Graeme Anderson capped a big year when he received multiple Otago harness racing awards for the 2010-11 season at a function at Palmerston on Saturday night.
Anderson is also co-coach of the Taieri club, winner of the premier one Dunedin rugby competition.
Anderson and co-trainer Amber Hoffman received the Otago trainer of the year award and the stable star, Terrorway, was named horse of the year. Anderson and Hoffman won 35 races for the season.
Another member of their stable, Christian Brother, was joint winner of the 3yr-old pacer award.
Terrorway, unbeaten in six starts, was sold to Australia by Anderson, his partner, Wendy Muldrew, and Brian Sceats, five weeks ago. The 4yr-old is now in the Queensland stable of John McCarthy.
Christian Brother was transferred to McCarthy at the same time. Christian Brother, owned by Tony Gow and Lyndsay Young, both of Mosgiel, with Anderson and Muldrew, won first up on the Gold Coast on Friday night. The Christian Cullen-Mighty Asset gelding, who had not raced since May 10, ran the mile in 1.57.5. Christian Brother won three of his eight starts in New Zealand.
I Am Legend and Grae Rex, other winners for the Anderson-Hoffman stable last season, have been exported to Perth, where the pair are owned by Barry Devereux.
I Am Legend has won three races and Grae Rex, one.
Geena Hest, named broodmare of the year, has left six winners from as many foals, with her most recent progeny, Maidstone Miss, winner of the group one Redwood Classic for 2yr-old trotters at Maryborough on August 1. Geena Hest is owned by Steve Thompson, of Dunedin, and Brian Wood, of Christchurch. Messrs Thompson and Wood and Grant Dickey, of Christchurch, race Duke Of The Moment, who won the 2yr-old trotter award. Duke Of The Moment was a winner from the stable of Phil Williamson.
Pat O'Brien, chairman of the board of Harness Racing New Zealand, was a guest on Saturday night. Presentations were made to retiring racecourse inspector Norm Scott by HRNZ and the Otago clubs.
•The Otago harness racing awards for the 2010-11 season:
Trotters
- Two-year-old: Duke Of The Moment.
- Three-year-old: Springbank Sam.
- Four-year-old: Maori Invasion.
- Five-year-old and over: Springbank Richard.
Pacers
- Three-year-old: Christian Brother and Pembrook's Delight.
- Four-year-old: Terrorway.
- Five-year-old and over: Storm Light.
- Driver and junior driver: M. Williamson.
- Trainer: Graeme Anderson and Amber Hoffman.
- Broodmare: Geena Hest.
- Horse Of The Year: Terrorway.
