Matamata’s marvellous mare brings unique credentials to this year’s New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards – sponsored by SENZ.

 

Retired from racing following her autumn campaign, Imperatriz is amongst the standout contenders within the list of finalists for the 2023-24 Awards. After taking runner-up honours in 2023, the $6.6 million mare is likely a key contender for the sprinter-miler category this year, with obvious prospects for the major award.

 

Campaigned by Te Akau Racing, the five-year-old mare is the first New Zealand-trained horse to win five Group I races in Australia in a single season since the introduction of the Australian group classification system, in the 1978-79 season.

 

Group 1 Trackside NZ Derby winner Orchestral is the only horse this year to find herself in two categories. After her Australian campaign in the Group 1 Vinery Stakes over 2400m, the outstanding daughter of Savabeel cemented herself as a contender in both the three-year-old and staying categories.

 

Trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood, Orchestral had five wins and two seconds from her eight starts as a three-year-old and earned more than $2 million in stakes.

 

Six horses, including four fillies, will contest the three-year-old section. Five were Group I winners and are joined by Antrim Coast, the runner-up to Orchestral in the Trackside NZ Derby and a Group II winner in Melbourne at his next start.

 

The other male candidate is the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Crocetti who was the standout domestic performer in the spring.

 

Crocetti and Orchestral never met in competition but between them they recorded 11 wins and three placings from 15 starts in the 2023-24 season and grossed close to $3 million in stakes.

Their efforts also ensured that their owners – Daniel Nakhle (Crocetti) and Colin and Helen Litt (Orchestral) – are finalists for Owner of the Year.

 

Jockey of the Year will be contested between six contenders including premiership winner Warren Kennedy, Opie Bosson who won five Group I races in Australia to go with his three in NZ while Grylls, McNab, Spratt and Doyle all had big seasons as well.

 

The New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year results will be announced at the Awards dinner, at Mystery Creek Events Centre in Hamilton, on September 8.

 

Champion Two-Year-Old - sponsored by Race Images NZ: Bellatrix Star, Captured By Love, Move To Strike, Velocious.

Champion Three-Year-Old - sponsored by TAB NZ: Antrim Coast, Crocetti, Molly Bloom, Orchestral, Pulchritudinous, Quintessa.

Champion Sprinter-Miler - sponsored by RACEFORM (Up to and including 1600m): Bonny Lass, Desert Lightning, Imperatriz, La Crique.

Champion Middle Distance Horse - sponsored by Happy Hire (1601m-2200m): Campionessa, El Vencedor, Ladies Man, Legarto.

Champion Stayer - sponsored by Entain Australia and New Zealand (2201m & further): Asterix, Mahrajaan, Mark Twain, Mary Louise, Orchestral.

Champion Jumper - sponsored by Sandfield: Berry The Cash, Nedwin, The Cossack, West Coast.

Trainer of the Year - sponsored by Dunstan Horsefeeds: Robbie Patterson, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson Partnership.

Jockey of the Year: Opie Bosson, Joe Doyle, Craig Grylls, Warren Kennedy, Michael McNab, Sam Spratt.

Jumps Jockey of the Year - sponsored by New Zealand Equine Academy: Shaun Fannin, Portia Matthews, Hamish McNeill.

Owner of the Year - sponsored by TAB: Barneswood Farm, Denise Bassett and John Elstob, Eddie Bourke, Gerry Harvey, Ben Kwok, Brendan and Jo Lindsay Partnership, Colin and Helen Litt, Daniel Nakhle, The Oaks Stud, Kelvin and Vanessa Tyler, Waikato Stud.