Champion mare Sunline broke new ground last night when named New Zealand Horse of the Year.
Sunline won the same title last year and becomes the first horse to win in consecutive years.
There have, however, been two previous two-time winners although they were not in succession. Show Gate was Horse of the Year in the 1974-75 and 1976-77 seasons and Rough Habit in the 1991-92 and 1994-95 seasons.
The Mercedes-sponsored award, announced at a function at Ellerslie last night, also puts Sunline in line for a transtasman double.
She is tipped to take out the Australian Horse of the Year award which will be announced in Melbourne next Thursday night.
Only one other horse has completed such a transtasman double. That was Veandercross who took out the top award in both countries for the 1992-93 season.
Bonecrusher has also won the award in both countries but they were in different seasons. He was the New Zealand elect for the 1985-86 season and the Australian choice the following season.
Sunline won six of 11 starts in the 1999-2000 season. Three were at group one level, including Australia's greatest weight-for-age race, the Cox Plate in Melbourne last October.
Her earnings for the season were just over $3 million which took her career figures to $5,554,165. That total represents both the highest earnings for a New Zealand-trained horse and for a Southern Hemisphere-trained mare.
About 500 people including Prime Minister Helen Clark and Racing Minister Annette King, saw Sunline take out awards for two categories.
The Desert Sun five-year-old was voted the top weight-for-age performer and the top sprinter-miler. She is due to resume racing at Moonee Valley in Melbourne today.
Sunline's breeders Michael Martin and Susan Archer enjoyed some of the spin-off by being named breeders of the year and Sunline's dam Songline was broodmare of the year.
Former test cricketer Terry Jarvis was named owner of the year with his horses including the ill-fated Buzz Lightyear, who was three-year-old of the year, and group one winners Hill Of Grace and Winged Foot. Buzz Lightyear died at the start of a Melbourne campaign.
The Roger James-trained Spring Rain was two-year-old of the year. Wellington Cup winner Second Coming took out the stayers' category and the top jumper was Royal Ways who won his second Great Northern Steeplechase last season.
The outstanding contribution in racing excellence award went to brothers Peter and Philip Vela, owners of thoroughbred auction company New Zealand Bloodstock.
The Velas also own Pencarrow Stud in Cambridge which in the latest season was represented by group race winners in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Asia.
Champion apprentice Michael Walker was named both top jockey and leading apprentice while the partnership of Graeme Rogerson and Keith Hawtin took out the trainers' award.
Award winners were:-
Horse of the Year: Sunline.
Two-year-old: Spring Rain.
Three-year-old: Buzz Lightyear.
Sprinter-miler: Sunline.
Weight-for-age: Sunline.
Stayer: Second Coming.
Jumper: Royal Ways.
Broodmare: Songline (Sunline).
Outstanding contribution in racing excellence: Peter and Philip Vela.
Jockey: Michael Walker.
Trainer: Graeme Rogerson and Keith Hawtin partnership.
Breeder: Susan Archer and Michael Martin.
Owner: Terry Jarvis.
Apprentice: Michael Walker.
Dewar stallion (Australia-NZ combined): Zabeel.
Grosvenor stallion (NZ): Zabeel.
Filly of the Year: Sarwatch.
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