Rainbow Bridge Crowned South African HOTY

Conducted on Tuesday night, South Africa's 'night of nights' was once again held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Champions of the season were still applauded, headlined by multiple Gr1 winner Rainbow Bridge (Ideal World-Halfway To Heaven, by Jet Master) who took home the top honour of Horse Of The Year as well as the awards for Champion Older Male and Champion Middle Distance 1800-2200m, while his dam was named Equus Champion Broodmare for the third consecutive season. With Gr1 victories in the Cape Town Met (2000m) and the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge (1600m) from just six season starts, it was enough to clinch the top prize against a quality line of G1 winners. The Australian connections at the awards saw Varsfontein's Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready), who was bred and sold in Australia as a yearling, crowned the Champion Sire, while the very same farm were given the International Award as the breeders of Yulong Prince (Gimmethegreenlight), who was imported to Australia and into the care of Chris Waller, where he recorded success in the Gr1 Cantala Stakes (1600m) at Flemington before his retirement to Yulong Stud to commence his stallion career.