BATHURST Harness Racing Club has celebrated another season gone by with Friday’s awards night.
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Steve Turnbull once again claimed victory in the trainer of the year stakes, with his 88 wins putting him well clear, but his daughter Amanda was beaten to the top prize for the driver’s title by the narrowest of margins.
Mat Rue produced a strong final month of racing at the Bathurst track to finish level with Turnbull on 47 winning drives, but claimed the prize thanks to a superior number of runner-up results (48 to 26).
“It got very close between the two of them at the end of the season,” Bathurst Harness Racing CEO Danny Dwyer said.
“He had a lull there for a couple of months … but Mat got five winners in one night which made it very close.
“Steve won the trainer of the year easily last season, and in a similar vein he also took out the NSW trainer of the year award as well.”
Mitch Turnbull was crowned junior driver of the year with 15 wins, just one clear of Chris Geary.
Owners of the year were Chris and Judy Frisby.
Belinda McCarthy picked up the best winning strike rate for trainers while the driver’s prize went to Amanda Turnbull.
Skirmish’s eight wins was good enough to see him claim not only horse of the year honours but also the juvenile horse of the year title.
“He’s trained by Peter Bullock. He’s come over from New Zealand and he’s got a pretty good record. For him to also win the juvenile prize is very impressive,” Dwyer said.
“He won his age races and did very well when he came up against the older runners.”
The now-four-year-old gelding boasts eight wins from 19 starts – which include four wins from his first five starts at Bathurst.
Sportswriter showed his dominance as a sire this season with his runners racking up 25 wins at Bathurst Paceway, beating Art Major and Rock N Roll Heaven to the sire of the year prize.
The driver’s encouragement award was split between Stephanie Burley and Jamie Higgs, who each picked up their first ever winning drives at Bathurst.
Dwyer said there is a promising future for the young pair.
“We sometimes forget how many young people are involved in this sport. There’s a lot of talented drivers around and for these two to get their first win at Bathurst is a very special moment for them,” he said.
One Bathurst Paceway track record was broken last season with Nathan Turnbull’s NSW horse of the year nominee Sams The Master running a 1.55.4 over the 2,260m distance back in February.