The Ingrid and Markus Jooste owned Legal Eagle has been crowned Horse Of The Year for the South African racing season of 2015-2016.

It was a memorable evening for the Joostes, as they were also named Champion Owners yet again.

The couple’s Always In Charge was named Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and Markus Jooste is also a part-owner of undefeated [nCloth Of Cloud[/n], the Equus Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.

Cloth Of Cloud’s brilliant season assisted in making her dam Our Table Mountain (Fusaichi Pegasus) winner of the Equus Champion Broodmare Title.

Legal Eagle ran first or second in all five of his outings last season, and won three G1 races –the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, and the Premier’s Champion Challenge.

The newly turned five-year-old picked up three Equus Awards on the night also being named Champion Miler and Champion Middle Distance Horse.

His trainer Sean Tarry was named Champion Trainer for a second year in a row, with the Gauteng based conditioner setting a new record for the number of winners (and prize money earned) sent out by a trainer in a South African season.

S’Manga Khumalo, who enjoyed so much success for the Tarry yard last season, earned his second title as Champion Jockey in three years.

Breeders’ Cup bound Smart Call, who beat Legal Eagle in the G1 J&B Met and who also picked up the G1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes, picked up two awards on the evening, namely that of Champion Older Filly/Mare and Champion Middle Distance Horse.

It was also an evening to remember for the late broodmare Great Verdict (Christmas Tree) –whose son Greys Inn is responsible for Legal Eagle and whose daughter Good Judgement produced Smart Call!

KZN Farm Summerhill Stud picked up its tenth Champion Breeder Award, while the Cape farm Lammerskraal Stud were honoured with an Outstanding Breeder Of The Year award.

Lammerskraal’s graduates included the Triple Crown winning Abashiri (by the farm’s resident sire Go Deputy) – who himself missed out on winning an Equus Award but was honoured with a Special Achievement award.

Others to collect a special achievement award on the evening included legendary trainer Ormond Ferraris, who was represented by his 2500th win last season, as well as the connections of inaugural CTS Million Dollar hero Illuminator (Trippi) and the remarkable racemare Inara (Trippi) –with the latter winning G1 races in three different provinces last season.

HORSE OF THE YEAR: Legal Eagle

CHAMPION 2YO Colt: Always In Charge

CHAMPION 2YO Filly: Cloth Of Cloud

CHAMPION 3YO Colt: Marinaresco

CHAMPION 3YO Filly: Bela-Bela

CHAMPION Older Filly/Mare: Smart Call

CHAMPION Sprinter (1000-1200m): Talktothestars

CHAMPION Miler (1400-1600m): Legal Eagle

CHAMPION Middle Distance (1800-2200m): Smart Call

CHAMPION Stayer (2400m): Enaad (Aus)

CHAMPION Older Male: Legal Eagle

Champion STALLION: Trippi

Champion BROODMARE: Our Table Mountain

Champion BREEDER: Summerhill Stud

Outstanding BROODMARE: Young Sensation

Exceptional BROODMARE Achievement: Mystic Spring

Outstanding BREEDER Award: Lammerskraal Stud

MEDIA Award: Charles Faull

Champion APPRENTICE: Callan Murray

Champion JOCKEY: S’manga Khumalo

Champion TRAINER: Sean Tarry

Champion OWNER: Ingrid & Markus Jooste – Mayfair Speculators Pty Ltd

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT Awards: Ormond Ferraris; Illuminator – Glen Puller, Frances Carruthers & Ian Robinson' Inara – Mike Bass, Gaynor Rupert, Ross Fuller & Kevin Sommerville; Abashiri – Mike Azzie & Adriaan and Rika Van Vuuren