News

Loved Up wins SDRA Horse of the Year

24th Nov 2015

The Daily Advertiser - By Matt Malone - Friday 20 November, 2015

Albury mare Loved Up enjoyed her final racetrack accolade when she was named Southern District Racing Association (SDRA) Horse of the Year on Friday night.

Loved Up appeared the standout of the nine finalists and there was no surprises as she was awarded 2014-15 Horse of the Year at the SDRA Awards Night at Murrumbidgee Turf Club.

She was voted a unanimous winner by the SDRA committee.

Loved Up enjoyed an outstanding season as a three-year-old filly, amassing $477,525 in prizemoney in eight starts.

The highlights included wins in the Scone Guineas, SDRA Country Championship Heat and Albury Guineas, while she also finished second in the Wagga Town Plate.

Unfortunately, Loved Up was retired in October after a throat injury and will be sold as a broodmare.

“It’s good to win the award,” part-owner David Hush said.

“She won two-year-old Horse of the Year last year and came back and won the big one this year.

“It’s very devastating that she’s retired and it probably didn’t sink in until the horse turned up at the farm.”

David and Alison Hush, of Davali Thoroughbreds in the Hunter Valley, purchased Loved Up privately after she was passed in at the Inglis Yearling Sales.

She was raced by the Hushs, Brett and Lauren Cavanough, Gerard Judd, Glenn Chapman, Shaun Hush, Sam Barker and the Tait family from Wyong.

Cavanough appreciated what the filly did for his stable.

“She enjoyed a great year,” Cavanough said.

“As all of us professional horse trainers know, as fantastic as she was, as soon as she’s out the back door, it’s about bringing the next one through the front.”

Also at Friday night’s awards, Stuart Lamont paid tribute to the late Bert Honeychurch.

Honeychurch passed away earlier this month but will go down as one of SDRA’s greatest trainers.

Cavanough, who is closing is on Honeychurch for SDRA trainer’s premierships, summed it up well.

“Around here, Bert Honeychurch is God,” he said.

Cavanough also praised the concept of the awards night.