Australian Racehorse of the Year
September 7th 2010 08:49
The recently announced Australian Racehorse of the Year Awards produced no surprise result when champion mare Typhoon Tracy was awarded the title of Australian Racehorse of the Year.
(photo: Neil Murray) click for enlargement
Neil Murray Photography
Ninety-five people across the Australian horseracing sector voted, with the members of the panel comprising senior administrators from all Australian principal racing authorities and metropolitan race clubs, in addition to members of the Australian Racing Writers Association.
Typhoon Tracy polled 215 votes to easily defeat the second ranked Starspangledbanner on 113 votes. This battle for second and third position the only possible controversy as champion 3 year old colt So You Think could poll only 61 votes to finish a distant third. In fourth position was the AJC Derby winner Shoot Out (38 votes); while in 5th position came Melbourne Cup winner Shocking (33 votes).
AUSTRALIAN RACEHORSE OF THE YEAR AWARDS:
Australian Racehorse of the Year: Typhoon Tracy
Champion 2YO: Crystal Lily
Champion 3YO Filly: Faint Perfume
Champion 3YO Colt or Gelding: So You Think
Champion Sprinter: Starspangledbanner
Middle Distance Performer: Typhoon Tracy
Champion Stayer: Shocking
Champion Jumper: Black And Bent
Champion Australian-Bred International: Starspangledbanner
Typhoon Tracy very nearly claimed a Champions treble as she was also crowned as Champion Middle Distance Racehorse - and was narrowly pushed into second placing in the Champion Sprinter title, finishing second with 128 votes to Starspangledbanner on 130 votes.
Typhoon Tracy has proven herself a horse for all seasons, being effective with a Group 1 victory in the Spring in the Underwood Stakes (1800 metres) at Caulfield - then returning again for the Autumn and winning another three Group 1 events, being successful in the C.F. Orr Stakes (1400 metres) at Caulfield; the Futurity Stakes (1600 metres) at Caulfield; and the Queen of the Turf Stakes (1500 metres) at Rosehill.
Runner-up Starspangledbanner must have won votes on the same consistency principle, winning the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600 metres) at Caulfield in the Spring - then returning in the Autumn to win the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100 metres) at Caulfield. Consistent at the highest level over a year - and capable of winning across a range of distances.
Had So You Think returned for an Autumn campaign, instead of having that aborted and a wind operation instead, perhaps the positions may have been different. But I cannot argue - would not argue - with the crowning of Typhoon Tracy as the best Australian racehorse in season 2009-2010. Time after time Typhoon Tracy would front up at the highest level and defy her rivals to run her down. She did this across a range of distances; on wet tracks and dry; running left-handed or right-handed.
However - if assessed on the primary basis on a single performance - So You Think created the peak speed performance in the same calendar period. My own assessment is not subjective, not based on impressions and opinions, but rather based solely on the speed performance of the year. A measurement much like a Timeform or International Federation of Horseracing Authorities World ranking. A speed assessment is the purest measure. It is objective. It provides a figure as a value.
In season 2009-2010 the peak speedfigure for Australian racing was created by So You Think with a history-breaking 381 set in the 2009 WS Cox Plate - this created while So You Think was still an inexperienced juvenile.
Typhoon Tracy set the second-best winning speedfigure with a 331 from winning the Futurity Stakes in the Autumn.
As a composite of the relative racing year performance of both horses the margin narrows when applied to consistency. Gauged on the top 3 speed performances over the year, So You Think held a narrow margin of 296 over Typhoon Tracy on 291. If I extend the comparison over a larger sample then Typhoon Tracy proves superior, though with the limited racetrack opportunity of the younger So You Think the comparison would appear skewed in favour of the more experienced horse.
The early Spring has seen these two champions of Australian racing meet the once in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield where So You Think would prove superior. They appear to be going on different paths thereafter with Bart Cummings electing not to start So You Think in this coming Saturday’s Dato’Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley. A season defining clash between the two in the WS Cox Plate would be tantalising.
