AWARD SEASON

TURF CLUB GONGS:

JOCKEY Cyril Small headlines a group of three racing figures who have been inducted into the Gold Coast Turf Club’s Hall of Fame.

The 60-year-old hoop was given the honour at the Gold Coast Turf Club’s annual racing awards last night along with former trainer John Morrisey and the 2017 Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Houtzen.

Small has spent about 45 riding, starting his career on the NSW Northern Rivers before going on to win an apprentice and senior premiership in his second full year of riding in 1975.

He won the Golden Nugget and BTC Stakes before suffering a bad fall in 2002, breaking three vertebrae in his neck and four in his back.

He also broke his nose and jaw and had 11 months off.

The evergreen jockey still rides work every morning and is passionate about horses and helping apprentices.

Small is synonymous with Queensland turf great Vo Rogue, who entered in Australian Hall of Fame last year, who won 26 of 83 starts, including 17 black-type wins.

Morrisey arrived on the Gold Coast in 2004 after winning 22 consecutive premierships in Canberra and went on to win five titles on the Gold Coast. His last was in 2015.

The experienced horseman trained for 50 years and is best known for his success with Queensland Derby winner Lachlan River who finished third in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes and fifth in the 2005 Melbourne Cup.

In 1997, Morrisey trained seven winners on a nine-race card, running second in the final two races. In 1999 he trained seven winners on an eight-race card.

Houtzen shot to fame by winning the 2017 Magic Millions 2YO Classic. As a filly she won four races in a row in her first campaign before having a short spell and ran fifth in the Golden Slipper in 2017.

Houtzen won the Group 3 Champagne Stakes and finished seventh in The Everest.

The mare travelled to England this year and overcame a disappointing start where she nearly fell in the Kings Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot to finish eighth. She has since run second at Goodwood.

Houtzen will be served by Lope de Vega before returning to Australia.