FLYING DIAMOND and MAYO’S MUSIC have been voted Horse of the Year in Malaysia and Singapore respectively at a Malayan Racing Association (MRA)-organised awards dinner here tonight.

FLYING DIAMOND (7 br.a.g Telesto - Innocente by Centaine) was runaway choice for Malaysia after two scintillating performances last season, during which he won the country’s richest race, the RM1.5m Piala Emas Sultan Selangor (Sultan Of Selangor Gold Cup) over 2,000m by five lengths.

It was his fourth win of the season under trainer Ng Kok Hoong. After he was transferred to John McGillivray, FLYING DIAMOND finished second in the Astro Wah Lai Toi Sprint Trophy, then captured the RM500,000 Coronation Cup (1,600m) in Ipoh.

The other finalists for Malaysian honours were BABY STAR, HUMPHREY, HUNII, LABU LABU and OPPOSING FORCE.

MAYO’S MUSIC was voted ahead of DREYFUSS, MOON SHADOW, RAUL, RECAST and SUPERIOR STAR for his consistency during the 2004 season in Singapore.

Trained by John Meagher, the MAYO’S MUSIC (7 b.a.g Procol Harum - Mayo Million by Royal Troubador) captured the Kranji Mile and the Raffles Cup for his only two victories of the season.

But he was also second in the S$1.25m Singapore Gold Cup (2,200m), the E W Barker Trophy (1,400m) and the Committee’s Prize (1,600m) besides four other second placings.