VOBIS champions of the season

Another year of racing has passed by and it has been a lucrative one for Victorian breeders and their horses signed up to VOBIS.

More than $20 million was on offer through Super VOBIS and VOBIS Gold including the 15 races of the $2.8 million VOBIS Gold Premier race series. In 2016/2017 racing season this will grow once more with the inclusion of the $300,000 VOBIS Sires race for two-year-olds.

TBV has compiled tables outlining the winners of the most VOBIS bonuses and VOBIS Gold Premier Race Series prizemoney throughout the season.

If you are a Victorian breeder, or an interstate breeder using Victorian sires, it is critical you sign your horses up to Super VOBIS (as yearlings) and VOBIS Gold (as early 2yos). For 2014 foals, VOBIS Gold nominations close on Wednesday 31 August. More information at: owner.racing.com or phone 1300 139 401

Leading Horse of the Season

Bengal Cat, bred by Eddie Hirsch and his family, was a standout Victorian bred performer. The three-year-old trained by John Sadler was the winner of the $280,000 VOBIS Gold Reef at Caulfield on Owners and Breeders Day. The talented filly was also Group 2 placed at Moonee Valley in October.

Bengal Cat wins the IRT VOBIS Gold Reef at Caulfield (John Donegan/Racing Photos)

Runner-up was Valliano, a speedy 2yo filly by Swettenham Stud sire Equiano. The Lindsay Park galloper amassed more than $350,000 in her debut season which included wins in the $280,000 VOBIS Gold Ingot and the $250,000 Inglis Premier at Caulfield.

Leading Trainer of the Season

Darren Weir at presentation of Warrnambool’s VOBIS Gold Strike (Racing Photos)

It was a hot competition among Victoria’s two leading trainers for the most VOBIS dollars earned. Ballarat and Warrnambool based Darren Weir eventually topped the $1 million mark and took the title. This level of VOBIS earnings is a record. Weir’s major VOBIS earners included Burning Front (by Primus) and Gimlet (bred by Contract Racing) who both won legs of the VOBIS Gold Premier Race Series.

The Hayes/Dabernig partnership also had some superior Victorian bred performers lead by Valliano (by Equiano) and quality mare Miss Promiscuity (by Magnus) who is a homebred for Rob Crabtree.

With much smaller numbers in their stable, the Ellerton/Zahra training partnership did well to get third position. Through deliberate buying of Victorian bred, Super VOBIS nominated youngsters and targeting them at VOBIS races, they racked up more than $570,000 in earnings. This represented an extraordinary 14% of their total prizemoney earnings for the season.

Leading Breeder of the Season

Darley bred Adirondack after winning the VOBIS Gold Heath at Caulfield (Racing Photos)

Horses bred at Darley’s Northwood farm performed successfully in VOBIS races throughout the season. Dissolute (by New Approach), winner of the VOBIS Gold Elvstroem Classic at Swan Hill in June was one of the better VOBIS earners while Unbreakable (by Hard Spun) also raked in some good VOBIS dollars.

While horses such as Dissolute and Unbreakable have remained in the Godolphin system, it was one which has moved out which was the highest Darley bred VOBIS earner. Adirondack, now trained by Shawn Mathrick, took out the $280,000 VOBIS Gold Heath at Caulfield, an open age race giving the 5yo a go at the riches.

One of Victoria’s premier breeders, Contract Racing (run by the Moodie family) was once again among the leading VOBIS earners. Gimlet and Rough Justice (by Wanted) were two of their highest earners.

Leading Sire of the Season

Off the back of success by If Not Now When (bred by Musk Creek Farm) in the $280,000 VOBIS Gold Rush at Bendigo, Artie Schiller lead the VOBIS sires for the past racing season. The previously Diggers Rest based sire also had Rocky Boomboa (bred by Willowvale Thoroughbreds) earn good dollars in taking out the $150,000 VOBIS Gold Carat at Moonee Valley. Sadly, Artie Schiller has left Victoria this season and will stand in NSW.

Musk Creek Farm bred daughter of Artie Schiller If Not Now When

Darley Victoria’s Street Boss and Sun Stud’s Magnus demonstrated their quality taking 2nd and 3rd respectively. For Street Boss, bonny mare Scarlett Billows (bred by Fred Borg) was a high earner while Magnus’ daughter Miss Promiscuity won lucrative VOBIS dollars particularly in the VOBIS Gold Sprint in which she beat Group 1 winner The Quarterback.

Reward For Effort at Chatswood Stud

Notably, Chatswood Stud’s Reward for Effort came in fourth position, a significant achievement considering he only has two crops of racing age. He had 36 individual winners across Australia throughout the season, many of which won Super VOBIS and/or VOBIS Gold bonuses at Victorian racetracks. In fact almost one-fifth of the sire’s entire progeny earnings were from Super VOBIS and VOBIS Gold bonuses. There is no doubt he will be among the contenders for next year’s leading VOBIS sire title.

Full Top 10 tables for each category are on the  VOBIS premiership section of the TBV website