By Ric Chapman
Newly-crowned Australian Horse-of-the-Year Lonhro (Octagonal -- Shadea, by Straight Strike) added another major award Aug. 5 at the New South Wales Racehorse Owners' Association Night Of Champions at Royal Randwick racecourse in Sydney.
Unlike the national award presented in Melbourne Aug. 4 (which is voted by only racing administrators and journalists), the NSW awards are calculated purely on performance (with a points system for group & listed races). Lonhro was Horse-of-the-Year (for the third successive season) and also took the awards as both best NSW sprinter-miler and best NSW middle distance runner.
He will stand at Woodlands Stud this year for a record Australian debut price of AUD$66,000 (U.S. $46,400). The Australian season starts Sept. 1 and already he has 125 mares pencilled in.
Among the other NSW winners were:
- Best 2YO: Dance Hero
- Best 3YO: Exceed and Excel
- Best Stayer: Makybe Diva
- NSW Country Champion: Grand Zulu
- Queen Of The Autumn: Shamekha
