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10 OUTSTANDING WORKERS IN HORSE RACING HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE 2023/24 ‘SYDNEY STRAPPER OF THE YEAR’ AWARD

The final nominations for Racing NSW’s 2023/24 Sydney Strapper of the Year award have been announced. Now in its 15th year, this award endeavours to recognise the behind-the-scenes efforts by those strappers that tend to go beyond the call of duty.

The award is sponsored by Racing NSW and co-ordinated by Australian Racing Christian Chaplaincy. The award is peer-nominated with strappers at Metropolitan race meetings being invited to nominate who they think is deserving of the award.

A selection panel of racing officials will subsequently choose the winner from the following short-list of finalists to be announced during NSW's Racing's Night of Champions on Thursday, 29 August 2024:

Alicia Henderson (James Cummings stable): Horses strapped – In Secret, Traffic Warden, Dipsy Doodle. “Alicia consistently goes above and beyond in caring for the racehorses under her management, demonstrating a passion that is crucial in the meticulous care of these finely tuned animals. On racedays, Alicia ensures our team’s high standards of presentation are met, presenting her horses in immaculate condition. The preparation for our horses’ target races begins long before raceday, where Alicia’s care and attention to each horse are paramount for them to fulfil their potential. She dedicates extra time to grooming and caring for her horses, coordinating closely with the team to ensure they receive the best care possible. Her individual contributions highlight the significant impact that dedicated strappers like her can have when prioritising the welfare of their horses.”

Anandha Durieux (John Sargent): Ningaloo Star, Gin Martini. “Anandha is an incredibly reliable, hardworking, trustworthy, dedicated and integral member of our staff. Since joining our team two years ago, Anandha has continued to impress and develop her skills and knowledge of not only horses but also the racing industry. Anandha’s role at the stable is vast with many different important everyday jobs that help the stable operate in a smooth and professional manner. Anandha’s roles include overseeing all stable movements and overseeing trackwork gear as well as riding trackwork. She cares for horses and helps with general stable work such as boxes, saddling, washing and horse treatments. Anandha also takes huge pride in her raceday responsibilities which include strapping and travelling interstate. Anandha is always willing to go above and beyond.”

Ashish Kumar (Bjorn Baker): Ozzmosis, Steffi Magnetica, Passagiatia,. “When Ashish joined my stable in 2017, he was a young man from India with little experience working with horses. Over the past seven years Ashish has shown exceptional growth thanks to his hard work and strong horsemanship skills. Describing him as a natural with both the staff and the horses doesn’t do him justice – he is completely reliable, and I have unwavering trust in him. His qualities have made him an indispensable part of my stable and I couldn’t run things the same way without him. Ashish doesn’t only handle the ‘Glory Horses’ as he often ends up with some of the more highly strung ones due to his lovely, calm and gentle demeanour. Ashish is a great example of how it doesn’t matter where you start or who you know in this industry, it’s the work you put in.”

Bhojraj Singh (Chris Waller): Who Shot Thebarman, Estadio Mestalla, Etna Rosso. “Bhojraj (Raj) has worked for us for seven years and has been an extremely reliable and loyal staff member and nothing asked of him is ever too big or small. Raj is based at Rosehill with a young family but more than happy to travel to our Warwick Farm stable at short notice to lend a hand to the team there when required. Raj is a very experienced and kind rider. He used to ride tricky horses such as Verry Elleegant when her main track rider was away or Who Shot TheBarman. Raj is often seen at the races or around the stables looking after/riding and strapping the highly strung fillies due to his calming and positive demeanour keeping the fillies nice and relaxed. Raj is a hard worker and is usually first to work and last to leave and is always there to lend a hand. Raj deserves every accolade he gets.”

