Victorian Racehorse of the Year comes down to four
The finalists for the prestigious Victorian Racehorse of the Year award have been revealed, with four of the state’s biggest stars to battle it out for racing’s top individual honour.
Half Yours, Observer, Tentyris and defending winner Via Sistina have all been shortlisted after standout performances during the 2025-26 Victorian racing season. The winner will be announced at the Victorian Racing Awards in Melbourne on Saturday night.
The annual award is decided by a panel of Victorian racing officials, journalists and broadcasters and recognises performances on Victorian tracks throughout the season.
Via Sistina is chasing history by becoming the first horse since Winx (2017-19) to win the award multiple times, while Half Yours, Observer and Tentyris are all seeking a maiden title after exceptional campaigns.
Half Yours
Only four starts on Victorian soil in 2025-26 were needed for Half Yours to enter the record books for trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy.
After a dominant performance in the Naturalism Stakes and a fast-finishing fourth in the Turnbull Stakes, the five-year-old completed the rare Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double, becoming just the 13th horse to achieve the feat.
Observer
A tough and talented three-year-old, Observer progressed from an unlucky Caulfield Guineas placing to all-the-way victories in the Moonee Valley Vase and Victoria Derby during the spring.
The colt returned in autumn to add the Australian Guineas to his résumé, becoming just the fourth horse to complete the Victoria Derby-Australian Guineas double.
Tentyris
Few horses produced more explosive Group 1 victories during the season than Tentyris.
The star colt claimed the Gothic Stakes and Coolmore Stud Stakes before returning to Flemington in autumn to overpower older rivals in the Black Caviar Lightning.
Via Sistina
Champion mare Via Sistina again delivered on Victorian racing’s biggest stage.
The Chris Waller-trained superstar claimed back-to-back Cox Plates in what was the final edition of the race at the original Moonee Valley layout before closing her career with a second consecutive Champions Stakes victory.
In addition to the Racehorse of the Year honour, Saturday night’s awards will recognise the season’s leading jockeys, trainers, apprentices and retrainers, while the finalists for the Most Outstanding Training Performance award will be announced on Wednesday.
