The Australian Harness Horse of the Year is an honour that recognises the top harness racing horse in Australia. The award is selected by industry people and media representatives.
The inaugural award was won in 1976 by Don't Retreat, a New South Wales pacer who won 14 of his 24 starts in the 1975–1976 season for a total of $122,415.
The first and only trotter to win the award was Maori's Idol in 1978, a season in which he won 22 of his 24 starts. The first three-year-old to win the award was Run Joe Run in 1979; since then a three-year-old has won the award on three further occasions. The youngest horse to win the award was Lombo Pocket Watch, who won as a two-year-old in 2006.
The horses to have won the award most often are Westburn Grant (1989, 1991 and 1992), Our Sir Vancelot (1997, 1998 and 1999), Blacks A Fake (2007, 2008 and 2010), Im Themightyquinn (2011, 2012 and 2013), King Of Swing (2020, 2021 and 2022) and Leap To Fame (2023, 2024 and 2025), each winning three times. Smoken Up was the original winner of the 2011 award but became ineligible due to his disqualification from the Inter Dominion.
Past winners Horses that have been crowned Australian Harness Horse of the Year:
Year Horse Comments2025 Leap To FameThird successive win; became the Southern Hemisphere's first $5 million pacer; won 16 of 22 starts and earned $1,758,424 in prize money2024 Leap To FameWinner of the 2024 A G Hunter Cup, Miracle Mile Pace and Blacks A Fake Queensland Championship2023Leap To FameWinner of the 2023 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, the Rising Sun and Sunshine Sprint2022King Of Swing (NZ)Winner of the 2020 & 2022 A G Hunter Cup, 2020, 2021 & 2022 Miracle Mile Pace2021King Of Swing (NZ)Winner of the 2020 A G Hunter Cup, 2020 and 2021 Miracle Mile Pace2020King Of Swing (NZ)Winner of the 2020 A G Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile Pace2019Tiger Tara (NZ)Winner of the 2019 A G Hunter Cup, 2018 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2018 Victoria Cup2018LazarusWinner of the 2018 A G Hunter Cup, 2017 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2017 Victoria Cup2017SmoldaWinner of the 2016 A G Hunter Cup, 2016 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship2016LennythesharkWinner of the 2015 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2016 Victoria Cup2015BeautideWinner of the 2014 & 2015 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship2014BeautideWinner of the 2014 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2013 Miracle Mile Pace2013Im Themightyquinn (NZ)Winner of the 2011, 2012 & 2013 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2011 and 2013 Auckland Cup2012Im Themightyquinn (NZ)Winner of the 2011 & 2012 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship2011Im Themightyquinn (NZ)Winner of the 2011 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2011 Auckland Cup2010Blacks A FakeWinner of the 2010 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship2009Mr Feelgood (USA)Winner of the 2009 A G Hunter Cup, 2009 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship2008Blacks A FakeWinner of the 2008 A G Hunter Cup, 2006, 2007 & 2008 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2008 Queensland Pacing Championship2007Blacks A FakeWinner of the 2006 & 2007 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2006 Victoria Cup2006Lombo Pocket Watch2 Year Old2005Sokyola (NZ)Winner of the 2003 & 2004 Miracle Mile Pace2004Sokyola (NZ)Winner of the 2003 Miracle Mile Pace, 2004 Victoria Cup2003Double IdentityWinner of the 2002 Miracle Mile Pace, 2003 Victoria Cup, 2002 & 2003 Queensland Pacing Championship2002Smooth SatinWinner of the 2002 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2001 Miracle Mile Pace2001Atitagain (NZ)Winner of the 2000 Australian Pacing Championship and 2001 Ben Hur; 2nd in the 2001 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship and 2000 Miracle Mile Pace; 3rd in the 2001 Victoria Cup2000ShakamakerWinner of the 2000 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship and Ben Hur1999Our Sir Vancelot (NZ)Winner of the 1997, 1998 & 1999 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship1998Our Sir Vancelot (NZ)Winner of the 1997 & 1998 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 1997 Miracle Mile Pace1997Our Sir Vancelot (NZ)Winner of the 1997 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship1996Sunshine BandWinner of the 1995 Queensland Pacing Championship1995Golden ReignWinner of the 1995 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 1995 Victoria Cup1994Weona WarriorWinner of the 1994 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship1993Jack Morris (NZ)Winner of the 1993 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship1992Westburn GrantWinner of the 1992 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship1991Westburn GrantWinner of the 1989 & 1990 Miracle Mile Pace, 1990 Queensland Pacing Championship1990ThorateWinner of the 1990 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship1989Westburn Grant3 Year Old; winner of the 1989 New Zealand Derby, Globe Derby Mile and NSW Derby1988Village KidWinner of the 1986 & 1987 Miracle Mile Pace1987Rufus Young Blood3 Year Old1986Village KidWinner of the 1986 A G Hunter Cup, 1986 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 1986 Miracle Mile Pace1985Preux ChevalierWinner of the 1985 A G Hunter Cup, 1985 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 1985 Miracle Mile Pace, 1985 Queensland Pacing Championship, 1984 Victoria Cup1984GammaliteWinner of the 1983 & 1984 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship1983Popular AlmWinner of the 1983 A G Hunter Cup, 1983 Miracle Mile Pace, 1982 & 1983 Victoria Cup, 1983 Queensland Pacing Championship1982GammaliteWinner of the 1982 A G Hunter Cup, 1982 Auckland Cup, 1981 Queensland Pacing Championship1981San SimeonWinner of the 1981 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship1980Pure SteelWinner of the 1978, 1979 & 1980 A G Hunter Cup1979Run Joe RunAs a 3-year-old recorded 17 wins and two seconds from 19 starts, including the NSW Pacers Derby, NSW Sires Produce Stakes, NSW Southern Cross Stakes, Queensland Pacers Derby and the inaugural Australian Pacers Derby in Perth1978Maori's IdolThe first Australian trotter to beat 2 minutes for the mile; 40 wins from 46 races in his career, including 8 wins against pacers1977Paleface AdiosWinner of the 1976 Miracle Mile Pace, 1977 Victoria Cup, 1977 Queensland Pacing Championship1976Don't RetreatWinner of the 1976 Victoria Cup, 1976 Queensland Pacing Championship
See also Australian Pacing Championship New Zealand Trotting Cup Harness racing in Australia Harness racing in New Zealand
References