Christine Brincat (Joe Pride): Lekvarte, Dragonstone, City of Lights, Anagain, Wild Botanica, Headley Grange. “We believe Christine is the perfect fit for the Sydney Strapper of the Year award. She has a fantastic character – is always positive and kind, which makes her great to be around the stables. Her horse handling skills are top-notch as she really understands what each horse needs and takes great care of them. Christine always looks professional and her work ethic is incredible. She is reliable, hardworking and always goes the extra mile. Christine is a key part of the Joe Pride stable, helping whenever needed and mentoring new staff. In short, Christine’s passion and dedication make her an outstanding strapper and truly deserving finalist for this prestigious award.”

Franki Yates (Danny Williams): Shelby Sixty Six, Wizard Of Oz, Bandi’s Boy, Atmospheric Rock. “Franki Yates is a very happy person with great character and humour who is always willing to teach others. Franki has taken on – over and above her role – extra work while Danny has been injured. She will start at 3am (two hours before the other staff arrive) to get extra work done six to seven mornings per week. And she will sometimes stay around helping until midday. She would then come back in the afternoon to help feed and rug the horses. And Franki does all this whilst studying for her Bachelor of Engineering degree and training for various competitions – including “Pink Triathlon” for breast cancer, HYROX Competition and now City to Surf. She is always polite, willing to give a hand and enjoys what she does – working with horses for the passion of racing!”

James Dunn (Sam Kavanagh): Aramayo, Metallic Ruler, Wrathful, Magnatear. “James is a very reliable employee with a great work ethic and can be entrusted to take the horses to the races without any assistance when required. When Sam was unwell for extended periods during the season, James took on extra responsibilities and this involved driving the horse float, saddling up the horses and strapping them at both barrier trials and race meetings – all on his own. In addition to the Sydney meetings, he travelled all over the state including places such as Tamworth, Port Macquarie and Kembla Grange. James is very good at communication with our owners and with other team members and always has himself and his horses well presented.”

Kirsty Formosa (Jeremy Sylvester): Largo’s Daughter, Master of Rewards, Classy Jaybee. “With over 30 years of dedicated service in the racing industry while raising a family on her own, Kirsty Formosa embodies the qualities and expertise that make her a standout candidate for this esteemed recognition. Kirsty’s extensive experience in the racing industry spans across various roles from being a jockey and a trainer, by riding trackwork and her love of strapping horses at the races. Her unwavering commitment and passion are evident in her ability to care for raceday horses with the utmost dedication and professionalism. One of Kirsty’s remarkable attributes is her willingness to travel long distances including overnight stays and week-long interstate commitments, showcasing her reliability and strong work ethic. Kirsty’s wisdom and compassion resonate with clients, owners, racing officials and colleagues alike.”

Taneesha King (Theresa Bateup): The Guru, Vain Invader, Hope Uno, Divine Breath. “Taneesha is a highly dedicated employee who is representative of the staff you want working in your stable. She is an asset to our stable and to the racing industry. During her five years with the stable, Taneesha has developed high level skills of horse management, knowledge and horsemanship. She is highly reliable and displays flexibility, resilience and takes a great deal of pride in everything she does. Taneesha often travels long distances to the races (having attended most racetracks from Tamworth to Wagga, Orange, Sapphire Coast and most tracks in between)! Taneesha has also developed great relationships with owners and will send them photos and videos. She also passes on her knowledge by educating new staff in the stables, highlighting her leadership skills and building a positive culture in the work environment.”

Vinay Raturi (Waterhouse & Bott stable): Raf Attack, Butch Cassidy, Steel Strike, Shangri La Express, Hoo Ya Mal, Keenan. “Vinay Raturi is a credit to our stables and always represents Waterhouse & Bott Racing to the highest standard. He is capable with any horse and displays the utmost attention to equine welfare with his impressive horse skills. This is an exceptional achievement as he had never had experience with horses before starting work here four years ago. Vinay loves strapping horses and always looks stylish and well presented as he goes about it. He is always doing that bit extra and will gladly help in any way he can. He has an impressive strike rate with the horses he straps with results such as Shangri La Express (won Golden Gift), Raf Attack (Gloaming Stakes), Butch Cassidy (ran during The Championships) and Hoo Ya Mal (2nd Rosehill Stakes).”

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