Qld Horse of Year Awards wide open

Voting has begun in the most open Queensland Horse Of The Year Award in the nearly 50-year history of the event.

The winner has usually been clear-cut and dominated by champion Queensland horses dating back to Charlton Boy and Dalrello in the 1970s to Strawberry Road in the 1980s through to five-time winner Buffering in recent times.

No Queensland horse won a Group One race during the past season, throwing the award wide open with Group Two and Group Three winners such as Crack Me Up, Savanna Amour, Houtzen and I’m A Ripper in the mix.

Jeff Lloyd looks a certainty to win the jockeys’ award after winning the metropolitan and state premierships.

The apprentices’ title is more open between metropolitan premiership winner Jag Guthmann Chester and Taylor Marshall who racked up 17 city winners in only six months of the season.

The trainers’ award will be fought out between Tony Gollan who won his fifth straight metropolitan title, and Ben Currie who set a record for winners in the state title.

Voting is conducted among racing officials, historians and the media.

In all 28 awards will be presented at a function on September 16.