Queensland thoroughbred participants have joined to celebrate the 2017/18 racing season at the 2018 UBET Queensland Thoroughbred Awards in Brisbane on Sunday night, with Tony Gollan, Jeff Lloyd and the Liam Birchley-trained Crack Me Up taking home the major awards.
Gollan collected his fifth Queensland Trainer of the Year title, while Jeff Lloyd was declared the state’s best jockey, and Crack Me Up the 2018 UBET Queensland Thoroughbred of the Year.
Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch presents Tony Gollan with the Magic Millions 2018 Queensland Trainer of the Year Award.
Racing Queensland CEO Brendan Parnell congratulated the 29 award recipients on the night, which included five new inductees into the Racing Queensland Hall of Fame.
“Participants are the beating heart of the Queensland racing industry and they work extremely hard to ensure our sport continues to grow each year,” he said.
“It is important that we stopped to celebrate some of the remarkable achievements of our participants over the past 12 months. Congratulations to Tony Gollan, Jeff Lloyd and the connections of Crack Me Up for taking out the major awards and to all on another successful racing season in Queensland.”
Jeff Lloyd's family accepted the award on behalf of the champion jockey, who was en-route to Victoria to ride promising filly Asharani at Monday morning's barrier trials.
Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the awards were a fitting tribute not only to the winners, but also to the more than 40,000 Queenslanders employed or engaged in the state’s racing industry.
“Queensland’s racing industry is packed with talent and this was on full display at last night’s awards,” he said.
“I want to congratulate all the award winners and pay tribute to the outstanding contribution they make to the Queensland racing industry.”
Sky Racing Ken Russell Apprentice of the Year Award winner Jag Guthmann-Chester celebrates the win with his family.
Premiership winners from across the state were recognised on the night, including Queensland’s provincial and overall premier trainer Ben Currie, Provincial premiership jockey Justin Stanley, Country Trainer Bevan Johnson and country jockey Dan Ballard.
Jag Guthmann-Chester won the prestigious Ken Russell Queensland Apprentice of the Year after taking the metropolitan apprentices’ premiership. Nathan Fazackerly (Country Apprentice) and Baylee Nothdurft (Provincial Apprentice) were also recognised.
Among the five participants to be inducted into the Racing Queensland Hall of Fame was former The Courier-Mail Racing Editor and current BRC Racing Manager, Bart Sinclair. Mr Sinclair is recognised as one of Queensland’s greatest ambassadors for racing and has been part of the Hall of Fame voting panel for many years.
The other inductees included champion galloper of the early 1900s, Molly’s Robe, jockey Fred Shean, trainer Con Doyle and associate Ceb Barnes.
The 2018 UBET Queensland Harness Awards will be celebrated next month. Tickets are on sale now and can be found at the Racing Queensland website. www.racingqueensland.com.au
2018 UBET Queensland Thoroughbred Awards - winners
2018 UBET Queensland Thoroughbred of the Year – Crack Me Up (Liam Birchley)
Magic Millions Queensland Trainer of the Year – Tony Gollan
Garrards’s Horse and Hound Queensland Jockey of the Year – Jeff Lloyd
Sky Racing Ken Russell Queensland Apprentice of the Year – Jag Guthmann-Chester
miStable Metropolitan Trainers’ Premiership – Tony Gollan
HQ Insurance Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership – Jeff Lloyd
Gollan Racing Metropolitan Apprentice of the Year – Jag Guthmann-Chester
RadioTAB Provincial Apprentice of the Year – Baylee Nothdurft
Ladies In Racing Country Apprentice of the Year – Nathan Fazackerley
QRIC Stewards Award – Jeff Lloyd
Eureka Stud QTIS Horse of the Year – Pennino (Darryl Hansen)
Zero Seven QLD 2YO Horse of the Year – Ef Troop (Tony Gollan)
QROA QLD 3YO Horse of the Year – Houtzen (Toby Edmonds)
Stanley River Thoroughbreds QLD 4YO and Older Horse of the Year – Crack Me Up (Liam Birchley)
Provincial Horse of the Year – Grey Missile (Roy Chillemi)
Classic Treadmills Provincial Trainer of the Year – Ben Currie
Ipswich Turf Club Provincial Premiership Jockey – Justin Stanley
Queensland Country Women’s Assoc. Country Horse of the Year – Bush Caviar (Henry Forster)
Munce Racing Country Premiership Trainer – Bevan Johnson
Queensland Jockey Association Country Premiership Jockey – Dan Ballard
TBQA Queensland Stallion of the Year – Rothesay
TBQA Champion First Season Stallion – Spirit of Boom
TBQA Champion 2YO Stallion – Spirit of Boom
TBQA Broodmare of the Year – Pyramisa’s Lass
Hall of Fame (Horse) Sponsored by Tattersall’s Racing Club
Molly’s Robe
Hall of Fame (Jockey) Sponsored by Bloodstockauction.com
Fred Shean
Hall of Fame (Trainer) Sponsored by Brisbane Racing Club
Con Doyle
Hall of Fame (Associate) Sponsored by Racing Queensland
Ceb Barnes
Hall of Fame (Associate) Sponsored by Racing Queensland
Bart Sinclair