Hugh Bowman celebrates as Winx holds off Humidor to win a third Cox Plate.
© Racing Photos
By Luke Sheehan
The finalists for the Australian Racehorse of the Year awards have been revealed, with a horse yet to even win a race among them.
The awards night will take place on Thursday, October 4 at the Forum Melbourne, where it is anticipated Winx will take the highest honour for a third season running.
Likewise, her trainer Chris Waller will be presented with the Bart Cummings Award for most Group 1 wins in the season, while Hugh Bowman the same gong for the jockeys.
A definite quirk in the below shortlists is that of filly Oohood, the now three-year-old having earned over $1million in stakes in just nine starts despite not winning a race.
All of the horses nominated in categories below are eligible for the overall Racehorse of the Year crown.
Merchant Navy is in the running for the champion three-year-old colt/gelding, but judges cannot factor in his Royal Ascot win given he was under the training of Aidan O’Brien at the time.
Otherwise, overseas performances of Australian-trained horses are taken into account across the season.
Finalists – the shortlists
Champion two-year-old
Estijaab (Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes)
Seabrook (Mick Price)
Sunlight (Tony McEvoy)
Written By (Grahame Begg)
Oohood (Tony McEvoy)
Champion three-year-old filly
Unforgotten (Chris Waller)
Youngstar (Chris Waller)
Alizee (James Cummings)
Shoals (Anthony Freedman)
She Will Reign (Gary Portelli)
Champion three-year-old colt or gelding
Kementari (James Cummings)
Ace High (David Payne)
Trapeze Artist (Gerald Ryan)
Merchant Navy (Ciaron Maher/Aaron Purcell)
Levendi (Peter Gelagotis)
Champion sprinter
Trapeze Artist (Gerald Ryan)
Vega Magic (David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig)
Redkirk Warrior (David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig)
Redzel (Peter and Paul Snowden)
Santa Ana Lane (Anthony Freedman)
Champion middle distance
Gailo Chop (Darren Weir)
Humidor (Darren Weir)
Tosen Stardom (Darren Weir)
Winx (Chris Waller)
Happy Clapper (Pat Webster)
Champion stayer
Rekindling (Joseph O’Brien)
Johannes Vermeer (Aidan O’Brien)
Almandin (Liam Howley)
Who Shot Thebarman (Chris Waller)
Ace High (David Payne)
Champion jumper
Wells (Kathryn Durden)
Gold Medals (Symon Wilde)
Zed Em (Patrick Payne)
Self Sense (David Brideoake)
Cougar Express (Jarrod McLean)
Source: This article first appeared on the Racing.com website and is reproduced here with their kind permission. For more on Off the Track visit https://www.racing.com/news
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