CLIFFORD PARK RACING AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED
CURRIE was definitely on the menu at Saturday night’s Ladbrokes Toowoomba Turf Club 2016-17 Racing Awards.
Clifford Park trainer Ben Currie was the toast of the event after picking up four of the 11 awards presented on the night.
He won Premiership Trainer of the Year, Premiership Owner of the Year, Strike Rate Trainer of the Year and was also recognised as the TTC’s Young Achiever.
“It’s been an absolutely stellar racing season for Ben and his entire team. He cleaned up at the state awards and then followed it up with much success at Clifford Park’s night,” TTC Chief Executive Officer Blair Odgers said.
Currie finished the season with over 70 wins at Clifford Park – miles (40-plus) ahead of his nearest rivals, Lindsay Hatch and Michael Nolan. He even bagged five wins in one night at Clifford Park late in the season.
The Premiership Jockey of the Year award featured an interesting result, with Queen of Clifford Park, Skye Bogenhuber (who had won the award for the previous five years in a row), overtaken in the last two weeks of the season by Beau Appo.
Long-time Clifford Park bookmaker, Pat Kynoch, was also awarded for his passion for the sport, bestowed the Industry Contributor award.
“The Industry Contributor award is someone selected by the TTC Committee – someone that has given long-term, outstanding service and industry contribution to the local thoroughbred racing industry,” Mr Odgers said.
TTC Chairman Kent Woodford commended the Clifford Park Committee, staff and stakeholders on a strong 2016-17 racing season.
Other winners for the evening, sponsored by Ladbrokes, were:
• Premiership Jockey of the Year – Beau Appo
• Apprentice Jockey of the Year – Baylee Nothdurft
• Bookmakers’ Award – Bleu
• Strike Rate Owner of the Year – Donna Currie
• Industry Contributor – Pat Kynoch
• Clifford Park Premiership Horse of the Year – Saipan
• Toowoomba Horse of the Year – Col ‘N’ Lil
The next race meeting at Clifford Park will be a day meeting, Sunday, October 1, featuring the running of the Toowoomba Truck Spares Pat O’Shea Plate – the first two-year-old race for the Australasian season. The race event is named in honour of late resident race-caller, Pat O’Shea. O’Shea’s family will host a fundraising event in the Wippells Autos Grande Marquee on the evening, with monies being donated to St Andrew’s Hospital.
The event will also will feature live music from local muso Mace McGregor and the NRL Grand Final on the Clifford Park big screen.
