There are five finalists in the Australian Racehorse of the Year

It is the turn of South Australia to host the Australian Racehorse of the Year awards. Morphettville is the place to be on October 8 as the horse racing community comes together to celebrate the exceptional 2023/24 season which ended in July. 

There have only been seven winners of the main award in the last 13 seasons. Winx won four, Black Caviar won three and Nature Strip two. The most recent recipient of the Australian Racehorse of the Year award was Anamoe who claimed the 2022/23 award. 

The five Australian Racehorse of the Year nominees are 

It is an exceptional group of five horses who are up for the main award as the Australian Racehorse of the Year. A group who gave the horse racing bookmakers nightmares. 
 
Imperatriz 
 
Six wins on the season for the sprinting superstar, five of them at Group 1 level. Despite all of her Group 1 winning, perhaps her best effort during the season was her Newmarket second under a 58kg impost. She had to give away 2.5kg or more to all of her rivals that day, including the boys. It was a remarkable effort. 
 
Mr Brightside 
 
Had an exceptional spring but then found fellow nominee Pride Of Jenni too strong for him in the autumn. He still managed to salute five times during the season though, four of those in Group 1 races. To his huge credit, he ran 11 times in the campaign making him the most heavily raced of the group. 
 
Pride Of Jenni 
 
Her issues when fresh are well documented but once this mare gets into her stride, there are few better anywhere in the world over a mile. She won four times during the season, three of those in Group 1 races. Is the highest rated of the five at 122. 
 
Riff Rocket 
 
Tied with Imperatriz with six wins, the most of the nominees. Three of those were Group 1 races, including both the Victoria and Australian Derbies. A rating of 107 perhaps leaves him a little short of the pick of these but he will be hard to beat in the three-year-old colt/gelding category. 
 
Without A Fight 
 
Although Without A Fight only won twice during the season, the fact that they were the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups made him the biggest prize money earner of the candidates. An injury meant he only ran three times all season, is that going to be what costs his chance here? 

There are three awards which we already know the winners of 

We already know the winner of the Group 1 Trainer, Group 1 Jockey and Champion Sire of the Year awards. They are tallied up as the season goes along as the winners salute in the top races so we have known the winners of these for a while.  
 
Chris Waller will take the trainer's award after winning 12 Group 1 races across the season. With a final tally of 14 Group 1 wins, James McDonald has taken the jockey award while I Am Invincible is the Champion Sire of the 2023/24 season. 

Other categories for the night 

There are a handful of other awards to be handed out on the night. The top two-year-old will be crowned with the three-year-old award split into two with the colts/geldings and fillies getting their own awards. 
 
The next three are split by distance so the top sprinter, middle distance and stayer of the year. Then there is also an award for the top jumper of the year. All categories have five nominations to choose from.

The 2023/24 Australian horse racing season was a great one. Thrilling from start to finish with some sensational racing all over the country. October 8 is a chance to celebrate all that has happened and crown the winner of the Australian Racehorse of the Year.