Dick Leech, Gary Clarke the big winners at 2023 Top End Racing Awards
Trainers, jockeys and of course horses were recognised in the 2023 Top End Racing Awards. See all the photos and winners from the event.
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Charismatic trainer Dick Leech’s year to remember continued as he bagged the coveted Horse of the Year, while champion trainer Gary Clarke continued his winning run of trainer titles at the 2023 Top End Racing Awards.
Darwin champion trainer Clarke has further cemented his place in Top End racing history winning his 11th successive champion trainer title on Friday evening.
The record-breaking trainer had 55 winners from 290 starters throughout the year to once again cement his place as the Territory’s best.
And it was no surprise to see Clarke’s stable jockey, Jarrod Todd, also back up his result winning the Jockey of the Year accolade for the fourth successive year.
Todd had managed 63 wins from 281 starts to secure his place, narrowly beating Sonja Wiseman by seven wins.
But it wasn’t quite the clean sweep of 2022 for the Clarke stable with the Leech trained Write Your Name winning the acclaimed Horse of the Year award.
Leech’s runner had a massive year winning four in a row in Alice Springs, including the Alice Springs Cup, before making the trip north where it won on the biggest day to take out the Darwin Cup.
It was Leech’s fourth Horse of the Year title, having won it in 2008 with Darwin Cup winner Club Liquid, while Lucid Attraction won it the next two years.
Stablemate Early Crow was a natural fit for the Sprinter of the Year medal winning the Palmerston Sprint, while another Leech runner Century Fox took home the three-year-old of the year.
Emma Lines, who has only been racing since December, was the Top End’s Champion Apprentice Jockey of the Year having ridden 28 runners across the Territory in the season.
ALL THE WINNERS
Carlton & United Breweries Horse of the Year – Write Your Name
Bet365 Sprinter of the Year – Early Crow
Ladbrokes Three-Year-Old of the Year – Century Fox
BTC Constrctions Middle Distance / Stayer of the Year – Write Your Name
Cleanaway Out of Carnival Performer of the Year – Siakam
Darwin Tried Horse Sale Performer of the Year – Archie James
TAB Champion Jockey of the Year – Jarrod Todd
Sportsbet Champion Trainer of Year – Gary Clarke
Schweppes Champion Apprentice Jockey of the Year – Emma Lines
Garrad’s Horse & Hound Strapper of the Year – Danielle Gilbert
Silks Darwin Leading Jockey of the 2023 Great Northern Darwin Cup Carnival – Jarrod Todd
Silks Darwin Leading Trainer of the 2023 Great Northern Darwin Cup Carnival – Gary Clarke
WTRNT Jockey / Apprentice of the Year (Darwin) – Sonja Logan
WTRNT Trainer of the Year (Darwin) – Tayarn Halter
Character of Racing – Sonja Logan
TRNT Off The Track – Ayla Stevens
Darwin Racing Hall of Fame Inductees – Trudie Clarke
ALL THE PHOTOS
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