2009 EQUUS AWARDS
Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 12:43PM 
(Photo : Leigh Willson)
EMPERORS PALACE
13 AUGUST 2009
The 2009 Equus Awards, the “Oscars” of South African horseracing, will be presented by the Racing Association and Gold Circle at Emperors Palace in Gauteng on Thursday 13 August.
Apart from the prestigious awards made for outstanding equine and human achievement in the 2008/2009 racing season, the gala evening in the Theatre of Marcellus also features top-class entertainment in the form of musician extraordinaire Ian von Memerty in cabaret, rising star Dantaneo singing at the after-dinner party, and the Vienna String Quartet performing before and during dinner.
Athletics Superstar Oscar Pistorius will be Guest of Honour for the evening. Oscar entered the world of horseracing at the 2008 Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale with the purchase of WATCHFUL by Kahal and the part purchase of INSASA by Galileo, both now in the stable of popular trainer Mike Azzie.
The master of ceremonies for the evening will be well-known racing filmmaker and television presenter Aiden Lithgow.
An important change to the 2009 awards is that both the 2008 and 2009 Canon Gold Cup results will be included in the judges’ deliberations.
The voting panel for the 2009 Equus Awards is as follows :
Colin Aitken
Jehan Malherbe
Mathew Lips
Roger Smith
Ken Nicol
Chad Cooke
Mel Kaplan
Nico Kritsiotis
Clyde Basel
Vee Moodley (non-voting chairperson)
The nominations for the 2009 Equus Awards are as follows :
Champion 2 year colt (distance immaterial)
EXHILARATION; MUSIR; VILLANDRY
Champion 2 year filly (distance immaterial)
ALL AFIRE; GIVE ME FIVE; LAVERNA; SPRING CLOVER
Champion 3year old colt (distance immaterial)
BIG CITY LIFE, FOREST PATH, PRIVATE JET
Champion 3 year Filly (distance immaterial)
GYPSY’S WARNING; LADY WINDERMERE; MOTHER RUSSIA; SPARKLING GEM; ZIRCONEUM
Champion older male (distance immaterial)
EARL OF SURREY; OUR GIANT; POCKET POWER; SMART BANKER
Champion Older filly/ mare (distance immaterial)
DANCERS DAUGHTER; EMBLEM OF LIBERTY
Champion sprinter (1000-1200 age/gender immaterial)
EARL OF SURREY; OUR GIANT; PRIVATE JET; REBEL KING
Champion middle distance horse (1400-2200 age/gender immaterial)
BIG CITY LIFE; POCKET POWER; SMART BANKER
Champion stayer (2400 and up/ age/gender immaterial)
BOUQUET GARNI; DESERT LINKS; MOKARO
