Outstanding galloper Shoot Out was crowned Queenland’s Horse of the Year at the state’s industry awards at the Sofitel Brisbane tonight.
Shoot Out got the nod from the judging panel to win the award for the second time – selected ahead of the two other finalists – Buffering and Captain Sonador – who like Shoot Out were both sold as yearlings by Magic Millions.
Shoot Out, a $15,000 bargain buy from the Oaklands Stud draft at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale, was purchased and is raced by Queensland couple Graham and Linda Huddy.
He kicked away the 2010/11 racing season with a strong win in the Group Two JJ Liston Stakes.
He went on to place in group features behind the likes of So You Think, Typhoon Tracy, Whobegotyou and Descarado. He ran fourth in the Cox Plate and third in the Turnbull Stakes – both at racing’s elite level.
Shoot Out, who also won the Champion 4YO & Up award, wasn’t the only Magic Millions graduate to be recognised tonight with the six other horse categories all being captured by a MM sold star.
Playtime ($36,000; 2010 QTIS 600 Yearling Sale), a member of the Todd Austin stable, won both the Non-SEQ Provincial & Country Horse of the Year and the QTIS Champion 2YO of Queensland.
Buffering ($22,000; 2009 QTIS 600 Yearling Sale), a finalist for the major award of the night, was a unanimous winner of the QTIS Champion 3YO award.
$1,000 bargain buy Jedi Starfighter (2005 National Yearling Sale) won recognised with the Bookmakers’ Award for the Longest Priced Winner – he won at 200/1 at Doomben in late August last year. He was the longest priced winner in Queensland for some 47 years.
Buffering’s trainer Robert Heathcote capped a stellar season by winning the Queensland Trainer of the Year award – an award sponsored by Magic Millions.
Proven big race rider Chris Munce was announced as the Queensland Jockey of the Year.
One of the most interesting results of the night was Justin Wood being crowned the Ken Russell Apprentice of the Year – beating out the other finalist, his younger brother Mitchell.
Show a Heart won Stallion of the Year, Live It Up was Champion Broodmare, Red Dazzler took the Champion First Season Sire and Jet Spur was awarded the Champion 2YO Sire.
The premiership winners were all recognised with their respective awards: Robert Heathcote (SEQ Metro Trainer), Chris Munce (SEQ Metro Jockey), Justin Wood (SEQ Metro Apprentice), Michael Nolan (SEQ Provincial Trainer), Daniel Griffin (SEQ Provincial Jockey), Bradley Wallace (SEQ Provincial Apprentice), Todd Austin (Non-SEQ Provincial & Country Trainer), Adrian Coome (Non-SEQ Provincial & Country Jockey) and Carly Mae-Pye (Non-SEQ Provincial & Country Apprentice).
Another highlight of the evening saw Group One winning horseman Brian Mayfield-Smith, who starred with big winners in Sydney and Melbourne, being inducted into the Racing Queensland Hall of Fame.
