The 2008/09 racing season was capped off with the announcement of Phelan Ready as the Queensland Horse of the Year on August 15..
The star colt, winner of the world's richest two-year-old race the Golden Slipper as well as the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, won the Horse of the Month for January and April 2009 competing with other monthly winners including the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate winning Swiss Ace, Charming Rogue, Regal Castanea, Ice Chariot, Eskimo Dan, Paprika, Shoot Out, Express Air and Jussemi.
Phelan Ready has now embarked on a Sydney campaign and Lorraine McLachlan accepted the award on behalf of her son Jason and her late husband Bruce McLachlan at the Queensland Racing Horse of the Year and Industry Awards at the Sofitel Brisbane with a host of other industry stakeholders.
Bruce and Jason McLachlan were in a training partnership for Phelan Ready's big wins and were also nominated for the Jim Atkins Trainer of the Year as was Liam Birchley, Mick Mair and Brisbane Metropolitan Premiership winner Robert Heathcote.
Bruce and Jason were the recipients of the Trainer of the Year award after their successful racing season.
Shane Scriven topped off a brilliant year that included 10 stakes races, including the Group 1 Brisbane Cup by claiming the George Moore Queensland Jockey of the Year ahead of colleagues Ken Pope, Larry Cassidy and Michael Cahill.
The Ken Russell Queensland Apprentice of the Year award went to Brent Evans who also picked up both the SEQ Metropolitan-Provincial Apprentice and Jockey Premiership awards. Winning three stakes races this season, Evans beat fellow nominee Michael Palmer.
Queensland Racing Industry Award Winners
Queensland Horse of the Year – Phelan Ready
Jim Atkins Trainer of the Year – Bruce and Jason McLachlan
George Moore Jockey of the Year – Shane Scriven
Ken Russell Apprentice of the Year – Brent Evans
Stallion of the Year – Show A Heart
SEQ Metropolitan & Provincial Trainer of the Year – Robert Heathcote
SEQ Metropolitan & Provincial Jockey of the Year – Brent Evans
SEQ Metropolitan & Provincial Apprentice of the Year – Brent Evans
Non-SEQ Provincial & Country Horse of the Year – Flying Test
Non-SEQ Provincial & Country Trainer of the Year – John Manzelmann
Non-SEQ Provincial & Country Jockey of the Year – Luke Dillon
Non-SEQ Provincial & Country Apprentice of the Year – Luke Dillon
Champion QTIS 3YO of the Year – Chakvetadze
Champion QTIS 2YO of the Year – Funtantes
Best 4YO & Up – Swiss Ace
Champion Broodmare – Jazztrack
Champion First Season Stallion – Tsuimai
Champion 2YO Stallion – Sequalo
Women in Racing Award – Pam O'Neill
Bookmakers' Award for Longest Priced – Uncle Jan
Highpoint” Farrier Award – Kristian Coats
Strapper of the Year – Christy Litton
Media Award – Graham Potter and Ipswich Turf Club
Queensland Racing Hall of Fame
One of the State's past champions, Dalrello, was inducted into the Queensland Racing Hall of Fame during the Queensland Racing Horse of the Year and Industry Awards.
Owners Noel Gamble and Darryl Gollan were at the Awards to accept the honour.
Dalrello was bred on the Darling Downs and trained by inaugural Hall of Fame inductee, Jim Atkins. Dalrello won 18 races, including eight at Black Type level.
The stallion was a star on the national stage in the mid 70s, winning four Group 1 races in Sydney, including the 1975 Doncaster Handicap and George Ryder Stakes, as well as back-to-back wins in the All Aged Stakes in 1976-1977.
