Racing Victoria (RV) has today announced the five finalists for the inaugural Most Outstanding Training Performance award, with Henry Dwyer, Anthony and Sam Freedman, Ciaron Maher, Clinton McDonald and Mark Walker all in contention to claim the prize when it is handed out for the first time at the Victorian Racing Awards this Saturday night, 10 August.
The Most Outstanding Training Performance Award, which is voted on by a panel of industry officials and racing media, celebrates excellence amongst Victorian licensed trainers and takes into account performances on racetracks both within and outside the state.
The most significant moment in Dwyer’s training career occurred on the other side of the world, courtesy of Asfoora’s triumph in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1006m) at Royal Ascot in the United Kingdom.
After being passed in when she went through the sales ring as a yearling, Dwyer’s flying filly completed a rags to riches story when, in front of the watching monarch, she launched down the famous Ascot straight to join an illustrious list of Australian sprinters to have achieved Group 1 success at one of the globe’s premier race meetings.
The father and son training team of Anthony and Sam Freedman enjoyed their most successful season since they officially joined forces four years ago, and undoubtedly the highlight came courtesy of Without A Fight’s historic Spring Racing Carnival campaign.
After Without A Fight had launched late to win the Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup (2400m), the Freedmans set to work in preparing the import for his upcoming two-mile test of endurance; and the seven-year-old duly peaked again on the big day to score a dominant win in the Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Maher is already guaranteed to take home at least two prizes on Saturday night, having swept the boards in both the Victorian and Metropolitan Trainers’ Premierships, and he will be hoping to complete a hat-trick of gongs thanks to his handling of Pride Of Jenni.
The mare’s stratospheric level of improvement and ability to sustain a lung-bursting run are testament to Maher’s pioneering methods. Having claimed back-to-back Group 1 wins during the Melbourne Cup Carnival, if anything Pride Of Jenni scaled even greater heights during the autumn.
After preparing the mare to win the sixth edition of the Sharp EIT All-Star Mile (1600m) at Caulfield, Maher and Pride Of Jenni ventured north and put on another outstanding display to demolish a field of weight-for-age stars by six lengths in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).
Hayasugi’s clean sweep of the 2024 Sportsbet Blue Diamond Series at Caulfield saw McDonald voted in as a finalist for the Most Outstanding Training Performance.
The under-rated filly timed her run to perfection in both the Group 3 Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) and Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) to set up a tilt at Victoria’s premier juvenile race. McDonald had Hayasugi in peak physical condition for her grand final, as she flew home from 11th place at the 400-metre mark to defeat the subsequent Golden Slipper winner, Lady Of Camelot.
Walker, Te Akau Racing’s head trainer and another Cranbourne-based stable, is the fifth finalist for the award for his deeds in guiding Imperatriz to five Group 1 wins during a stunning season, cementing her reputation as Australasia’s best sprinter.
Imperatriz strung together a trio of Group 1 triumphs during a flawless spring campaign, which reached a fitting crescendo with her victory in the Darley Champions Sprint (1200m) on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
She returned to Flemington in the autumn and promptly tasted more Group 1 glory in the Black Caviar Lightning (1000m), before signing off her career in Victoria with another Group 1 victory in the 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes (1200m) at The Valley.
The inaugural winner of the Most Outstanding Training Performance category will be revealed on Saturday night, when the glittering ceremony – which is supported by Evans & Partners and will be streamed live on the Racing.com digital platforms – is held in Melbourne.
It will be one of number of awards presented on the night, including the Scobie Breasley and Tommy Corrigan Medals for the premier flat and jumps jockey of the season respectively, as well as the Victorian Racehorse of the Year where the five finalists are Imperatriz, Mr Brightside, Pride Of Jenni, Romantic Warrior and Without A Fight.