Winx named Horse of the Year again

A day after claiming her 14th Group One win and taking her unbeaten sequence to 21, Winx has been officially crowned Australia’s champion racehorse for the second straight year.

The award is for her achievements of last season which included her second Cox Plate with the mare’s next start to be her defence of Australia’s weight-for-age championship.

Her trainer Chris Waller also claimed the Bart Cummings Award at the presentation night in Brisbane on Sunday as the leading leading Group One-winning trainer for 2016/17 and Winx’s rider Hugh Bowman was the leading Group One jockey.

Winx finished 115 votes ahead of her nearest rival, Hartnell, with Chautauqua, Black Heart Bart and Almandin rounding out the nominees.

The mare was also named champion middle distance horse while Chautauqua won his second consecutive champion sprinter title for his season during which he won a third consecutive TJ Smith Stakes.

Mick Price-trained sprinter Flying Artie secured the three-year-old colt or gelding award, edging Godolphin’s Astern, while Yankee Rose was named best of her sex in that age group.

The Darby Racing Syndicate, which raced Yankee Rose, had a big night with Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign named the Champion two-year-old.

Caulfield Cup and BMW winner Jameka was named champion stayer while three-time Grand National winner Wells was Australlia’s best jumper.

Winners:

2YO: She Will Reign

3YO Filly: Yankee Rose

3YO Colt or Gelding: Flying Artie

Sprinter: Chautauqua

Middle Distance: Winx

Stayer: Jameka

Jumper: Wells

Australian Racehorse of the Year: Winx