With just three months to go in the racing season, Racing Victoria has released the first nine contenders for the prestigious 2012-13 Fred Hoysted Medal.
Flemington-based Saab Hasan is the latest trainer to be recognised for an outstanding training performance on a Victorian racetrack, receiving more votes than any other in the month of April for his efforts in preparing SHOREHAM to win the Listed Galilee Series Final (2500m) at Flemington.
Hasan joins an elite list of trainers who will vie for the Fred Hoysted Medal which has been shifted from a bi-monthly to monthly voting system this racing season. The change to the voting structure means more outstanding training performances than ever before will be recognised with 12 finalists now vying for Victoria’s most coveted training award.
Each month a judging panel headed by the Australian Trainers Association (ATA) casts their votes based on training performances on Victorian racetracks regardless of where the trainer is located.
The leading votegetter in each of the remaining three months will be made public in the countdown to the unveiling of the Fred Hoysted Medallist at August’s Victorian Thoroughbred Racing Awards.
Hasan joins some of Victoria’s leading trainers, along with South Australian horseman Daniel Clarken and New Zealand’s Gary Hennessy, amongst the nine finalists named thus far for the Medal.
Fred Hoysted Medal Finalists (August 2012 – April 2013)
April 2013
Saab Hasan – For preparing his promising stayer Shoreham to a black type win in the Listed Galilee Series Final for three-year-olds over 2500m at Flemington on April 13.
March
Jim Conlan – For training his lightly raced, restricted class three-year-old Ferlax to a Group 1 win in the Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 2 and maintaining an unbeaten record.
February
Daniel Clarken – For preparing filly Miracles Of Life to a fairytale win in Victoria’s premier two-year-old race, the Group 1 Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 23.
January
Dan O’Sullivan – For his achievements with stablemates British General and Tuscan Fire. The former, who survived the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, went on to win consecutive 1400m races at Flemington in January, while stayer Tuscan Fire was transformed from a jumper into a consistently successful stayer on the flat, winning consecutive Saturdays at Flemington over 2000m and 2500m.
December 2012
Mark Kavanagh – For training the quinella in the Listed BMW Doveton Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on December 8 with Catapulted and Undeniably, before taking the latter to an impressive win in the Listed Jack & Muriel Magee Memorial Christmas Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Boxing Day.
November
Robert Hickmott – For an outstanding Spring Racing Carnival winning the Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) with imported stayer Green Moon and the Group 2 Deadly Design Zipping Classic (2400m) at Sportingbet Park (Sandown) on November 17 with Tanby.
October
Gary Hennessy – For preparing Ocean Park to claim an outstanding Group 1 double during October – the Cathay Pacific Caulfield Stakes (2000m) on October 13 and Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 27.
September
Michael Brady – For placing galloper Bianmick to win the 0-89 Rating Handicap (1800m) at Sandown on September 19, ahead of a decisive Group 3 Programmed Property Services JRA Cup (2040m) victory at Moonee Valley on September 28.
August
Pat Hyland – For preparing up-and-coming sprinter Shanghai Warrior to record a dominant win the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on August 11.
The Fred Hoysted Medal is named in honour of the Hall of Fame trainer who won a record 17 premierships between 1933 and 1958 and is best known for training New Zealander Rising Fast to the second of his two Caulfield Cup wins.
The Medal will be presented alongside the Scobie Breasley Medal and Victorian Racehorse of the Year Award following the 2012-13 Victorian racing season which concludes on 31 July.
