Some of the biggest names in the Victorian training ranks have been announced as finalists for the 2009 Fred Hoysted Medal presented by Parnell Dual Joint Care Program.
Since its inception in 1998 the Fred Hoysted Medal has been won by some of the all-time greats including Hall of Fame members Jack Denham, Jim Houlahan, Bart Cummings, Lee Freedman and David Hayes. Sheila Laxon, trainer of BMW Caulfield Cup and Emirates Melbourne Cup winning mare Ethereal, is the only female to win the award.
The 2009 Fred Hoysted Medal winner will be selected from the following bi-monthly award winners:
ROSS MCDONALD (August - September) for preparing champion galloper Weekend Hussler to a hat-trick of feature wins during the spring - the Group 2 Memsie Stakes (1400m) and Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) and the Group 1 Rokk Ebony Underwood Stakes (1800m).
BART CUMMINGS (October - November) for his stunning feats during the Melbourne Cup Carnival which included winning his record twelfth Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) with Viewed, Swick’s barnstorming victory in the Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) and Dandaad’s win in the Lavazza Long Black (2800m).
MICK KENT (December - January) for producing the best horse he’s ever trained, Fair Trade, to win on debut at Flemington in January before he raced away with the Group 3 C.S Hayes Stakes (1400m) a fortnight later. Kent also prepared Sadalbari for a hat-trick of wins at Cranbourne and won the Rokk Ebony Cup (2000m) at Caulfield with country cups king Banana Man.
MICK PRICE (February - March) for winning the Group 1 Cadbury Guineas (1600m) with Heart of Dreams and a Group 2 double with Gallica in the PFD Food Services Kewney Stakes (1600m) and Pre Eminence in the Top Cut Alister Clark Stakes (1600m) during the Melbourne Festival of Racing. Price also trained four winners in a day at Sandown during February.
ROBBIE LAING (April - May) for producing one of the greatest training performances ever seen in Victoria when he prepared nine-year-old gelding Sir Pentire to win Australia’s most grueling race, the Flying Horse Bar & Bistro Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m) at Warrnambool, at his first start for more than two years.
ROBBIE LAING (June - July) For preparing top jumper MAZZACANO to another amazing comeback triumph over the jumps winning the feature Australian Steeple (3900m) at Sandown on June 13, first up, after a two year absence from the track due to a serious leg injury, replicating his feat with another comeback jumper SIR PENTIRE who won the grueling Grand Annual at Warrnambool in May after a similar serious injury enforced lay-off.
The winner of the 2009 Fred Hoysted Medal, awarded for outstanding training performances on Victorian race tracks during the 2008 / 2009 racing season, will be announced at the Victorian Thoroughbred Racing Awards presented by Tabcorp on Sunday 9 August.
