Dorsett double sees him to Horse of the Year

With sights set on a third-straight win in the Sandy Lane Barbados Goal Cup next week, two-time winner Dorsett was named Horse of the Year when the Barbados Thoroughbred Breeders Association (BTBA) and the Barbados Turf Club hosted the 2017 Garrison Turf Awards. With the ceremony being held at Island Inn Hotel on Saturday night, the Steve and Allan Madoo-owned mount succeeded 2016 winner Northern Star as it joined the ranks of the likes of Just A Fashion, Shared Adventure and three-time Gold Cup winner Blast OF Storm.

During the ceremony, BTBA President Peter Odle bemoaned the association’s small membership, calling on other breeders to join up as the organisation hoped to create a stronger horse-breeding fraternity. “We have a small membership, just around 40 people, and really and truly I think they around 80 or 85 breeders in Barbados and we really would like to be able to get at least 60 or 70 of those people to join the association. We’re not asking you to come and get involved in the work if you don’t want to, but come and at least give us some support and show a little solidarity. It is really quite disconcerting when you put in the effort and sometimes you don’t feel like it is appreciated by some of the people who are involved.” he said.

Along with Dorsett’s big win, other highlights on the night saw Victor Cheeseman winning his fifth-straight Champion Trainer Award taking the title from 2013 to 2017. A feat only equalled and surpassed by W.C ‘Bill’ Marshall who won 1991-1995 and 2000-2006.
Once again, Sir Charles Williams showed that he does not only move the earth to please as he picked up his 10th straight Champion Breeder Award. Winning every year since 2008, the construction magnate continues to cart off the coveted title. After giving last year a miss, Rickey Walcott picked back up the Champion Jockey award. (MP)