Alcopop claims South Australian Horse of the Year Award

ALCOPOP capped an outstanding career when he claimed the 2012-13 South Australian Horse of the Year Award last night.

ALCOPOP capped an outstanding career when he claimed the 2012-13 South Australian Horse of the Year Award at the SA Thoroughbred Racing SA Industry Awards gala dinner at the Stamford Grand in Glenelg last night.

The Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes winner topped arguably the strongest list of nominations in memory to claim SA racing's top award that showcased a stunning 12 months for the local racing industry.

Retired Alcopop's Group 1 breakthrough in the Mackinnon at Flemington on Derby Day was matched by three placings at the top level - runner-up in the Caulfield Cup and Caulfield Stakes, while he competed on the international stage when third in the Hong Kong Cup in December.

While the Horse of the Year Award was hotly debated, with SA producing four individual Group 1 winners - Alcopop, Happy Trails, Miracles Of Life and Maybe Discreet - star apprentice Jamie Kah stole the show, walking away with a swag of awards.

Kah, 17, has enjoyed a rapid rise since making her riding debut just 18 months ago and became the first apprentice since Jason Holder in 1995-96 to win the SA Metropolitan Riding Title and the Metropolitan Jockey of the Year award. The rising star added the Provincial and Country Riding Title and the SA and the Metro Apprentice awards to her bag of trophies.

Kah was also the first apprentice to claim the prestigious John Letts Medal.

Surprisingly, despite her dominance, Kah missed out on the SA Jockey of the Year Award which went to Dom Tourneur, who claimed his maiden Group 1 victory aboard Maybe Discreet during the Adelaide Carnival.

SA's premier trainer Tony McEvoy claimed his second successive Trainer of the Year Award on the back of his Metropolitan Trainer of the Year title during his expansion to Hawkesbury in Sydney, while David Jolly was again awarded the Provincial and Country Trainer of the Year gong. Justin Potter claimed the riding equivalent.

Morphettville horseman John Hyam also celebrated his breakout season. Not only did Hyam boast a strike-rate of close to 23 per cent of runners to winners, his horses Esprit De Bullet and Almighty Bullet shared the states most consistent racehorse award.

Victorian trainer Eric Musgrove and champion rider Steven Pateman claimed the jumps awards, while Greg Irvine won the best racing photograph.

2012/13 SA RACING INDUSTRY AWARDS

Champion Racehorse of the Year.....Alcopop

John Letts Medal.....Jamie Kah

Jockey of the Year.....Dominic Tourneur

Trainer of the Year.....Tony McEvoy

Metropolitan Jockey of the Year.....Jamie Kah

Metropolitan Trainer of the Year.....Tony McEvoy

Metropolitan Apprentice Jockey of the Year.....Jamie Kah

Provincial and Country Jockey of the Year.....Justin Potter

Provincial and Country Trainer of the Year.....David Jolly

Provincial &Country Apprentice Jockey of the Year.....Jamie Kah

Most Consistent Racehorse.....Almighty Bullet &Esprit De Bullet

Jumps Jockey of the Year.....Steven Pateman

Jumps Trainer of the Year.....Eric Musgrove

Outstanding Achievement Award by a Club.....Penola Racing Club

Outstanding Achievement Award by an Individual.....Terry McAuliffe

Best Racing Picture.....Greg Irvine