Antino has been crowned QLD Horse of the Year at the 2024 Queensland Thoroughbred Awards.
The gelding, trained by Tony Gollan, enjoyed a breakout spring campaign in Melbourne during the 2023/24 season, with a win in the Group 3 Sandown Stakes (1500m), followed up by a nail-biting second placing in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m).
The now six-year-old also finished second in the Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley before returning to Eagle Farm to claim the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) on the opening day of the 2024 Queensland Racing Carnival.
Fittingly, he was also named Queensland 4YO and Older Horse of the Year at Sunday afternoon’s Awards ceremony.
Meanwhile, Gollan extended his reign as the state’s premier trainer, claiming the Jim Atkins Trainer of the Year Award for the 11th straight season.
Gollan saddled up 186 winners across the state, the most of any trainer, whilst also claiming the Metropolitan Trainers’ Premiership with 147 victories – a new benchmark for metropolitan wins.
James Orman was rewarded for another exceptional season in the saddle with his third straight George Moore Queensland Jockey of the Year crown, adding to his Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership with 107.5 winners.
Rising star Cejay Graham was named the Ipswich Turf Club Ken Russell Queensland Apprentice of the Year after a season that saw her notch 76 wins statewide, finishing second behind Orman in the Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership.
Racing Minister Grace Grace was on hand to open the afternoon’s events and present the Racing Queensland Student of the Year Award to Corey Sutherland.
“The Queensland Thoroughbred Awards is always a fantastic event for the industry, and a great opportunity to acknowledge the class and quality of both human and equine participants in our sport,” she said.
“It has been another terrific season unearthing the next generation of stars both on and off the track, and it is fitting to see more than 400 people acknowledging those achievements.
“Congratulations to all winners, and also those who were nominated, and I look forward to another standout Queensland thoroughbred racing season.”
The Lawrie Mayfield-Smith-trained Zouna was crowned the 2YO Horse of the Year after a blistering start to his career with two wins and two placings from five starts, including finishing runner-up in the Group 2 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) in June.
The Rob Heathcote-trained Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) winner Abounding held out some strong competition from Cifrado and Miss Joelene to claim the 3YO Horse of the Year.
The Magic Millions triumph was complemented by victory in the Listed Gold Edition Plate, as well as placing in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1300m) and a fourth in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m).
Abounding was also named the QTIS Horse of the Year.
“Queensland racing continues to go from strength to strength, and this is again reflected in the quality of the winners and nominees at today’s event,” Racing Queensland CEO Jason Scott said.
“Antino’s Queensland Horse of the Year Award is thoroughly deserved following a strong showing in Melbourne during the spring.
“Away from the track, it was great to be able to acknowledge the hard work of our QOTT Queensland Acknowledged Retrainer of the Year, Deziree Roos, and Jodie Schweida as our Stable Person of the Year.”
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