able to race and win at the top level right throughout his career.”

Bred by Colin and John Thompson, Mufhasa was purchased by David Archer from the 2006 Karaka Select Sale from Rich Hill Stud for $50,000. He has now earned in excess of $3.2 million.

The 2012 Horse of the Year Award was one of four earned by Karaka graduates, with Mufhasa also making a successful defence of his 2011 Champion Sprinter Award. In addition, Warhorse was crowned New Zealand’s Champion Two-Year-Old, and Planet Rock won the prestigious New Zealand Bloodstock’s Filly of the Year.

Crowned New Zealand’s Champion Two-Year-Old last night, Warhorse (General Nediym x Rathlin Island) stood out as one of the best juveniles in New Zealand when winning the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at just his third start for trainer Jason Bridgman.

New Zealand’s Champion 2YO Warhorse

Running third at his next start in New Zealand’s richest race, the $1 million Karaka Million (1200m), the son of General Nediym confirmed his status as a champion colt with victory in the Group 1 Diamond Stakes (1200m) and a game third in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).

Bred by leading NZ vet Jonathan Hope’s Hope Bloodstock, Warhorse was purchased by David Ellis from Trelawney Stud at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale for $100,000. Raced by prominent Singapore owner Mr Tang Weng Fei, Warhorse commenced his spring campaign in the Listed Wanganui Guineas and is one of the leading hopes for the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas in November.

Last night’s Horse of the Year Awards also saw the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Trophy awarded to the connections of Karaka graduate Planet Rock (Fastnet Rock x Akris).

Planet Rock earned 26 points in last season’s Filly of the Year Series with victories in the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas, Group 2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic and Group 3 Lowland Stakes.

In winning the coveted Series, the daughter of Fastnet Rock earned her breeder Bill Gleeson a bonus cheque for $10,000, with $10,000 to her trainers Peter & Dawn Williams, and $30,000 to her owners Ger Beemsterboer and Sarah Green.

Planet Rock was purchased by Ger Beemsterboer from Wellfield Lodge at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2010 Karaka Premier Sale for $290,000.

The 2012/13 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series commences at Hawke’s Bay next weekend with the running of the Group 3 Hawke’s Bay Breeders’ Gold Trail Stakes (1200m). For more information on the Series, click here.

2012 NZTR Horse of the Year Award Winners