Theseo was named the Luxbet.com NSW Champion Horse of the Year at the New South Wales Racehorse Owners Association’s Night of Champions.  In a night of glitz and glamour held in the Grand Pavilion at Rosehill racecourse funds were also raised on the night, a black tie event,  for Redkite - a cancer support charity.

    Theseo (ex Ozone Sand by L’Enjoleur) had a fabulous 2008-09 season, trained at Randwick by Gai Waterhouse, the Star Thoroughbred syndicated thoroughbred is owned by a large group of people, who were on hand to receive the state’s most prestigious award.  Not content with just the feature award of the night, Theseo also captured the Middle Distance award while Waterhouse received the TJ Smith Medal as leading trainer.
   Theseo beat out other category award winners Manhattan Rain, Samantha Miss, Zavite and Takeover Target to win the major award.
The Danewin gelding stood out as the star performer for the season from a New South Wales based galloper with three Group One wins that included the Epsom Handicap, Ranvet Stakes and the  highlight the LKS MacKinnon Stakes in front of 100,000 people at Flemington on Derby day.
   A $120,000 purchase from the 2005 Magic Millions Yearling Sale at the Gold Coast, Theseo earned more than $2 million during that season.
    All up his record reads eight wins and nine minor placings from just 30 starts.  Just last May, the chestnut, took the Hunter Valley Thoroughbred Breeders’ Champion Racehorse of 2008/09 title as well.

Other award winners were:

LUXBET.COM NSW CHAMPION HORSE OF THE YEAR - Theseo
NSW 2YO OF THE YEAR  -  Manhattan Rain
NSW 3YO  OF THE YEAR   -  Samantha Miss
NSW SPRINTER/MILER OF THE YEAR  -  Takeover Target
NSW MIDDLE DISTANCE HORSE OF THE YEAR  - Theseo
NSW STAYER OF THE YEAR   -  Zavite (NZ)
NSW COUNTRY CHAMPION HORSE OF THE YEAR  -  Takeover Target
NSW PROVINCIAL CHAMPION HORSE OF THE YEAR  -  Samantha Miss

   NSWROA also presented an Industry Recognition Award, a special award to honour an outstanding contribution made to the industry, and this went to,  Ian Craig.   The crowd rose as one to applaud Ian, who recently retired from race calling after some 44 years service.
   The inaugural Bart Cummings Medal was taken out by Hugh Bowman making it a double celebration for him on the night as he also picked up the George Moore Award for the Sydney Premiership Jockey.
Other awards presented during the evening included the Queen of the Autumn Award (tied award Belong To Many and Hot Danish), the NSW Broodmare of the Year (Shady Stream – dam of Takeover Target and Predatory Pricer), the T J Smith Award (Gai Waterhouse) and the Theo Green Award (Daniel Ganderton).
   NSWROA President, Mr Ray McDowell appeared happy with the turn out and  thanked everyone for attending the evening and the funds collected for the Redkite charity via the silent auction.

Permalink| Aug 14, 2009

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