Rich Hill Stud’s standing as a centre of thoroughbred excellence has been further emphasised with El Vencedor named New Zealand’s Horse of the Year.
He is a son of the Waikato farm’s sire Shocking and was acknowledged as the country’s premier performer for the 2024/25 season at New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s black tie function in Hamilton on Sunday evening.
Prepared by Stephen Marsh, El Vencedor is raced by breeders Mark Freeman and David Price and was the only New Zealand-trained horse to win three Group One races last term.
He was a runaway victor in the Herbie Dyke Stakes and Otaki-Maori WFA Classic and completed a hat-trick in the New Zealand Stakes.
His dominance saw him secure 45 of the 55 votes cast for the sport’s ultimate honour and also claimed the Champion Middle Distance Horse.
El Vencedor looks on target for another big season after a slashing first-up run in Saturday’s Proisir Plate (1400m) at Ellerslie.
The first Group One of the NZ racing season attracted a magnificent field and El Vencedor finished a close-up fifth at a distance short of his best.
El Vencedor’s acknowledgment continued Rich Hill’s proud association with the Horse of the Year title with their late sire Pentire producing two dual winners of the award.
Xcellent won back-to-back honours in 2004/05 and 2005/06 and homebred Mufhasa was successful in 2008/09 and 2011/12 after the former stars amassed a remarkable 14 Group One wins between them.
In between times, Jimmy Choux was named Horse of the Year in 2010/11, and he also launched his stud career at Rich Hill.
“It really was another remarkable season for Shocking, with El Vencedor now a four-time Group One winner, and the Hayes boys’ Here To Shock flying over to take out the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint at Te Rapa before being nosed out of the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes at Royal Randwick,” Rich Hill’s John Thompson said.
“Let’s not forget Packing Angel storming home for third in the prestigious Hong Kong Derby, and Scary, an eye-catching second in the Group 1 Victoria Derby.”
“In the current breeding environment, Shocking’s recognised as a proven Group One sire with 6.5% stakes winners to runners, and at his fee of $10,000 +GST offers breeders the best value in Australasia.”
Rich Hill Release
