The Tasmanian owned Max Delight – winner of the $30,000 Tasmanian Derby, the $200,000 NSW 3YO Derby (Menangle) and the $200,000 3YO Colt or Gelding Breeders Crown Final at Melton – has won the Ladbrokes Horse of the Year award.
On the way, Max Delight also won the Corporate Communications 3YO Colt or Gelding of the Year Award.
The prestigious prize was announced at the Tasmanian Harness Racing Awards and Hall of Fame dinner at the Elwick Function Centre at Ladbrokes Park in Hobart tonight (19 October) in front of more than 120 guests.
In other awards:
- Colby Sanz was named the Medical Edge 2YO Colt or Gelding of the Year (three wins from seven starts).
- Blame It On Me won the Tasmanian Trotting Club 2YO Filly of the Year Award (five wins from seven starts).
- Still Hungover won the Launceston Pacing Club 3YO Filly of the Year Award (four wins from seven starts).
- Twenty Two Karat was named the Elderslie Horse Care & Spelling Mare of the Year.
- Ignatius won the Vizpix Broadcast Services 4YO & Older Colt or Gelding of the Year Award.
Trainer Ben Yole has won his fourth consecutive Devonport Harness Racing Club Leading Trainer Award and also established a new benchmark with 186 season wins (181 Tasmanian based) eclipsing his own performance from the 2017/18 season (127 winners).
The Halwes Medal. which is voted on using a 3,2,1 system by seven key industry participants, was also won by Ben Yole.
Tasmanian Harness Hall of Fame inductees were horses Pipiriki and Paleface Lyndy, trainer/driver Mark Stanley and breeders Neptune Stud.
The Tasracing Welfare Award was presented to Kuri Leonard and Jeremy Burke.
Driver Mark Yole won the St Mary’s Pacing Club Leading Driver Award with 88 wins, while Conor Crook won his second North Eastern Pacing Club Junior Driver Award with 31 wins.
Samantha Gangell won her first Tasracing Leading Female Driver Award with 29 wins. In doing so, she also won her second Junior Driver’s premiership.
Bianca Heenan won her first Burnie Harness Racing Club Leading Female Trainer Award with 51 wins, 28 ahead of her nearest contender.
Our Zellweger NZ won the Tourello Standardbreds Broodmare of the Year Award with outstanding progeny including Harjeet, Izaha and Jigamaroo.
The Edgar Tatlow Medal was awarded to respected veterinarian Stephen King, the attending vet at greyhound meetings for 50 years and 40 years at harness meetings.