Only a week left in the 2007/08 season. The nominees have been announced for the season's Mercedes Awards...
Stallion
O'Reilly, Volksraad, Cape Cross, Keeper
I'll give this one to O'Reilly. He sired 51 different winners this season, 11 more than the second-placed Volksraad (who has won this award for I think the last 7 or 8 years).
Mare
Just Cruising, Palos Verdes, Gin Player, Joie Denise
Just Cruising, easy. Dam of G1 winners Seachange and Keepa Cruisin.
Apprentice Jockey
James McDonald, Samantha Spratt, Danielle Johnson, Craig Grylls
James McDonald will win this - 88 wins in his first season. Sam Spratt would have won it though if it hadn't been for her suspensions - interference in G1 races gets you 4 weeks off here, and she had 3 of those. 74 wins for her anyway in 9 months of riding, top effort.
Jockey
Michael Walker, Gavin McKeon, Lisa Cropp, Chris Johnson
Walker, easy. 173 wins, was sure to be the 1st ever to get 200 in a season before his serious injury. He'll still be leading jockey by more than 50.
Trainer
Mark Walker, Michael Pitman, Mike & Paul Moroney, Stephen McKee
Mark Walker will probably win it, but I'd give it to the Moroneys if it was my choice. At the start of this season they probably would have said their 3 best horses in NZ were Xcellent, Jokers Wild and Resolution. 2 of them didn't make it through the year and X won't race again.
Their 2yos have been awesome this year though so maybe next year will be better for them.
People's Choice
Alamosa, Bulginbaah, C'est La Guerre, Katy Keen, Nom Du Jeu, Pasta Post, Princess Coup, Seachange, Sir Slick, Xcellent
This is decided by an online poll - Seachange leads by about 20% last time I checked.
Jumper
Nominees to be announced 1 August
2yo
Captain Fantastic, Fully Fledged, Il Quello Veloce, Vincent Mangano
Il Quello Veloce, probably. 3rd in the G1 Diamond Stakes and then won the G1 Sires Stakes. I think Fully Fledged is better though and will prove it next season. But I also think Kildonan, Altered Image and Siem Reap may be better than all of them. We'll find out soon.
3yo
Alamosa, Boundless, C'est La Guerre, Nom du Jeu
Alamosa won two G1s against older horses, Nom du Jeu went over to Aussie and kicked their asses, Boundless won our Oaks then went over to Aussie and was unlucky in their Oaks, and C'est La Guerre won the Derby (which included AJC Derby 1-2 Nom du Jeu and Red Ruler) by 4 lengths.
Hardest category. I'll go Alamosa.
Sprinter
Imananabaa, Kay's Awake, Seachange
This goes up to 1500m, and Seachange won 3 G1s in that distance range. End of discussion.
Middle Distance
Alamosa, Princess Coup, Sir Slick, Seachange
This is 1501m-2100m. Princess Coup beat Seachange and Sir Slick in the Kelt, probably enough for her to win this award.
Stayer
Pasta Post, Princess Coup, Spin Around
2101m and further. I'll go for Pasta Post.
His win in the City of Auckland on New Year's Day was the most impressive by any of these horses all season, against a top field.
Horse of the Year
This is probably between Princess Coup and Seachange. Really hard choice, Princess Coup had such a good season over in Australia, while Seachange won four G1s and was (in my opinion) unlucky with the weather and gate draws in her overseas adventure. I say Seachange.
And lastly, my 5 horses to follow for next season...
Kildonan
Altered Image
Insouciant
Red Ruler
Pasta Post
2007/08 was an awesome season. 2008/09's gonna be even better. The first G1 of the season, the Mudgway at Hastings, is 37 days away!
