Rafeef got the highest accolade of all at the Highveld Feature Season Awards at Emperors Palace on Tuesday night when named Horse Of The Season for 2016-17.
Rafeef – horse of the season
The Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum-owned four-year-old raced six times during the 2016-17 season.
The Mike de Kock team kept him finely tuned during the period under review to win four races, including the Gr1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m and the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m.
His contributions to the season also included a fourth in the Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m and a second to Irish Pride in the Wolf Power Handicap. The Australian-bred’s combined escapades saw him also receive the Champion Sprinter and Champion Older Horse awards.
Only one other horse received more than one award and that was Al Sahem.
Sean Tarry’s runner won the Gr1 SA Derby and finished second in both the Betting World Gauteng Guineas and the SA Classic, behind Janoobi and Heavenly Blue respectively. However, Janoobi did not run in the SA Derby and Heavenly Blue was only third.
Brothers in arms – Mike de Kock and Sean Tarry dominated then show
The award might be a bit controversial, but Al Sahem’s connections were handed the Champion Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding trophy and, as the only horse to win a Gr1 race over a marathon distance, he was also named Champion Stayer.
The annual event is organised by the Racing Association, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
Tarry and De Kock dominated proceedings with Tarry winning five awards, including Champion Trainer of the Season and De Kock getting a special award for reaching the 3,000-winner milestone when Janoobi won the Gauteng Guineas in March.
Former South African star racemare National Colour, whose sons Mustaqeem and Rafeef won Grade 1 races on Champions Day – the SA Nursery and Computaform Sprint respectively – also won a special award with Tarry and Van Niekerk receiving the accolade.
The awards were decided by a panel that comprised Clyde Basel, Vidrik Thurling and Robert Garner with Vee Moodley as the non-voting Chairman.
The award winners:
Horse Of The Season:
Rafeef (Aus) – owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum; trainer Mike de Kock; jockey Callan Murray; Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd, NSW & Klawervlei Stud.
Champion Two-Year-Old Filly:
Green Plains – champion 2yo filly
Nominees: Daring Diva (won the 1000m Listed Ruffian Stakes; third the 1160m G2 SA Fillies Nursery); Green Plains (won 1160m G2 SA Fillies Nursery and 1100m G3 Pretty Polly Stakes).
Winner: Green Plains – owner Chris van Niekerk; trainer Sean Tarry; jockey S’manga Khumalo; Gary Player Stud.
Champion Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding:
Nominees: Barrack Street (won 1100m G3 Protea Stakes and 1000m Listed Storm Bird Stakes); Mustaaqeem (Aus) (won 1160m G1 SA Nursery).
Winner: Mustaaqeem (Aus) – owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum; trainer Mike de Kock; G1 jockey Callan Murray; Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd, NSW & Klawervlei Stud.
Champion Three-Year-Old Filly:
Orchid Island – champion 3yo filly
Nominees: Orchid Island (won 1800m G1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic and 1800m Listed Sea Cottage Stakes; third 1600m G2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas); Smiling Blue Eyes (won 1600m G2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas and 1600m G3 Fillies Mile); Wind Chill (won 2450m G2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks; second 2000m Listed Oaks Trial).
Winner: Orchid Island – owner Wilgerbosdrift (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mrs M Slack); trainer Mike de Kock; G1 jockey Anthony Delpech; Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein.
Champion Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding:
Nominees: Al Sahem (won 2450m G1 SA Derby; second 1800m G1 SA Classic and 1600m G2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas); Heavenly Blue (Aus) (won 1800m G1 SA Classic; second 1600m G2 Investec Dingaans and 1400m G3 Graham Beck Stakes; third 2450m G1 SA Derby and 1600m G2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas); Janoobi (won 1600m G2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas).
Winner: Al Sahem – owner Al Adiyaat South Africa; trainer Sean Tarry; G1 jockey Anthony Delpech; Al Adiyaat (Sheik Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum).
Champion Older Horse:
Nominees: Deo Juvente (won 2000m G1 Premier’s Champions Challenge; second 2000m G2 Colorado King Stakes and 1800m G3 London News Stakes; third 1600m G2 Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile); Legal Eagle (won 1600m G1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes; second 2000m G1 Premier’s Champions Challenge); Master Sabina (won 2000m G1 Gauteng Sansui Summer Cup); Nother Russia (won 1600m G1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes and 1600m G3 Acacia Handicap; third 2000m G1 Premier’s Champions Challenge); Rafeef (Aus) (won 1000m G1 Computaform Sprint and 1400m G2 Hawaii Stakes; second Listed Wolf Power 1600; fourth 1600m G1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes).
Winner: Rafeef (Aus) – owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum; trainer Mike de Kock; jockey Callan Murray; Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd, NSW & Klawervlei Stud.
Champion Sprinter:
Legal Eagle – champion middle distance horse
Rafeef (Aus) (won 1000m G1 Computaform Sprint and 1400m G2 Hawaii Stakes; second Listed Wolf Power 1600; fourth 1600m G1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes); Trip To Heaven (won 1200m G2 The Citizen Merchants).
Winner: Rafeef (Aus) – owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum; trainer Mike de Kock; jockey Callan Murray; Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd, NSW & Klawervlei Stud.
Champion Middle-Distance Horse:
Nominees: Deo Juvente (won 2000m G1 Premier’s Champions Challenge; second 2000m G2 Colorado King Stakes and 1800m G3 London News Stakes; third 1600m G2 Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile); Legal Eagle (won 1600m G1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes; second 2000m G1 Premier’s Champions Challenge); Master Sabina (won 2000m G1 Gauteng Sansui Summer Cup); Nother Russia (won 1600m G1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes and 1600m G3 Acacia Handicap; third 2000m G1 Premier’s Champions Challenge).
Winner: Legal Eagle – owner Mayfair Speculators (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr D L Brugman); trainer Sean Tarry; jockey Anton Marcus; Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm.
Champion Stayer:
Al Sahem – champion stayer
Al Sahem (won 2450m G1 SA Derby; second 1800m G1 SA Classic and 1600m G2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas); Fortissima (won 3200m G3 Racing Association Handicap; third 1800m G3 Yellowwood Handicap); Hermoso Mundo (won 3200m G3 Gold Bowl); Wind Chill (won 2450m G2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks; second 2000m Listed Oaks Trial).
Winner: Al Sahem – owner Al Adiyaat South Africa; trainer Sean Tarry; G1 jockey Anthony Delpech; Al Adiyaat (Sheik Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum).
The human awards, which are based on a point system and were adjudicated by the National Horseracing Authority, were presented to:
Work Rider of the Season:
Sam Mosia – Work Riders’ Challenge champion.
Lyle Hewitson – champion apprentice
Champion Apprentice:
Lyle Hewitson – four feature wins.
Champion Breeder of the Season:
Varsfontein Stud.
Champion Jockey of the Season:
S’manga Khumalo – nine feature wins including three Grade 2s.
Champion Trainer of the Season:
Sean Tarry – 16 feature wins including two Grade 1s: Al Sahem in the SA Derby and Legal Eagle in the HF Oppeheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes.
Champion Owner of the Season:
Mayfair Speculators (Nominee: DL Brugman) – four feature wins, including two Grade 1s: Deo Juvente in the Premier’s Champions Challenge and Legal Eagle in the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes.
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