2021 TAB Queensland Thoroughbred Awards Finalists announced

The finalists for the 2021 TAB Queensland Thoroughbred Awards have been unveiled.

Staged at Brisbane City Hall on Sunday, September 19, the Queensland TAB Thoroughbred Awards will acknowledge the Sunshine State’s most outstanding gallopers and participants over the past season.

In total, 30 trophies will be awarded including Trainer, Jockey and Apprentice of the Year, as well as the TAB Queensland Horse of the Year.

There will also be five new Queensland Hall of Fame inductees announced on the evening.

Having claimed the Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic, the Rob Heathcote-trained Prince Of Boom headlines an impressive contingent of finalists for Two-Year-Old Horse of the Year, which also includes unbeaten filly Sweet Dolly, Listed Dalrello Stakes winner Miss Hipstar, and Group 3 B.J. McLachlan stakes winner Alpine Edge, who went on to place in the famed Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

The Three-Year-Old Horse of the Year category looks equally intriguing, with Group 1 Queensland Derby champion Kukeracha facing off against Group 3 Fred Best Classic winner Apache Chase, as well as Isotope and Rothfire - two of the bona fide stars of Queensland racing.

The nominees for the Four-Year-Old & Older Horse of the Year include a pair of Tony Gollan Group 1 winners - Krone and Vega One - along with dual Group 1-placed stablemate Jonker, who also claimed the Magic Millions Sprint in January.

Finally, boom stayer Incentivise - whose devastating double-digit-length wins throughout the TAB Queensland Winter Racing Carnival earned him favouritism in both Caulfield and Melbourne Cups markets - rounds out the nominees.

“On the back of an unprecedented 18 months, we look forward to being able to celebrate the accomplishments of our human and equine stars in person this year,” RQ CEO Brendan Parnell said.

“Over the past 12 months, Queensland’s thoroughbred racing has gone from strength-to-strength both at home and on the national stage with the likes of Krone, Isotope and The Harrovian just to name a select few doing the Sunshine State proud.

“The depth and talent of our racing product is highlighted by the strong nominations in both Two and Three-Year-Old Horse of the Year categories, with this crop of youngsters looking set to fly the flag for the state over the coming seasons.

“The battle for Queensland Horse of the Year looks one of the most open contests in years on what is sure to be a brilliant evening at Brisbane City Hall.”

Gollan will once again be hard to hold out as Trainer of the Year, after a season that saw him eclipse his own state record with 166 wins in 2020/21, as well as again breaking the triple-figure mark for metro victories in successive years with 103 triumphs.

Toby and Trent Edmonds, Rob Heathcote, David Vandyke and Chris Waller round out the Trainer of the Year finalists.

The Queensland Jockey of Year looks set to go down to the wire, with metropolitan premiership winner Ryan Maloney and placegetters Jim Byrne and Robbie Fradd joined by state champion James Orman and boom youngster Ben Thompson, who re-located from Victoria this season.

Finally, metropolitan apprentice champion Justin Huxtable leads the list of finalists for the Ken Russell Queensland Apprentice of the Year, which also includes Adin Thompson, Madeleine Wishart and Stephanie Thornton, who enjoyed her first Group success in the saddle aboard star filly Away Game in the Group 3 WJ Healy Stakes in June.

Click here for further information about the 2021 TAB Queensland Thoroughbred Awards.

2021 Thoroughbred Awards Finalists

Queensland Jockey of the Year

• Jim Byrne
• Robbie Fradd
• Ryan Maloney
• James Orman
• Ben Thompson

Ken Russell Queensland Apprentice of the Year

• Justin Huxtable
• Adin Thompson
• Stephanie Thornton
• Madeleine Wishart

Queensland Trainer of the Year

• Toby and Trent Edmonds
• Tony Gollan
• Robert Heathcote
• David Vandyke
• Chris Waller

2YO Horse of the Year

• Alpine Edge
• Miss Hipstar
• Prince Of Boom
• Sweet Dolly

3YO Horse of the Year

• Apache Chase
• Isotope
• Kukeracha
• Rothfire

4YO and Older Horse of the Year

• Incentivise
• Jonker
• Krone
• Vega One