Written Tycoon heads Victorian Breeders’ Awards
Written Tycoon (Iglesia), the first Victorian stallion since 1979 to top the Australian Sires Premiership, was awarded the Champion Victorian Sire award at the 2020-21 Victorian Breeders Awards on Wednesday night.
The stallion, who x seasons at Woodside Park before relocating to Arrowfield for the 2020 breeding season, now stands at Victoria’s Yulong Investment property in Nagambie.
Last season his progeny amassed $17,035,983 in prize-money, with Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m) and Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Ole Kirk leading the way alongside Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) winner Pippie.
Rosemont Stud was announced as the Champion Victorian Breeder after horses bred at the farm collected $6,328,392 in earnings throughout the season.
Toorak Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Mr Quickie (Shamus Award) and Dane Ripper Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) winner Brooklyn Hustle were among the main providers to come out of the Gnarwarre-based stud.
In another success for Written Tycoon, his son Finance Tycoon (Written Tycoon), who won the 2021 edition of The VOBIS Sires Showdown (1200m), was recognised with the VOBIS Horse of the Year award.
Meanwhile, Godolphin took home two awards on the night after being named both the VOBIS Nominator of the Year and the VOBIS Owner of the Year.
Frosted, who stands at Darley’s Northwood Park farm, was crowned the Champion Victorian First Season Sire after producing two stakes winners and four stakes performers from just 16 runners in his first season standing in Australia.
Leading the way for the sire were the James Cummings-trained pair Cloudy, winner of the Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), and Ingratiating, winner of the Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m).
The Yulong-owned Hungry Heart (Frankel) scooped both the Champion Victorian Bred Racehorse and Champion Victorian Bred 3YO prizes after winning the Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and the ATC Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m). Her achievements enabled her dam Harlech (Pivotal) to claim the Victorian Broodmare of the Year award.
In the juvenile’s section, Manawatu Sires’ Produce (Gr 1, 1400m) winner On the Bubbles (Brazen Beau) took out the Champion Victorian Bred 2YO title ahead of Godolphin’s Arcaded (Street Boss).
The VOBIS Trainer of the Year was won by the all-conquering partnership of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, who enjoyed successes in the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m), among three derbies, with Explosive Jack (Jakkalberry) and Tancred Stakes (Gr 1, 2400m) with the late Sir Dragonet (Camelot).
On a different scale, the Leading Victorian Small Breeder category, open exclusively to breeders with fewer than five broodmares on their books, went to Holloway Equine.
The breeders claimed the prize with total prize-money of $2,397,754, with their runners including Hong Kong Classic Mile (Listed, 1600m) winner Excellent Proposal (Exceed And Excel).
James O’Brien, president of Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria, said: “I would like to congratulate all the winners of the awards. The award winners are a testament to the strength of the Victorian breeding industry. The spring has highlighted that with the wins of the major races across the country.
“The winners are very worthy award winners and their success on the track highlights why the best place to breed is in Victoria. We have the ideal climate, support from the state government and Racing Victoria and an exceptional stallion roster, headed up by the Australian reigning champion, Written Tycoon.”