AWARDS PICKS
2yo:
RECITE
My call might be a bit of a surprise here. Ruud Awakening is the likely winner of this award. She definitely generated the most hype and excitement with her big wins in the Karaka Million and G1 Diamond Stakes. But Recite was perfect through four starts, including the G1 Sires' Produce, G2 Breeders' Stakes and G2 Wakefield Stakes. I just feel like she accomplished more.
3yo:
SACRED FALLS (just ahead of Habibi)
Again, I completely disagree with the awards committee. They nominated Dundeel, and of course he's going to win for his amazing performances in Australia. But I don't think a horse who didn't race in NZ at all as a 3yo should be eligible to be declared our country's best 3yo. So I've gone for Sacred Falls for his spring winning spree - Northland Challenge Stakes, G2 Hawke's Bay Guineas, G3 Sarten Memorial and G1 2000 Guineas. I remember thinking the award was settled as soon as Sacred Falls crossed the line in the 2000 Guineas in November. But then Habibi had an AMAZING late summer and came so close to taking the award - wins in the G2 Great Northern Guineas, G2 Championship Stakes and G1 Derby. She was fabulous, but Sacred Falls just beats her for me.
Sprinter
FINAL TOUCH
At the start of the season, Final Touch hadn't won a single graded stakes race. Over the summer she won the G1 Captain Cook Stakes, G1 Telegraph and G1 Waikato Sprint. She was unbelievable! Of course Mufhasa and Xanadu are phenomenal horses too, but I think this is one of the easiest picks.
Middle distance horse
OCEAN PARK
This one's pretty easy too. Two G1 wins in NZ, and also three in Australia (including the Cox Plate). He was sensational this season.
Stayer
SANGSTER
I thought he was done - he had quite a long series of failures after his G1 Victoria Derby win in Australia in November 2011. But he suddenly awoke from his slumber this season, winning the G1 Auckland Cup, G1 International Stakes and G2 Avondale Cup.
Horse of the year
FINAL TOUCH
Ocean Park or Dundeel will win this, but I went for Final Touch because she did more in NZ than either of those. She was on the only horse to win three G1s in NZ this season, and that's good enough for me.
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