Winx has claimed another record, being named Australia’s Horse of the Year for an unprecedented fourth time.
The mare was retired in April after winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, her 25th Group One victory and her 33rd successive win.
She was also named the champion middle distance performer for the season at a ceremony in Hobart on Thursday, the same night she was honoured with the Spirit Of Sport award at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in Melbourne.
Winx’s trainer Chris Waller was again recognised at the Horse of the Year awards as the country’s leading Group One trainer and her rider Hugh Bowman the leading jockey.
The three-year-old winners were Sunlight who was named best filly and The Autumn Sun, best colt or gelding.
Waller trained The Autumn Sun, who is now at Arrowfield Stud while Tony McEvoy is the trainer of Sunlight, a leading contender for the $14 million Everest.
Godolphin’s Cross Counter, the first English-trained horse to win the Melbourne Cup was the champion stayer.
The champion sprinter went to the Anthony Freedman-trained Santa Ana Lane, winner of the VRC Sprint and TJ Smith.
The Patrick Payne-trained Zed Em, who took out the Von Doussa/Great Eastern Steeple double at Oakbank and the Great Annual at Warrnambool, was voted champion jumper.
Godolphin Australia produced the top two-year-old, ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Microphone.
Black Caviar and Sunline both won the Horse of the Year three times.