Elise Archer,Minister for Racing
As Minister for Racing it was my pleasure to attend the Tasmanian Thoroughbred Awards night held in Launceston on Friday night.
The Hodgman majority Liberal Government is a strong supporter of Tasmania's thoroughbred racing industry that contributes almost $100 million to the local economy every year.
The past year has shown the quality of Tasmania's racehorses and participants with some amazing results recorded across Tasmanian tracks, as well as interstate in some of the nation's biggest races.
Tasmanian wonder-filly Mystic Journey - which made history winning the Group 1 Australian Guineas and All Star Mile at Flemington - has won the Ladbrokes Horse of the Year award.
The prestigious prize was announced at the Tasmanian Thoroughbred Awards dinner at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Launceston.
Mystic Journey, which had seven wins from eight starts in 2018/19, was also named the Devonport Racing Club 3YO Horse of the Year. Bred at Carrick's Armidale Stud and trained by Adam Trinder at Spreyton, she is now the favourite to the win famed W.S. Cox Plate in October.
Meanwhile, Mystical Pursuit, which has four wins from four starts, also trained by Adam Trinder, won the Tasmanian Turf Club 2YO Horse of the Year prize.
Tasmanian Hall of Fame inductees were horses Sandau and Nimblefoot, jockey Pat Allan, trainers Bill Ryan and William Clare, and associates Ron Riley and Bruce Fullerton.
The one Legend inducted on the night was jockey Bev Buckingham, who rode more than 900 winners, including three Hobart Cups, two Devonport Cups and one Launceston Cup, in her 18-year riding career.
Wayne Roser, the owner of Mystic Journey amongst other horses, won the ROAT Leading Owner Award.
Jockey Craig Newitt won the Tasmanian Racing Club Leading Jockey Award with 99 wins, while Alex Patis won the Skillinvest Leading Apprentice award with 27 wins.
Teagan Voorham won the Tasmanian Jockeys' Association Dux of the Apprentice School for the second year in succession.
Scott Brunton was the Australian Trainers Association Leading Trainer for the sixth year in a row.
Jessie Bazan, from the Brunton Racing team, was presented with the inaugural Tasracing Industry Appreciation Award.
Armidale Stud's Needs Further was named the Magic Millions Leading Tasmanian-based Juvenile Stallion, and was also named the TasBreeders Leading Tasmanian-based Sire.
The Grenville Stud Broodmare of the Year was White Gold, the dam of Mystic Journey.
