Written by Kit Gow
Cover image courtesy of Racing Queensland
Racing Queensland hosted the 2024/25 Racehorse of the Year awards on Sunday over a gala lunch, where the stars of last season were celebrated. The event also hosted the Racing Hall of Fame ceremony, where Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) and Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) were elevated to Legend status.
Peter Moody, Zac Purton, John Tapp, and historic champions Hydrogen and Mahogany (Last Tycoon {Ire}) were also inducted into the Hall of Fame at the ceremony.
The major awards were as follows:
Champion Racehorse of the Year (& Champion Middle Distance Horse of the Year): Via Sistina
There was no defying the might of Yulong’s Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) this year as the mare equalled Winx’s record for Group 1 wins in a season. Her seven top flight victories included a shocking 8l G1 Cox Plate win and going back-to-back in the G1 Ranvet Stakes - which also secured her the Champion Middle Distance Horse award. On resumption this spring, she seized a second G1 Winx Stakes victory.
Champion 2YO of the Year: Marhoona
The G1 Golden Slipper Stakes-winning filly Marhoona (Snitzel) clinches the Champion 2YO award with her Group 1 victory at start three and her second placing in the G2 Reisling Stakes the previous start. A homebred for Emirates Park and the third Golden Slipper winner for the late Snitzel, she was trainer Michael Freedman’s second winner in the race in five years, having trained Stay Inside to win in 2021 in partnership with Richard Freedman.
Champion 3YO Filly of the Year: Treasurethe Moment
The winner of eight straight races in the spring and autumn, Yulong-bred and raced Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) put together six Group wins last season, including a historic G1 VRC Oaks–G1 Australian Oaks double and landing the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes in between. Matt Laurie sent her to the G1 Memsie Stakes first up this spring, which she won on Saturday by 2.5l.
Champion 3YO Colt/Gelding of the Year: Broadsiding
The Champion 2YO of the previous season, Too Darn Hot’s (GB) brightest star Broadsiding clinches the follow-up award this year, adding a G1 Golden Rose Stakes and a G1 Rosehill Guineas to his tally before retiring to stud at Darley. He also picked up the G2 Hobartville Stakes, and ran third in the Cox Plate and second in the G1 Randwick Guineas.
Champion Sprinter of the Year: Bella Nipotina
Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) has been one of Ciaron Maher’s top performers for years, and she reached new levels of stardom last spring by winning the G1 Everest in its first running as a black-type event, followed by the $3 million Russell Balding Stakes a fortnight later. She retired with over $22 million in the bank, and four Group 1 victories to her name.
Champion Stayer of the Year: Knight’s Choice
Knight’s Choice (Extreme Choice) shocked the nation last spring with victory in the G1 Melbourne Cup, propelling his sire Extreme Choice to new heights as now the only stallion to sire the trifecta of a Golden Slipper winner, a Melbourne Cup winner, and a G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner. It also landed co-trainer Sheila Laxon her second Melbourne Cup winner, 24 years after her victory with Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm {USA}).
Champion Jumper of the Year: Duke Of Bedford
Duke Of Bedford (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) rightfully earned his Champion Jumper title after he became the first horse in eight years to complete the famous Brierly–Grand Annual Steeplechase double at Warrnambool’s carnival.
Champion Group 1 Trainer of the Year (Bart Cummings Award): Chris Waller
It was a 13th successive win in the division for Chris Waller, who broke his own record for most Group 1 victories in a season when collecting 19 in 2024/25.
Champion Group 1 Jockey of the Year: James McDonald
James McDonald smashed into triple figures for Group 1 victories last season, most memorably clinching his 100th with Via Sistina in the Cox Plate. He picked up 15 wins at the highest level to take out the title, just one shy of Malcolm Johnston’s all-time record of 16.
Champion Sire of the Year: Zoustar
Widden Stud’s Zoustar finally climbed to the top of the pyramid after years of being in the top 10 of Australian sires. His progeny amassed over $26 million in prizemoney, $3.5 million clear of his nearest rival, last season, with 198 individual winners and 15 individual stakes winners. His top earner Growing Empire has entered stud at Yulong this spring.
Zoustar | Standing at Widden Stud
