Australasian icon and Grand Circuit champion Smoken Up has added further to his overflowing trophy cabinet by being named Victorian Horse of the Year for a second successive season.
Australasia’s fastest ever pacer won a line-ball battle for the award over Sushi Sushi last term but was a runaway winner in this year’s voting and was duly recognised as both Victorian Horse of the Year and Aged Pacer of the Year at a wonderful ceremony staged tonight at Tabcorp Park.
In total, the iconic son of Tinted Cloud claimed 13 wins from 22 starts in his nine-year-old season, including five victories at Group 1 level.
After kicking off his 2011/12 term with three straight successes, Smoken Up suffered agonising defeats in the Queensland Pacing Championship and New Zealand Trotting Cup.
However he quickly resurrected his season with a dominant New Zealand FFA triumph which was followed by a second successive Miracle Mile victory at Menangle.
The notoriously tough veteran then led his rivals from pillar to post in a vintage Victoria Cup triumph over Mr Feelgood before a third South Australian Cup success at Globe Derby Park.
Narrow defeat in the much-hyped Ballarat Cup battle against Highview Tommy and Sushi Sushi would follow but three Inter Dominion heat wins and a third Len Smith Mile success ensured this would be Smoken Up’s greatest ever season.
Trainer Lance Justice, who partnered ‘Trigger’ in 13 of his 22 outings last term said the award was a wonderful honour and deserved recognition for Victoria’s brightest shining star.
“He (Smoken Up) is the definition of a champion, he’s never beaten, he never gives in and he’s definitely earned his place among the greats of Australian harness racing.
“I said right from very early on he was going to be my next Sokyola and he’s even exceeded that so I’m just hoping we can keep him going for another couple of years.”
Other big winners on a red-letter night for Victorian harness racing were Blitzthemcalder, who became the first two-year-old squaregaiter to be named Victorian Trotter of the Year, and outstanding Smythes Creek horsewoman Emma Stewart.
Incredibly, Stewart-trained runners snared three of the 13 equine awards on offer, with Guaranteed, Beauty Secret and Philadelphia Man all considered the pre-eminent performers of their gender, gait and generation.
Glenn Douglas was another multiple award winner, recognised as both Victoria’s leading Statewide and Metropolitan conditioner.
While Chris Alford and Greg Sugars shared the steering awards with the former named Victoria’s Statewide Driver of the Year and the latter Victoria’s Metropolitan Driver of the Year.
COMPLETE WINNERS LIST
Victorian Horse of the Year – Smoken Up
Victorian Trotter of the Year – Blitzthemcalder
Aged Pacer of the Year – Smoken Up
Aged Trotter of the Year – I Didnt Do It
Mare of the Year – Make Mine Cullen
2YO Colt or Gelding of the Year (Pacing) – Guaranteed
2YO Filly of the Year (Pacing) – Glenferrie Shuffle
2YO Colt or Gelding of the Year (Trotting) – Blitzthemcalder
2YO Filly of the Year (Trotting) – Spidergirl
3YO Colt or Gelding of the Year (Pacing) – Philadelphia Man
3YO Filly of the Year (Pacing) – Beauty Secret
3YO Colt or Gelding of the Year (Trotting) – Sunset Invasion
3YO Filly of the Year (Trotting) – Shes An Image
Victorian Trainer of the Year – Glenn Douglas
Metropolitan Trainer of the Year – Glenn Douglas
Victorian Driver of the Year – Chris Alford
Metropolitan Driver of the Year – Greg Sugars
