The annual KZN Racing Awards for locally trained horses will be presented during the course of Sunday’s race meeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville and all races have been named in honour of the winners.
Vernichey and Tempting Fate emerged as Champion Two Year Old Filly and Champion Two Year Old Colt respectively following their victories in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship and Gr 1 Golden Horse Medallion.
Champion 2yo male – Tempting Fate (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The Oratorio filly Mary O was voted Champion Three Year Old filly, having won the Beach Beauty Mile before finishing a short-head second to Mississippi Burning in the Gr 2 WSB Fillies Guineas. Padre Pio earned the title of Champion Three Year Old colt following his gallant second to Wild Coast in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas and his equally meritorious runner-up berth behind Got The Greenlight in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000, where he finished ahead of subsequent WSB Champions Cup winner Golden Ducat. The exciting young stallion Vercingetorix is sire of both Vernichey and Padre Pio.
Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes winner Temple Grafin and Gavin van Zyl-trained Marchingontogether, winner of the Track & Ball Derby and Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, were voted leading older horses while Ultra Magnus, touched off in the Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint, and WSB Gold Cup winner Paths of Victory were voted leading sprinter and stayer respectively.
Champion trainer – Garth Puller (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Garth Puller was crowned Champion Trainer in KwaZulu Natal for the first time while Warren Kennedy and Luke Ferraris earned top spots on the Jockeys’ and Apprentice logs to go with their success at National level.
Mario Ferreira, for the second time in three years, was Champion Owner for the Season ended 31 July 2020 and Mauritzfontein & Wilgerbosdrift were the leading breeders.
Vodacom Durban July (Gr1) and WSB 1900 (Gr2) winner, Belgarion, has been voted “Horse of the Season”.
This category is open to all horses who competed during South Africa’s Champions Season in KZN, irrespective of their province of origin.
