Zirna is Horse of the Year

SINGAPORE,  21 March 2004

Totalisator turnover falls for third consecutive year
  ZIRNA and NINETYFIVE EMPEROR, the two outstanding performers of the 2003 Singapore racing season, as expected won the Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old awards respectively.

The best of Singapore racing during the past year were honoured during the annual Singapore Racing Awards here tonight.

Moe than 500 of the "who’s who" in the local racing community including top horse owners, trainers, jockeys and other distinguished guests, attended the gala dinner cum presentation ceremony jointly organised by the Singapore Turf Club and the Association of Racehorse Trainers, Singapore (ARTS).

New Zealand bred ZIRNA amassed a whopping $1.26 million in prizemoney from three feature race victories including the Singapore Gold Cup (Singapore Group 1), Raffles International Cup (Singapore Group 1) and Singapore Derby Trial (Singapore Group 3) and was second in the Patrons’ Bowl (Singapore Group 2) and third in the Singapore Derby (Singapore Group 1).

ZIRNA was also named the Champion Four-Year-Old (Middle Distance category).

NINETYFIVE EMPEROR made local racing history with nine straight wins out of nine starts as a three-year-old during 2003.

The Top Owner Award, by number of wins, was jointly won by Jerry Sung of Auric Stable and Alfredo Crabbia with 23 wins each. The Top Owner Award, by prizemoney won, went to Crabbia who amassed $1.36 million in winning commissions in the 2003 season. The Top Trainer Award was won by Charles Leck. The Top Jockey Award went to Saimee JUmaat and Top Apprentice Award to S John.

2003 SINGAPORE RACING AWARDS
CHAMPION 3-YEAR-OLD
Winner : NINETY FIVE EMPEROR
Owner : CHEONG HOOI HONG
(Ninetyfive Emperor Stable)
CHAMPION 4-YEAR-OLD SPRINT CATEGORY
Winner : GUNONG MAS
Owner : LAU PAK CHON
(Gunong Mas Stable)
CHAMPION 4-YEAR-OLD MIDDLE DISTANCE CATEGORY
Winner : ZIRNA
Owner : RUSSELL WARWICK
(Westbury Stable)
CHAMPION 4-YEAR-OLD DISTANCE CATEGORY
Winner : LEAD TO VICTORY
Owner : LIM CHENG KOH
(Our Stable)
CHAMPION FIBRESAND HORSE
Winner : TITAN SMILE
Owner : WONG CHEN LIONG
(Titan Stable)
CHAMPION OLDER HORSE SPRINT CATEGORY
Winner : QUE EXPRESSION
Owner : ALFREDO CRABBIA
CHAMPION OLDER HORSE MIDDLE DISTANCE CATEGORY
Winner : BLIZZ BLESS
Owner : ALFREDO CRABBIA
CHAMPION OLDER HORSE DISTANCE CATEGORY
Winner : SMART BET
Owner : LIM CHONG SAM
(Smart Bet Stable)
TOP TIPSTER  : DANNY KHOO
(152 Wins)
Publication : The New Paper
TOP APPRENTICE JOCKEY : S JOHN
(23 Wins)
TOP JOCKEY : J SAIMEE
(83 Wins)
TOP TRAINER  : CHARLES LECK
(84 Wins)
TOP OWNER BY NUMBER OF WINS
Joint winners : Auric Stable (23 Wins)
Alrredo Crabbia (23 Wins)
TOP OWNER BY PRIZEMONEY
Alfredo Crabbia ($1.36 Million)
HORSE OF THE YEAR 2003
Winner : ZIRNA
Owner : RUSSELL WARWICK
(Westbury Stable)