Highveld Awards

The autumn half of the Highveld racing season is over and the time has come to recognise all the achievers.

The RA Feature Season Awards will take place on Saturday in the Aquanaut Room at Turffontein Racecourse where both the equine and human achievements during the Gauteng feature season will be revealed.

There is a different look the voting panel this year as it is made up of one handicapper and two former jockeys.

Lennon Maharaj will represent the handicappers while former champion jockey Anthony Delpech and Gunter Wrogemann are the other two members of the team.

Larry Wainstein is the non-voting chairman.

The following are the categories and nominees:

Champion two-year-old filly: Basadi Faith, Palace of Dreams
Champion two-year-old colt/gelding: Frosted Gold, Twilight Moon
Champion three-year-old filly: Nafaayes, Return Flight
Champion three-year-old colt/gelding: Hawwaam, National Park, Soqrat
Champion older horse: Camphoratus, Pacific Trader, Tilbury Fort
Champion sprinter: Pacific Trader, Rebel’s Champ, Van Halen
Champion middle distance horse: Hawwaam, Soqrat
Champion stayer: Return Flight, Samurai Warrior, Sunshine Silk

All nominees are in the running for the Champion Horse of the Season Award.

Feature season trophies are also awarded to the human achievers. These are Champion Apprentice, Champion Jockey, Champion Trainer, Champion Breeder and Champion Owner. The leading work rider is also recognised at this event.

These awards are based on performances over the Highveld season alone. In most cases points are allocated to Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 and Listed races for wins and places and once these are added up, the results are then announced. They often throw out some real surprises.

Over recent years, special awards have been presented to a host of people who have made a worthwhile contribution to the success of the industry.

Champion two-year-old filly: Basadi Faith, Palace of Dreams
Champion two-year-old colt/gelding: Frosted Gold, Twilight Moon
Champion three-year-old filly: Nafaayes, Return Flight
Champion three-year-old colt/gelding: Hawwaam, National Park, Soqrat
Champion older horse: Camphoratus, Pacific Trader, Tilbury Fort
Champion sprinter: Pacific Trader, Rebel’s Champ, Van Halen
Champion middle distance horse: Hawwaam, Soqrat
Champion stayer: Return Flight, Samurai Warrior, Sunshine Silk

Bob Brogan wrote: Champion two-year-old filly: Basadi Faith, Palace of Dreams
Champion two-year-old colt/gelding: Frosted Gold, Twilight Moon
Champion three-year-old filly: Nafaayes, Return Flight
Champion three-year-old colt/gelding: Hawwaam, National Park, Soqrat
Champion older horse: Camphoratus, Pacific Trader, Tilbury Fort
Champion sprinter: Pacific Trader, Rebel’s Champ, Van Halen
Champion middle distance horse: Hawwaam, Soqrat
Champion stayer: Return Flight, Samurai Warrior, Sunshine Silk

No one else going to make their predictions?

Champion Stayer I give to SUNSHINE SILK. The nominees for the sprinters look weak where I think to win a Highveld award one should at least be a Highveld resident with say at least two runs rather than just a raider. So I give to a very weak REBEL’s CHAMP. (Why can’t I find Rebel’s Champ’s form in Gallop?).
Otherwise,everything else much the same.


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Most look cut and dry, some pics and updates would be appreciated.

Emerging superstar Hawwaam has been named Highveld Champion Horse.

The Mike de Kock stable collected the trophy for the colt’s recent feats at the Racing Association’s Features Season Awards evening at the Aquanaut Room at Turffontein on Saturday.

Hawwaam came away with two additional honours – Champion Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding and Champion Middle-Distance Horse, while De Kock himself got the Champion Trainer gong.

Over the six months of the Highveld summer and autumn, Hawwaam ran six times for five victories and a second, with smashing performances in the SA Classic and the Premier’s Champions Challenge stamping him as a horse of true class.

The RA Highveld Awards recognise outstanding achievements during the Gauteng season.

The 2019 selection panel was made up of Senior Handicapper Lennon Maharaj, former champion jockey Anthony Delpech and currently indisposed rider Gunter Wrogemann. RA CEO Larry Wainstein was the non-voting chairman of the panel.

Other winners included Tilbury Fort (Champion Older Horse for his thrilling win in the G-Bets Summer Cup), Samurai Warrior (Champion Stayer for his courageous performance in the SA Derby but now sadly deceased) and Joe Gwingwhiza, who clinched the Leading Work Rider title.

Champion 2yo filly:
Basadi Faith.

Champion 2yo colt/gelding:
Frosted Gold

Champion 3yo filly:
Return Flight

Champion 3yo colt/ gelding:
Hawwaam

Champion Older Horse:
Tilbury Fort

Champion Sprinter:
Pacific Trader

Champion Middle Distance Horse:
Hawwaam

Champion Stayer:
Samurai Warrior

Champion Work Rider:
Joe Gwingwhiza

Champion Groom:
Sonke Cacambile

Champion Owner:
Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum

Champion Breeder:
Wilgerbosdrift

Champion Apprentice:
Dennis Schwarz

Champion Jockey of the season:
Gavin Lerena

Champion Trainer of the season:
Mike de Kock

Champion Horse:
Hawwaam

Well done to the winners