Titan Banner heads awards
TITAN Banner was crowned the horse of the year the 201718 Otago Harness Racing Awards at Forbury Park on Saturday night.
The former Graeme Andersontrained pacer beat a strong lineup of category winners to take the overall title.
The now sidelined Titan Banner was the early star of the South Island’s freefor all ranks at the beginning of last season. He won the Maurice Holmes Vase, Hannon Memorial and Methven Cup, all group 3 races.
He also ran second behind Vincent in the group 1 Auckland Cup.
Titan Banner has been in Sydney since January and has not raced since breaking a pedal bone.
The Anderson stable also enjoyed success with Motu Top Mach, Eamon Maguire, Millwood Daisy and New Years Jay winning their respective categories.
Oamaru trainer Phil Williamson was crowned Otago trainer of the year.
His horses, Oscar Bonavena, Majestic Man, Kenny’s Dream, Alderbeck and Monty Python, scored category wins.
Stable drivers Matthew Williamson and Charlotte Purvis were crowned driver of the year and junior driver of the year, respectively.
Lazarus’s allconquering season enabled his cobreeder, Gavin Chin, to be named breeder of the year.
Lazarus’s dam, Bethany, won the broodmare excellence award.
Field Marshal’s recordbreaking Miracle Mile win helped his Mosgiel owners, Syd and Shona Brown, take home two awards.
Field Marshal beat a starstudded line up to be crowned best Otago owned horse of last season.
The Browns were also presented with a special award in recognition of Field Marshal’s southern hemisphere mile record in his Miracle Mile win.
Significant contribution awards were presented to Dunedin trainerdriver Ali Malcolmson and Central Otago ownertrainerbreeder and administrator Lionel Sinnamon.
Full results:
2yrold trotter, Oscar Bonavena; 2yrold pacer, Motu Top Mach; 3yrold pacing filly; Easton Foxglove; 3yrold pacing male, Archman; 3yrold trotting male, Majestic Man; 3yrold trotting filly, Kenny’s Dream; 4yrold pacing male, Eamon Maguire; 4yrold pacing mare, Millwood Daisy; 4yrold trotting male, Ace Commander; 4yrold trotting mare, Pres The Belle; 5yrold and older pacing male, Titan Banner; 5yrold and older trotting male, Monty Python; 5yrold and older trotting mare, Alderbeck; 5yrold and older pacing mare, New Years Jay; broodmare excellence, Bethany.
Breeder of the year, Gavin Chin; best Otagoowned horse, Field Marshal; trainer of the year, Phil Williamson, driver of the year, Matthew Williamson; junior driver of the year, Charlotte Purvis.
Special achievement award, Field Marshal; significant contribution award, Ali Malcolmson, Lionel Sinnamon; Otago harness horse of the year, Titan Banner.