WA’s Harness Racing best celebrated at 2024 Awards

Racing WA hosted the 2024 Harness Racing Awards and WA Hall of Fame on Saturday, March 22 at the prestigious Crown Perth with WA’s leading trainers, drivers and horses rewarded for their efforts throughout the 2024 season.

Three new groups were inducted into the WA Racing Hall of Fame: The Porter family, Bob Pollock and Baltic Eagle NZ

Baltic Eagle NZ rose to fame when he took out the 2003 Inter Dominion final in New Zealand for trainer/driver Kim Prentice and owners Ross North, Henry McManus and Mark Congerton.

The $50,000 New Zealand import was purchase by the group of friends and after it was discovered he suffered from a respiratory issue due to the dust when trained by Rod Chambers, the decision was made to send him to Kim Prentice who incorporated plenty of beach work into his training regime.

Baltic Eagle had a total of 21 wins from just 40 starts, with 2003 a highlighted year for the gelding after taking out both the Group 1 WA Pacing Cup and Fremantle Cup that same year.

The 29-year-old is fighting fit, enjoying his retirement at Congerton’s property in Perth’s south

Bob Pollock was recognised for his achievements on Saturday night, with WA’s first ever Inter Dominion winning driver being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Pollock, who drove Captain Sandy to victory in the 1953 Inter Dominion Final at Gloucester Park finished his career on 846 driving wins after.

At 65, he was forced to hang up the reins due to mandatory retirement rules but some 12 years later, the anti-discrimination laws were amended, and Pollock was able to return to race driving at age 77.

A founding member of the Fremantle Trotting Club in 1928, Howard Porter and the Porter Family were recognised for their incredible contribution to WA Harness Racing on Saturday night when their family was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Kyle Symington, who represented WA earlier in the year in the Australasian Young Drivers Championship took out the 2024 Young Achiever of the Year after what was undeniably are great season in the cart.

Unable to be there on the night, Symington was ecstatic to hear the news that he had won the Young Achiever Award again and was thankful to the connections and everyone who had given him opportunities throughout the 2024 season.

2YO Filly of the Year went to the Frank Nafranec trained Reinette, who was a standout filly in 2024.

Purchased for just $15,000 at the 2023 APG Perth Yearling Sales, she was a filly who was small in stature, but more than made up for that with her determination and fierce will to win.

Reinette took out the first 2YO race of 2024, and although missing out on the 2YO Fillies Sales Classic Final after finishing in sixth placing in her heat, she won a fortnight later with Trent Wheeler on board, eventually claiming the open 2YO Champagne Classic at odds.

Later that same year, she fought hard to the line in the $215,000 2YO Fillies Westbred Classic to take the win by a half head margin, giving trainer Frank Nafranec his first taste of Group 1 success.

Reinette finished in second place three weeks later in the 2Y0 Golden Slipper behind 2024 Colt or Gelding 2YO of the Year Cyclone Jordy NZ.

A winner of 9 from just 11 races, and with an unblemished WA record, it came as no surprise that the gary hall Snr trained Cyclone Jordy NZ took home 2YO C/G of the Year for 2024.

Making his WA debut in September, he had just the two starts in his 2YO season here in the west, taking out an open metropolitan 2YO race on debut, followed by the $150,000 Golden Slipper just seven days later.

3YO Filly of the Year went the way of Water Lou who also claimed the national title of Australian 3YO of the Year for Harness Racing Australia.

Trained by Mike Reed and owned by Willie and Jim Giumelli, the striking daughter of Sweet Lou USA was bred by KTC Bloodstock and purchased by the Giumelli’s at the 2022 APG Perth Yearling Sales for $65,000.

In 2024, Water Lou’s long list of achievements included the $50,000 APG WA 3YO Fillies Sales Classic Final, 3YO Diamond Classic and the $100,000 3YO Fillies Westbred Classic, with 14 wins throughout the 2024 season.

Greg & Skye Bond of Team Bond were no strangers to the stage with the duo taking out the State Leading Trainer title once again last year.

In conjunction, they went into the night with two of the three nominees for 3YO Colt or Gelding of the Year, with Christopher Dance NZ taking top spot.

Later in the night Team Bond celebrated Open Horse of the Year with 2024 WA Pacing Cup winner and Inter Dominion runner-up Minstrel deservedly taking the win, as well as Aardiebytheseaside NZ taking out Open Mare of the Year for the stable.

Shannon Suvaljko was awarded State Leading Driver for 2024 with 1271 drives for 197 wins and 326 placings for the season, finishing 14 wins ahead of the previous year’s winner, Gary Hall Jnr.

The Barry Howlett trained Our Maestoso NZ took home Open Trotter of the Year, with the square trotter a winner of five races from just eight starts, including the $50,000 Group 2 Trotters Cup in February.

Gary Hall Snr was recognised on the night with the Hall of Fame trainer awarded the Harness Racing Australia Distinguished Service Award for his incredible contributions to the WA harness racing industry.

A surprise to the highly esteemed trainer, Hall Snr was emotional on the night receiving his award, noting his love of the industry and his hope of a positive future for harness racing.

by Ashleigh Paikos, for RWWA