Awards night and Breeding latest

The 2011/12 racing season was capped off with the announcement of Buffering (pictured) as the Queensland Horse of the Year last night.

The Robert Heathcote-trained gelding had a great four-year-old season racing in some of the country’s top features, including a win in the Group 3 McEwan Stakes.

He also placed second behind some of Australia’s best horses in the Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic, Group 1 Newmarket Handicap, Group 1 Doomben 10,000 and the highlight of the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival, the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap. Buffering also placed third in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes and Group 1 William Reid Stakes

Buffering, a nominee for last year’s Horse of the Year award, delivered another successful season to beat other Horse of the Year finalists Pear Tart, Sizzling, Temple of Boom and Woorim.

The Horse of the Year award was accepted at the 2012 RQs Thoroughbred Awards Night on Saturday, September 8 at the Sofitel Brisbane with a full room of industry stakeholders.

Hosted by Racing Queensland Limited, the RQs recognise the season’s achievements in the thoroughbred racing industry.

Robert Heathcote was the recipient of the Queensland Trainer of the Year, nominated alongside Tony Gollan and Kelso Wood. Heathcote also took home the Metropolitan Premiership Trainer of the Year award with 64 winners and 106 placings for the season.

Group 1 T.J. Smith winning jockey Chris Munce earned the title of Queensland Jockey of the Year ahead of fellow nominees Damian Browne and Timothy Bell. Munce also claimed the Metropolitan Premiership Jockey of the Year award with 103 wins and 136 placings.

The Ken Russell Queensland Apprentice of the Year was awarded to Timothy Bell who also picked up the Metropolitan Apprentice Jockey Premiership. He beat fellow nominees Anthony Allen and Tegan Harrison.

For the first time, winners of Queensland TAB Club’s Premiership Horse of the Year titles were also presented at the State awards evening.

The 2011 RQs Thoroughbred Awards winners include:

Sponsored by Sky Racing

Sponsored by Magic Millions

Sponsored by TattsBet

Sponsored by AON

SEQ Provincial Premiership Apprentice of the Year – Tegan Harrison

Sponsored by TattsBet

This year Racing Queensland inducted the Tucker Family and High Syce into the Hall of Fame.

The Tucker family had an enormous influence on Queensland racing for a lengthy six decades. One of the greatest horsemen ever seen in Queensland, Bill Tucker, known fondly as ‘Old Bill’, had a large family including son E. ‘Georgie’ Tucker who followed in his father’s footsteps and became a top jockey. Two sons also went on to become trainers, W.J. Tucker and A.E. Tucker.

W.J. Tucker trained the star gallopers of the 1930s, Real Flyer, Spearvale, Six Fifty and Seven Fifty.

As a jockey, Bill Tucker rode hundreds of winners. An exceptional horseman, he would often entertain others at early morning trackwork with a host of circus riding tricks.

But it was his talent and skills as a trainer that he will always be remembered for. Bill had a great strike rate in staying races and his best horse was Spear Chief, who won two Brisbane Cups and scored a huge upset in the Rawson Stakes in 1939.

‘Georgie’ Tucker, Bill’s son, competed in a golden period of Brisbane jockeys in the 20 years before WWII and is estimated to have ridden close to 1000 winners. He was noted for his gentle hands which made him a top distance rider. His best winners included the Brisbane Cup (Dereanthis) and the QTC Derby on High Syce.

High Syce was foaled in 1924 and was a Queenslander through and through. He was bred by Charles McDougall of Lyndhurst Stud who sent his home-bred mare Concise to the Canning Downs stallion Highfield.

For the majority of his career High Syce was owned by Queensland grazier John McCormack and W.J. Noud, who also trained the horse.

High Syce won a total of 24 races with nine placings from 41 starts.

In his two-year-old season, he won three races including the QTC Sires Produce Stakes. However, it was in his three-year-old season when he really shone, when he won nine from 11 starts including the Queensland Guineas, the Derby and the St Leger.

In 1928, the Brisbane Truth Newspaper stated “Brisbane racegoers saw the race of their lives,” when High Syce won the famous Tattersall’s Clash of Champions match race before a record crowd at Eagle Farm.

When sold to Melbourne owner Mrs Rita Buxton, High Syce won the 1929 Caulfield Cup, Caulfield Stakes, the October Stakes and Melbourne Stakes. He also placed third to Phar Lap in the VRC Governor’s Plate and fourth in Nightmarch’s 1929 Melbourne Cup.

At the completion of his racing career, High Syce returned home to Queensland and stood at stud at the Barnes family’s historic Canning Downs on the Darling Downs.

It’s been a thrilling week for Wattlebrae Stud, with a winning double on Wyong Cup Day along with the Listed Balaklava Cup.

Bagman (pictured – The Advertiser), by Easy Rocking, was too good in the The Advertiser Newspapers Listed Balaklava Cup (1600m).

Everything fell into place for young Morphettville trainer Sam Kavanagh, who flew Group 1-winning jockey Brad Rawiller over from Victoria and was rewarded with a well-judged ride.

After a strong third behind Southern Speed in the Listed Penny Edition Stakes, Bagman started the $3.80 favourite on course and Rawiller was able to settle him midfield with cover from barrier 10.

As Light Tan ($17) and Oregon Spirit ($9) emerged as the main challengers at the top of the straight, the Easy Rocking gelding was eased to the outside and let down with his run.

Bagman quickly had the first two covered, shooting to the front to score by half a length.

“This was his sort of race, it was a bit risky taking him 10 days between runs from the Penny Edition, but this was our goal and hopefully it’s onwards and upwards,” Kavanagh said after the race.

“He’s come right on, he was looking for the mile and may even get 1800m now.

“We’ll have a good chat with Brad and work out a plan, we’ll probably go to the Tokyo City Cup then possibly over to Victoria.”

Rawiller was impressed with the performance and suggested it was well-worth having a crack at a decent race during the spring carnival with the six-year-old, who has now claimed three Listed races.

“I wanted to make sure and I was strong under the bridle, but they steadied up a couple of times in the run and that didn’t help me,” the jockey said.

“It was important that I was covered up and was able to get to the outside.

“These types of races are never easy to win, you’ve still got to get out and do it, and he was the best horse in it.”

Wattlebrae’s good run continued on Wednesday at the Wyong Cup Carnival, when another Easy Rocking youngster, Cradle Me saluted, before barn-mate Get Square produced a winner in Clayian.

And Glenlogan Park stallion, Falvelon is continuing his impressive strike rate for the 2012/13 season with a race to race double at Doomben Saturday, taking out the final two events with two promising gallopers.

Racing Queensland plans a further review of the Queensland Thoroughbred Incentive Scheme for the 2013/14 racing season.

Chairman, Kevin Dixon has asked the TBQA to compile a submission of improvements to the scheme.

Unlike previous ‘reviews’, we are confident that the RQ Board will listen to the recommendations we put to them.

As such, we are seeking your feedback.

Please forward your ideas regarding QTIS such as:

* Entry to the scheme (registration, payments etc)

* QTIS race series

* QTIS prizemoney distribution

* QTIS sale (how to encourage more buyers, boosting sales of fillies, breedback scheme)

This is your chance to have a say and we value your input. Your submission does not need to be formal, even point-form is sufficient.

Please forward your ideas to info@queenslandbreeders.com.au by THIS Wednesday, September 12th, 2012.

The TBQA committee will then collate the ideas and formulate recommendations for RQ.

Thank you for your assistance with this vital incentive program. With your help we will continue to strengthen the Queensland racing and breeding industry.