SPEEDRATINGS
So You Think (black & white checks) races up to claim Typhoon Tracy (rails) in the Memsie Stakes when both horses resumed for their Spring campaigns.
(photo: Neil Murray) click for enlargement
Neil Murray Photography
Ninety-five people across the Australian horseracing sector voted, with the members of the panel comprising senior administrators from all Australian principal racing authorities and metropolitan race clubs, in addition to members of the Australian Racing Writers Association.
Typhoon Tracy polled 215 votes to easily defeat the second ranked Starspangledbanner on 113 votes. This battle for second and third position the only possible controversy as champion 3 year old colt So You Think could poll only 61 votes to finish a distant third. In fourth position was the AJC Derby winner Shoot Out (38 votes); while in 5th position came Melbourne Cup winner Shocking (33 votes).
AUSTRALIAN RACEHORSE OF THE YEAR AWARDS:
Australian Racehorse of the Year: Typhoon Tracy
Champion 2YO: Crystal Lily
Champion 3YO Filly: Faint Perfume
Champion 3YO Colt or Gelding: So You Think
Champion Sprinter: Starspangledbanner
Middle Distance Performer: Typhoon Tracy
Champion Stayer: Shocking
Champion Jumper: Black And Bent
Champion Australian-Bred International: Starspangledbanner
Typhoon Tracy very nearly claimed a Champions treble as she was also crowned as Champion Middle Distance Racehorse - and was narrowly pushed into second placing in the Champion Sprinter title, finishing second with 128 votes to Starspangledbanner on 130 votes.
Typhoon Tracy has proven herself a horse for all seasons, being effective with a Group 1 victory in the Spring in the Underwood Stakes (1800 metres) at Caulfield - then returning again for the Autumn and winning another three Group 1 events, being successful in the C.F. Orr Stakes (1400 metres) at Caulfield; the Futurity Stakes (1600 metres) at Caulfield; and the Queen of the Turf Stakes (1500 metres) at Rosehill.
Runner-up Starspangledbanner must have won votes on the same consistency principle, winning the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600 metres) at Caulfield in the Spring - then returning in the Autumn to win the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100 metres) at Caulfield. Consistent at the highest level over a year - and capable of winning across a range of distances.
Had So You Think returned for an Autumn campaign, instead of having that aborted and a wind operation instead, perhaps the positions may have been different. But I cannot argue - would not argue - with the crowning of Typhoon Tracy as the best Australian racehorse in season 2009-2010. Time after time Typhoon Tracy would front up at the highest level and defy her rivals to run her down. She did this across a range of distances; on wet tracks and dry; running left-handed or right-handed.
However - if assessed on the primary basis on a single performance - So You Think created the peak speed performance in the same calendar period. My own assessment is not subjective, not based on impressions and opinions, but rather based solely on the speed performance of the year. A measurement much like a Timeform or International Federation of Horseracing Authorities World ranking. A speed assessment is the purest measure. It is objective. It provides a figure as a value.
In season 2009-2010 the peak speedfigure for Australian racing was created by So You Think with a history-breaking 381 set in the 2009 WS Cox Plate - this created while So You Think was still an inexperienced juvenile.
Typhoon Tracy set the second-best winning speedfigure with a 331 from winning the Futurity Stakes in the Autumn.
As a composite of the relative racing year performance of both horses the margin narrows when applied to consistency. Gauged on the top 3 speed performances over the year, So You Think held a narrow margin of 296 over Typhoon Tracy on 291. If I extend the comparison over a larger sample then Typhoon Tracy proves superior, though with the limited racetrack opportunity of the younger So You Think the comparison would appear skewed in favour of the more experienced horse.
The early Spring has seen these two champions of Australian racing meet the once in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield where So You Think would prove superior. They appear to be going on different paths thereafter with Bart Cummings electing not to start So You Think in this coming Saturday’s Dato’Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley. A season defining clash between the two in the WS Cox Plate would be tantalising.
SPEEDRATINGS
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