2024 HTBA Awards Night

Media Release - Thursday May 16

Over 340 industry leaders, clients and supporters, attended the Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association 2024 Annual Awards in Scone to recognise the Hunter’s elite equine athletes.
 
“The Hunter Valley is Australia’s premier thoroughbred breeding region and Horse Capital. It is Australia’s jewel in the thoroughbred breeding crown.  The breadth and depth of talent of our people and the success of our equine athletes is world renowned.  I am very proud to recognise their achievements at tonight’s Annual Awards” Mr Barley Ward-Thomas, HTBA’s newly elected President said.
 
2024 HTBA 2-year-old racehorse award: sponsored by International Animal Health.
Winner LADY OF CAMELOT

Golden Slipper winner Lady of Camelot - image Steve Hart
 
This year’s 2024 HTBA Champion 2-year-old Racehorse award winner is LADY OF CAMELOT, a filly by Written Tycoon out of Miss Debutante. LADY OF CAMELOT, is a Group 1 winner of ATC Golden Slipper, 1st in the Group 3 ATC Widden Stakes, 2nd in the Group 1 MRC Blue Diamond Stakes and 2nd ATC Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes. MISS CAMELOT was born at Newgate and bred by Go Bloodstock.
 
2024 HTBA 3-year-old racehorse award: sponsored by Zoetis.
Winner:  RIFF ROCKET
 

Riff Rocket is a triple G1 winner this season - image Grant Courtney
The 2024 HTBA Champion 3-year-old Racehorse is awarded to RIFF ROCKET. Son of American Pharoah (USA) out of the mare Missile Coda. RIFF ROCKET is a multiple Group 1 winning gelding of the ATC Australian Derby, the Group 1 VRC Victorian Derby and the Group 1 ATC Rosehill Guineas. Winning the Group 3 VRC CS Hayes Stakes and the listed VRC Super Impose Stakes and notable 2nd placing in Group 3 MRC Caulfield Classic and 3rd in the Group 1 VRC Australian Guineas. RIFF ROCKET was bred at Coolmore and is owned by Woppitt Bloodstock.  
 
2024 HTBA Champion Racehorse award: sponsored by Scone Race Club.
Winner: IMPERATRIZ
 

Imperatriz is a 10 time G1 winner - image Grant Courtney
The 2024 HTBA Champion Racehorse is awarded to IMPERATRIZ. Daughter of I Am Invincible out of the mare Berimbau (Shamardal). Born at Bhima, IMPERATRIZ is a multiple Group 1 winning filly of the VRC Sprint Classic, the VRC Lightning Stakes, the MVRC Moir Stakes, the MRVC Mankato Stakes, the MVRC William Reid Stakes and Group 3 Ian McEwan Stakes and placed 2nd in the Group 1 VRC Newmarket Handicap.
 
2024 Champion Broodmare award: sponsored by Scone Equine Hospital.
Winner: MISS DEBUTANTE
 
The 2024 HTBA Champion Broodmare Award is presented to MISS DEBUTANTE owned by GO Bloodstock and resident mare of Newgate. MISS DEBUTANTE’s multiple stakes winners include the 2024 Group 1 ATC Golden Slipper winner Lady of Camelot and the 2023 Group 3 VRC Furphy Sprint winner in Queen of the Ball.  
 
 
2024 HTBA Champion First Season Sire award, sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research | Barastoc Ridley Partnership.  Winner:  TOO DARN HOT
 
TOO DARN HOT (GB) is awarded 2024 HTBA Champion First Season Sire.  Standing at Darley Kelvinside, the son of Dubawi (IRE) out of the mare Do Re Mi (GB). TOO DARN HOT’S first crop of 2-year-olds include winners such as Broadsiding and Fallen Angel (GB). His first season progeny have given him a black-type premiership points rating of 43 to take home this year’s title.
 
2024 HTBA Champion Sire, proudly presented by long time HTBA Champion Sire Award Sponsors, Inglis.  Winner:  I AM INVINCIBLE

I Am Invincible
 
The 2024 HTBA Champion Sire was awarded for a third time to I AM INVINCIBLE. Winner of the  HTBA Champion Sire category in 2021 & 2023, I AM INVINCIBLE, is a brilliant sprinter and champion racehorse. His black-type progeny for this season raked up 461 points on the black-type premiership leader board including through stakes winners Imperatriz, King’s Gambit, King of Sparta, Move to Strike and many more.
 
The HTBA congratulates all 2024 award winners and extends are gratitude to all sponsors for their support of both these awards and the HTBA’s work more broadly to promote, protect and progress the Hunter’s world leading thoroughbred breeding industry and the champion athletes we produce. 
 

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
2YOs on Show - Flemington Sale Mail
Cup Day at Flemingto will kick off with the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) which has attracted a big field of juveniles including some unraced blueblood homebred babies for Godolphin and Yulong as well as the highest priced yearling by first crop sire Pinatubo (IRE).
Exceedance Mare Wins G3 HKJC Stakes
The Bjorn Baker stable were in the winner’s circle at Flemington on Derby Day with Caballus and were back again on Cup Day with talented Exceedance mare Dance to the Boom, who landed the Group III VRC HKJC Stakes (1400m).
DIY Pedigrees for Melbourne Cup – Take the Tip!
If you are having trouble settling on your Melbourne Cup horses a look at pedigree might be a help, so take a flick through our five generation pedigrees for all Cup runners and we’re giving you a clue as to what to look for!
Pierro Gelding Wins $750,000 Little Dance
Talented Pierro gelding Osipenko doesn’t overdo the business of winning, having been out of pole position since taking a Listed race at Rosehill in January, but he picked a lucrative race in which to return to form landing the $750,000 ATC Little Dance (1600m) at Randwick on Cup Day.
Too Darn Hot’s Tornado Valley Captures G3 Maribyrnong Plate
With race experience on his side, having finished third on debut when beaten a length in the Listed MRC Debutant Stakes (1000m), the Ciaron Maher trained 2yo colt Toronado Valley (Too Darn Hot) kicked off Melbourne Cup day with victory in the $240,000 Group 3 VRC Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1200m).
El Vencedor Back to Best
Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh was a relieved man following El Vencedor’s return to winning form in the Gr.3 Elsdon Park Balmerino Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on Tuesday.
Tara Talks Racing - Melbourne Cup Tips
If you are a racing tragic and horse lover like Clocker and I, Melbourne Cup Eve is as good as it gets, so have a listen to our thoughts and you can put the pen through our very dodgy tips or add them to your multiples!
G1 Melbourne Cup Victory As Half Yours And Jamie Melham Dominate
Growing up, jockey Jamie Melham dreamed of riding in the time-honoured Group 1 VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m), and on the first Tuesday of November at Flemington she created her own piece of history when becoming the first female jockey to win the Group 1 Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double aboard Tony and Calvin McEvoy’s Half Yours.
Ghaiyyath 3yo Different Gravy Dominates Listed TAB Trophy
With jockey Mark Zahra in sensational form so far during the Melbourne Cup carnival, it was the Henry Dwyer trained Ghaiyyath 3yo Different Gravy who gave the leading jockey his sixth win from just nine rides so far, charging from back in the field to win the Listed $200,000 VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) on Tuesday.
A Century of National Yearling Sales Success: Melbourne Cup
There are many great events and coveted prizes on the Australian racing calendar, but no others capture attention quite like the Melbourne Cup (3200m).