Champion sprinter Buffering has been named Queensland’s Horse of the year for an unprecedented fifth time.
Now a nine-year-old Buffering was clearly the best performed Queensland horse last season, winning the Group One Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai, the Group One Moir Stakes in Melbourne and the Group One Winterbottom Stakes in Perth.
Buffering beat a strong field which included Group One Tatts Tiara winner Miss Cover Girl and the Group One Queensland Derby winner Eagle Way.
Trainer Robert Heathcote said Buffering was a great credit to Queensland and had flown the state’s flag at national and international meetings for years.
“And let’s hope it isn’t over yet as I am keen for him to contest the Moir Stakes in Melbourne next month. Surely if he wins it a fourth time they will name it after him,” Heathcote said.
The closely contested trainer of the year was won by Tony Gollan who broke his own record for metropolitan winners for the season.
Gollan, who trained 105 overall winners and had 10 stakes victories, beat Heathcote, Bryan Guy and Kelly Schweida in a tight vote.
Jeff Lloyd, who became the oldest person to win the Brisbane premiership, narrowly beat four-time Group One winning rider Damian Browne for jockey of the year.
Champion jockey Chris Munce was one of four new inductees into the Queensland Hall of Fame.
Munce is one of only seven jockeys to ride Australian Racing’s Grand Slam – the Melbourne Cup, Cox Plate, Golden Slipper and Caulfield Cup.
Young gun James Orman won six awards – the Ken Russell Apprentice of the Year, the Stewards Award, The Racezone Medal for most wins in a single month, as well as three premiership victories – Queensland Metropolitan Apprentice, Provincial Jockey and Apprentice.
Major winners:
* Queensland Horse of the Year: Buffering
* Three Year Old: Eagle Way
* Four Year Old: Buffering
* Trainer: Tony Gollan
* Jockey: Jeff Lloyd
* Apprentice: James Orman
* Hall of Fame: Jockey: Chris Munce. Horse: Mode. Trainer: George Anderson Associate: J C (Jim) Anderson.
