14 August 2006
Racing’s Night of Champions
The NSWROA’s ‘Racing's Night of Champions’ held on the 10th of August at The Pavilion at Royal Randwick was an unqualified success with over 650 guests attending the function.
This year the event was sponsored by the AJC, STC, Racing NSW, Network Ten, Emirates, Sydney City Lexus, ABN Amro, BT Financial Group, Capella Apartments Kensington developed by Carrington, Carrazzo Consulting, Challenger Financial Group, Citigroup, Count Charitable Foundation, Deutsche Asset Management, ING, and Macquarie Funds Management.
The awards for the best performed thoroughbreds of the previous season were presented by the Hon. Grant McBride, MP Minister for Gaming and Racing. Joe Janiak’s Takeover Target took out the award for the Best NSW Sprinter/Miler sponsored by Sydney City Lexus, NSW Country Champion Horse of the Year sponsored b y BT Financial Group and the overall title, NSW Champion Horse of the Year sponsored by Count Charitable Foundation.
Miss Finland, took out the STC’s Best NSW 2 Year Old award; Mnemosyne the AJC’s Best NSW Three Year Old award; Eremein Emirates Best NSW Middle Distance Runner; Railings Citigroup’s Best NSW Stayer and County Tyrone Capella Apartments Kensington’s NSW Provincial Champion Horse of the Year.
Queen of the Autumn sponsored by the STC and the AJC was awarded to Regal Cheer.
Congratulations to all the nominees, connections and winners.
The Theo Green Award for leading city apprentice went to Tim Clark, The George Moore Award for the leading city jockey went to Darren Beadman and The TJ Smith Award for the leading city trainer went to John Hawkes. These awards were all sponsored by Racing NSW.
The monster auction was a great success as always and, along with the silent auction and raffle, helped raise almost $200,000 for Redkite (supporting children through cancer), and once again showed the generosity of the racing industry and all the guests and sponsors involved.
Many thanks to our Master of Ceremony, Tim Webster, as well as Bruce Clark from TVN who hosted the Awards presentation and James Keenan our Honorary Auctioneer.
Special guests on the night were Alan Jones, John Eales, Grant McBride, the Minister for Gaming and Racing, Mark Waugh and basketball paralympians Tina McKenzie and Sarah Stewart.
Special thanks must go to John Messara who donated a third share in a Hussonet filly bought on the night by Alan Jones and to Kevin Moses who donated two years free training for the filly. Other major prize donations came from Alister Simpson and Joseph Zbukvic in the form of wonderful paintings, Emirates who donated two business class tickets to Europe, and of course wine supplied by McWilliams and beer by Toohey's which were very well received.
The Lexus RX350 supplied by Sydney City Lexus for the Monster Auction was a big hit, while an Antarctic expedition on Cruise Explorer II and Tickets to the 2006 Aria Awards and after party hotly contested.
Marcia Hines gave a fantastic performance on the night, while Jellybean Jam kept people dancing well after the midnight cut-off.
The continued support of our sponsors together with all our other donors and supporters helped make the evening a great success.
Racing's Night of Champions Photo Gallery 1
Racing's Night of Champions Photo Gallery 2