Diva to join Racing Greats

The star performers of the 2005/06 Australian racing season will be recognised next Wednesday night 2 August when Premier Technology Group presents the Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year Awards at Crown's Palladium in Melbourne.

And the question on everyone's lips is will Makybe Diva join the select group of horses to win more than one Champion Racehorse of the Year Award? Only recent champions Might And Power (1998 and 1999) and Sunline (2000, 2001 and 2002) have been able to win the award on multiple occasions.

The Lee Freedman-trained mare certainly did her chances no harm by winning four of her five starts during the 2005/06 season, including the Cox Plate and an unforgettable third-straight Melbourne Cup.

Sydney's Group 1-winning machine Eremein, champion staying filly Serenade Rose and globetrotting sprinter Takeover Target all had seasons to remember, but did they do enough to take votes off the Diva?

The Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year Award proudly presented by Premier Technology Group is just one of 12 awards to be presented on racing's night of nights. It is not, however, the only one Makybe Diva is a leading contender for.

ELIZA PARK STUD CHAMPION STAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Not surprisingly, the Tony Santic-owned mare is the hot favourite to account for Railings, winner of the Metropolitan Handicap-Caulfield Cup double, and The BMW winner Eremein in the Eliza Park Stud Champion Stayer Award. But can she do it considering the Cup was her only start in a race further than 2040m during the 2005/06 season?

TGM ENGINEERING & SURVEYORS CHAMPION
MIDDLE DISTANCE RACEHORSE OF THE YEAR AWARD

Emphasising her versatility, Makybe Diva is also in the running for the TGM Engineering & Surveyors Champion Middle Distance Racehorse of the Year Award. The Makybe Diva camp will be hoping the great mare's Cox Plate and Turnbull Stakes successes will be enough to get her home against a hot field including Ranvet-Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Eremein, Lad Of The Manor - who was the only horse to beat Makybe Diva during the 2005/06 season - and Doncaster Handicap and George Ryder Stakes winner Racing To Win.

TAB MOST POPULAR RACEHORSE OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Diva is also vying with Takeover Target, Eremein, Karasi and Candy Vale for the honour of being rated the TAB Most Popular Racehorse of the Year Award, which is voted on by the public.

IRT CHAMPION INTERNATIONAL PERFORMER AWARD

Takeover Target and Karasi are also in the running to take out a couple of other categories.

Little is expected to split the pair in the IRT Champion International Performer Award. Karasi won the world's richest jumping event, Japan's Group 1 Nakayama Grand Jump, for the second year in a row, while Takeover Target followed in the footsteps of Choisir to take out the Group 2 King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

WILLIAM INGLIS & SON CHAMPION SPRINTER AWARD

It's no surprise to see Takeover Target a front-runner for the William Inglis & Son Champion Sprinter Award. The gelding's Group 1 double of the Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap, combined with his English success, have him favourite for the award among a field that includes fellow Group 1 winners Virage De Fortune, Snitzel and La Montagna.

MICHELTON WINES CHAMPION JUMPER AWARD.

Karasi's Japanese success also has him in contention for the Michelton Wines Champion Jumper Award. It's a tough category to pick, however, with Real Tonic, winner of the Great Eastern and Grand Annual Steeplechase double, Grand National Hurdle winner Busby Glenn, excitement machine Manzeal and Grand National Steeplechase winner Personal Drum all in contention.

NEW ZEALAND THOROUGHBRED MARKETING CHAMPION
THREE-YEAR-OLD COLT & GELDING AWARD

AJC Derby winner and Victoria Derby placegetter Headturner and All Aged Stakes and three-time Group 2 winner Paratroopers both had outstanding seasons, but did they do enough to pip Racing To Win for top honours in the New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing Champion Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Award?

NEW ZEALAND BLOODSTOCK CHAMPION THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY AWARD

Connections of Serenade Rose will be hoping their daughter of Stravinsky is rewarded for her dual Oaks-winning season in the New Zealand Bloodstock Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Award,

YALLAMBEE STUD CHAMPION TWO-YEAR-OLD AWARD

David Hayes' Golden Slipper winner Miss Finland has stablemates Nadeem, who beat her in the Blue Diamond Stakes, and I Got Chills to contend with in the Yallambee Stud Champion Two-Year-Old Award.

Wednesday night's ceremony will also see the CROWN LIMITED CHAMPION GROUP 1 JOCKEY AWARD presented to Glen Boss and Lee Freedman presented with the RADIO SPORT 927 CHAMPION GROUP 1 TRAINER AWARD. Redoute's Choice will also be recognised with the SIRE CUSTODIAN AND CARRAZZO CONSULTING CPA'S CHAMPION SIRE AWARD.

RVL

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