King of Swing has swept the 2020 Harness Racing Australia Awards in taking out the Harness Horse of the Year, Australian Pacer of the Year and Aged Horse/Gelding Pacer of the Year.
Owned by B Richardson, M Congerton, Go Racing Group, K Hall, G Moore, S McGregor and R & F Patriarca, King of Swing (Rocknroll Hanover USA – Twist And Twirl NZ) , had an amazing season – winning $1.1 million dollars and amassing four Group 1 victories.
In addition, his wins in the three Grand Circuit events, the TAB Blacks A Fake, Ainsworth Miracle Mile and Del-Re National AG Hunter Cup earned him the title as the APG Grand Circuit Champion for trainers Craig Cross and Gary Hall Snr.
Star pacing mare Bettor Enforce (Bettors Delight USA – Their Excuse NZ) won the Australian Aged Pacing Mare title for owners E Basham, A Peacock and R Warner after a brilliantly consistent season in winning 13 races and only being out of the placings 3 times from 25 seasonal starts. Also trained by Craig Cross, Bettor Enforce took away an incredible 1:48.9 record.
Trainers Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin capped off another bumper season, each winning titles with horses in their own right. Clayton secured his debut Horse of the Year award training 2YO Pacing Colt of the year, Major Moth (Art Major USA – Macy Lila), for owners L & I Parker. Meanwhile, Emma added to her record with the 2YO pacing fillies title via, Ladies In Red (Mach Three CA – Kabbalah Karen B CA), for Lauriston Bloodstock, while also managing to secure her very first trotting title with two year old filly, Banglez (Majestic Son CA – Gypsy Flair), for a large contingent of owners in S J Murray, E Crews, R J Letch, K F Shelly, John Anderson Group no. 2, Slim Four Group, H Geraldene, S J Watt and I E Woolridge.
Dual Group 1 winning filly, Dr Susan (Bettors Delight USA – Safedra NZ), took out the 3YO Filly of the Year category for pacers for owner Christina Dalgety. Dr Susan was trained during the year by the New Zealand partnership of Cran Dalgety & Nathan Purdon, in addition to Sonya Smith at Menangle later in the season.
Owners Emilio & Mary Rosati continued their outstanding run of Horse of The Year titles, winning the 3YO colts and geldings divisions for both gaits with Line Up (Bettors Delight USA – Beach Parade NZ) and Elite Stride (Muscle Hill USA – Real Babe USA), who were both trained by Anthony Butt. Line Up was the dominant pacing colt winning two derbies, whilst Elite Stride won 9 from 14 season starts including a huge win in the Group 1 Need for Speed Final.
In the trotting divisions, the Norm Jenkin owned and Andy Gath trained champion Tornado Valley (Skyvalley – Begin) took out his successive Trotting Horse of the Year title and Aged Trotter of the Year Title.
The now five-time Group 1 winner added these accolades to his APG Trotting Masters Title for 2020.
Star mare Dance Craze (Muscle Hill USA – La Coocaracha) also took out her second Aged Mare of the Year title after yet another brilliant season. Trained in partnership by trainers Anton Golino and Jack MacKinnon, she franked her class with victory in the Australian Trotting Grand Prix for owner Pat Driscoll of Yabby Dam Farms.
Pink Galahs (Skyvalley NZ – Sweetasay) swept the voting in the 3YO trotting fillies division for trainer/driver Matthew Craven and owners C G Lewis, L J Lewis and B R Healy. In what was an astonishing season, Pink Galahs beat the best free-for-all trotters including Dance Craze and Tornado Valley in the Group 1 Bill Collins Sprint before returning to her own age group and securing successive victories in the Victorian trotters Oaks and Derby.
Season 2020 was breakout season in the short career of the progressive trainer Kate Hargreaves. Not only did she record 119 training winners in the extended season, but 2YO trotting colt, Dont Care (Used To Me FRA – My Dreamweaver NZ), provided her with her first Group 1 victory. Dont Care was also the winner of the Australian Two Year Old Trotting Colt or Gelding providing a great thrill for owners K P Hargreaves, B T Cairns, J G Mathews, A F Mathews, M Delzotto, B M Palfreyman, D G Carroll, K W Weidenbach, A Mifsud and T Cairns.
Full Award Listing:
Lawn Derby Awards
Vancleve Awards
