His win came on a night of total domination by the Brian and Shane Anderton stable, which triumphed in every horse category.
Tommy Tucker got the nod in the middle-distance class, which put him in the frame for the overall horse of the year title against fellow category winners Raise You Ten, Coulee and Gold Leaf.
The chestnut beat his stablemate, Patrick Erin, and Terry Kennedy’s Princess Brook for the middle distance title.
Tommy Tucker had arguably his best season on the track, winning four of his eight starts, though only two of those starts were over a middle-distance trip. He won the group 3 weight-for-age Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) in April and ran second in a minor race at Cromwell to take the title.
Tommy Tucker also produced brilliant form over shorter trips, in which he won two listed races, the Easter Cup at Riccarton and the Timaru Cup, both over 1600m.
Among his biggest runs last season, Tommy Tucker ran second to stablemate Coulee in the White Robe Lodge Handicap over the same distance at Wingatui in February when carrying 60kg and being stuck three-wide for the entire race.
The Gallant Guru mare won three of her 10 starts last season, including two group 3 races in the White Robe Lodge Handicap
and the South Island Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes at Riccarton in March (also 1600m).
In winning the sprinting category, Coulee edged out Tommy Tucker, who was also nominated and another stablemate, Fascinate.
In other awards, Raise You Ten won the 3yr-old category over his stablemate Slammer and the Terry Kennedy-trained Bakela.
The listed Gore Guineas (1335m) was among Raise You Ten’s two wins from seven starts last season.
The jumpers’ category was won by Gold Leaf, who edged his stablemate, High Forty.
After their horses clean-swept the equine categories, it was hardly a surprise that the Andertons were crowned trainers of the year.
The father-and-son combination produced 48 winners and 64 placings last season.
The stable won seven group and listed races with the awards contenders. Four of those were ridden by the Anderton’s stable apprentice, Jacob Lowry, who was crowned jockey of the year for his 48 wins and 47 placings last term.
The Andertons also won the trainers’ strike-rate award.
Five club volunteers were recognised for their contribution to their racing clubs and the Otago thoroughbred industry on Saturday night. They were Neville Gard, Forbes Knight, Colin MacDonald, Vince McLachlan and John Fleming.
- Jonny Turner
