Voting in some categories for this season’s Equus Awards is going to be tough on the judges and there will likely be plenty of soul searching and arguments come Saturday night, July 30, when voting takes place.

With three Gr1 races and the Gr2 eLan Gold Cup to be decided on Super Saturday along with three other Gr2’s, voting could be made easier or more complicated and there are sure to be a few contentious decisions in the mix.

As far as the two-year-old colts go it looks a straight fight between Gr1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion winner Always In Charge and Gr2 Golden Horseshoe winner Zodiac Ruler. With only three Gr1 races on offer in this category and the filly Cloth Of Cloud winning the Gr1 SA Nursery it could all come down to the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes in a fortnight’s time. Both Always In Charge and Zodiac Ruler are entries with the latter drawn 1 and the former at 10, a gate that is likely to come in a few spots at final acceptances. If both run the result could very well decide where the award is headed.

The filly’s category is a little more complicated. Cloth Of Cloud won the SA Nursery beating the colts and is unbeaten to date while The Secret Is Out won the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship and Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes. Neither filly is nominated for Super Saturday but Seattle Singer is. Corne Spies’s filly, second on debut behind The Secret Is Out and second in the Gold Medallion, is nominated for three races. She is drawn 27 in the Premiers Champion Stakes over 1600m, 11 in the Thekwini Stakes over the same distance and 5 in the Gr2 Umkomazi Stakes over 1200m. Fursa, winner of the SA Fillies Nursery, is also an absentee on Super Saturday but Final Judgement, Dawn Calling and Sail, first, second and third respectively in the Gr2 Daisy Golden Slipper are among the nominations

Of the three-year-old fillies Bela-Bela, third in the Gr1 Paddock Stakes behind Smart Call, winner of the Gr1 Woolavington 2000, the Gr2 Daisy Fillies Guineas and sixth in the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July is an obvious candidate along with Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Silver Mountain.

The colt’s award will be hotly debated. Triple Crown winner Abashiri will be in the mix along with Gr1 Cape Guineas and Gr2 Dingaans winner Noah From Goa and Gr2 Canon Guineas and Gr1 Daily News winner Rabada. Marinaresco put his hand up when second to The Conglomerate in the Vodacom Durban July after winning two legs of the Winter Challenge Series in the Western Cape. He is an entry for the G1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Stakes on Super Saturday but has drawn wide and may not take his place although a win would be fitting as this will be Bass’s last meeting before retiring.

In the Older Male category, it will be difficult to look past Legal Eagle after his wins in the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes and the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Challenge even though sprinter Talktothetstas is officially rated one-pound superior.

Older Filly or Mare throws up an intriguing contest with the likes of G1 J&B Met winner Smart Call, multiple Gr1 winner Inara and top sprinter Carry On Alice at the top of most people’s list. Inara has won five races this season including three Gr1’s.

Top sprinter could rest between Talktothestars and Carry On Alice with Red Ray also in contention after his Mercury Sprint win.

For Champion Miler it will be difficult to look past Legal Eagle but Middle Distance throws up a puzzle. Smart Call easily beat Legal Eagle in the J&B Met but the latter has since come out and won the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Challenge. His season is done but a win for The Conglomerate in the G1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Stakes could make it interesting.

Champion Stayer is often a category with thin form and many times has hinged on the outcome of the Gold Cup. The category is judged at 2400m and further so Abashiri’s win in the Gr1 SA Derby makes him a solid contender in a wide open category.

So while some are obvious candidates for an Equus Award there are other categories that are up for serious and possibly contentious debate.

Andrew Harrison