August 3, 2006

The Makybe Diva legend grew even larger when the champion mare was announced the Premier Technology Group Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year for the second successive year at Melbourne's Crown Palladium.

The three-time Melbourne Cup heroine became just the third horse in the 37-year history of the awards to be crowned the Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year on more than one occasion, joining Might And Power (1998 and 1999) and Sunline (2000, 2001 and 2002) on the multiple-winners honour roll.

The success was one the easiest of Makybe Diva's career. She posted an emphatic victory after polling 145 of a possible 150 votes. Eremein (two votes), Serenade Rose (two) and Takeover Target (one) were the only other horses to register votes.

The Premier Technology Group Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year Award was not Makybe Diva's only win for the night.

She also captured 134 votes for a decisive win in the Eliza Park Stud Champion Stayer Award and while the voting was much tighter in the TGM Engineers and Surveyors Middle Distance Racehorse Award, she still held on for a narrow win over Eremein.

In a category that saw nine horses poll votes, Makybe Diva picked up 68 votes to beat Eremein (59), Lad Of The Manor (10) and Racing To Win (seven).

She also won the TAB Most Popular Racehorse of the Year award in a landslide. The Diva attracted 52.5% of the public vote to finish clear of Candy Vale (21.2%), Takeover Target (14.8%), Karasi (6.8%) and Eremein (4.7%).

Makybe Diva's owner Tony Santic was thrilled to come away with so many awards, but said becoming only the third horse to win multiple Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year awards was particularly sweet.

"What an honour! She seems to like doing things in threes doesn't she?", Santic said.

"To be on par with Might And Power and Sunline is fantastic because they were both such great horses and I am just so thrilled to be accepting this award for our great mare once again."

Makybe Diva wasn't alone in claiming multiple awards last night. Takeover Target was the only horse to register multiple votes in the William Inglis and Son Champion Sprinter Award, while the Joe Janiak-trained star also comfortably accounted for Karasi in the IRT Champion International Performer Award.

Janiak, who flew in from Brussels especially for the awards ceremony, said last night's victories were a highlight of an amazing season.

"He achieved a fair bit last season and these awards he has been lucky enough to win tonight would have to rate up there with the pick of the highlights," he said.

"We couldn't have asked him to do any more than he did and hopefully he's got a few more wins in store yet."

Racing To Win's Doncaster Handicap success led that colt to victory in the New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing Champion Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Award. He polled 113 of a possible 150 votes to comfortably account for Paratroopers (26 votes).

Racing To Win's part-owner Trevor Stuckey said the win was the perfect end to what was a dream season.

"It is a tremendous honour to beat such a high-class field and win this award. It was a season we will never forget and we just hope that Racing To Win continues to race up to his name in the future," Stuckey said.

Serenade Rose was rewarded for her dual Oaks-winning season with 134 votes in the New Zealand Bloodstock Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Award. Next best was dual Group 1-winner Mnemosyne with eight votes.

Miss Finland was a runaway winner of the Yallambee Stud Champion Two-Year-Old Award. The Golden Slipper winner was awarded 137 votes, putting her well clear of her Blue Diamond Stakes-winning stablemate Nadeem (eight votes).

Karasi's second-straight win in the world's richest jumping event, the Group 1 Nakayama Grand Jump, carried him to victory in the Michelton Wines Champion Jumper Award. He polled 34 votes to hold off Personal Drum (26).

Glen Boss was rewarded for his 10 Group 1 wins during the season with the Crown Limited Group 1 Jockey Award, while Lee Freedman was presented with the Radio Sport 927 Champion Group 1 Trainer Award for his eight elite-level wins during 2005/06.

The night also saw Redoute's Choice officially crowned Australia's top sire. His progeny amassed $11,056,925 in prize money during 2005/06 to give the super sire a commanding win in the Sire Custodians Ltd and Carrazzo Consulting CPAs Champion Sire Award. His top earner for the season was Miss Finland, whose Golden Slipper win and Blue Diamond Stakes second placing helped her amass $2,177,825 for the period.