Four riders will be in contention for the 2018 Jockey of the Year Award.
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing today announced another batch of finalists for the 2017-18 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards.
The four finalists for Jockey of the Year include premiership winner Sam Collett and the 2017 Jockey of the Year Chris Johnson. They will be joined by Opie Bosson and Johnathan Parkes.
Collett is not riding this week, but has a 27-win lead over Johnson and is assured of winning her first premiership. Collett, who has had more than 1100 mounts, is also the leading rider in terms of stake earnings.
Johnson will be runner-up in the premiership and has won 10 Group or Listed races this term, one fewer than Parkes. The final black type race of the season will be held at Awapuni on Saturday.
Parkes has been the most successful rider in terms of black-type wins and his tally includes three wins at Group One level.
Bosson, who has had only 221 rides this term, will finish outside the top 10 on the premiership but won four Group One races – more than any other rider – and the Karaka Million.
The two partnerships at the top of the trainers’ premiership – Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman and Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards – are the only finalists for Trainer of the Year. Both stables produced five individual Group One winners during the season.
The Baker-Forsman stable has established a record tally of domestic wins this season and won 24 Group or Listed races - 20 in New Zealand and four in Australia - with total stake earnings topping $6 million.
The award winners will be announced at a gala dinner at Ellerslie Racecourse on Sunday, August 26.
Jockey of the Year: Opie Bosson, Sam Collett, Chris Johnson, Johnathan Parkes.
Trainer of the Year: Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman.
Jumps Jockey of the Year: Will Gordon, Aaron Kuru, Isaac Lupton, Shaun Phelan, Charlie Studd.
Jumper of the Year: Monarch Chimes, Upper Cut, Wise Men Say, Zedeedudadeeko.
Owner of the Year: Archer Equine Investments, Bromley Bloodstock, Emma Evans, Margaret Evans, Kevin Hickman, JML Bloodstock, Kamada Racing Partnership, Sir Peter Vela.