Snitzel & National Colour honoured with TBA Awards

Arrowfield’s Champion Sire Snitzel and Klawervlei Stud’s wonderful broodmare National Colour were honoured with three 2016/17 awards presented by Thoroughbred Breeders Australia at Coolmore on Sunday morning.

Snitzel secured the coveted Champion Australian Sire award after establishing a new Australian record for progeny earnings of $16.2 million, and equalling Danehill’s record of 26 Australian stakeswinners for the season. They included Group 1 winners Invader, Redzel & Russian Revolution.

Snitzel was also crowned Champion Sire of 2YOs with eight individual juvenile stakeswinners and total earnings of almost $5 million. The son of Redoute’s Choice also set a new Australian record of 35 2YO winners, including three in New Zealand.

Leading broadcaster and breeder Alan Jones AO accepted both awards on behalf of Arrowfield.

He said, “It’s been a wonderful year for Arrowfield and I’d like to thank the whole team there who have done a wonderful job, as they do in all studs. We couldn’t survive without the work of the staff and they do a fantastic job.

“It’s been a remarkable year for Snitzel, he equalled Danehill’s record for the most stakeswinners in a season which is quite extraordinary, so we are very honoured, very privileged and very thankful.”

Following the TBA National Awards, Thoroughbred Breeders New South Wales (TBNSW) made two presentations.

The title of NSW Champion Broodmare Of The Year was awarded to the South African-bred National Colour, dam of Sheikh Hamdan’s colts Mustaaqeem and Rafeef, both by Redoute’s Choice, both bred by the Arrowfield & Klawervlei Stud partnership and both prepared by Mike de Kock to win at Group 1 level on Champions Day at Turffontein on 6 May.

Foaled in South Africa in 2002, National Colour (National Assembly-Rainbow Cake by Mr Eats) was herself a three-time Group 1 winner and Joint South African Horse of the Year in 2005/06. She is the dam of three winners, including Rafeef and Mustaaqeem, from four named foals, has a yearling colt by Redoute’s Choice and is due to foal again to the three-time Champion Sire this Spring. Her just-turned 2YO filly by Snitzel was bought for $675,000 by Paul Messara at this year’s Inglis Easter Sale.

The full list of 2016/17 National and NSW Award Winners is:
TBA Award Winners
Champion Australian Sire: SNITZEL
Champion Australian Sire of 2YOs: SNITZEL
Champion Australian First Season: PIERRO
Australian Broodmare of the Year: VEGAS SHOWGIRL – dam of Winx, unbeaten in eight starts inc. six Group 1 races last season
Breeder of the Australian-bred Exported Racehorse of the Year: MR ENRIQUE COJUANGCO – breeder of Hong Kong Champion Rapper Dragon.
TBNSW Award Winners
NSW Champion Broodmare: NATIONAL COLOUR
President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement: MR ROB MANWARING – breeder of Group 1 winner Capital Gain & dual Listed winner Grande Rosso.