Dinner break at HRNZ Annual Awards

It's halftime at tonight's Harness Racing New Zealand's annual awards night at Addington Raceway and so far 20 awards have been decided.

A sell-out crowd of around 300 are at the awards which will culminate with the naming of the Horse of the Year just before 10pm.

Among the early awards was 3YO Pacing Colt or Gelding of the year. Would it be Got the Chocolates or Marketplace after a 2025 that saw their rivalry go to a whole new level?

Their head-to-heads were a highlight of the year with the judges opting for the Regan Todd-trained Marketplace, following his Group 1 win in November's New Zealand Pacing Derby. 

Jumal was named 2YO Pacing Colt-Gelding after a 2025 that saw him win six from seven. His only defeat was a third behind Freeze Frame in the Woodlands Stud Sires' Stakes 2YO Colts and Geldings Final.

Top Australian pacer Kingman won 4YO Pacing Colt/Gelding of the year after his hit and run mission across the Tasman where he won the IRT New Zealand Cup and the Group 1 Christian Cullen while the top 4YO and 5YO Trotting Entires/Geldings were emerging star Hillbilly Blues and last year's Reharvest Rowe Cup winner Bet N Win.

The 5YO Pacing/Entire of the Year went to Republican Party who chalked up four Group 1s in 2025 including the Auckland Cup - Invercargill Cup double for the second year running.

Stablehand of the Year went to Bailey Anderson while Monika Ranger was named the junior driver with the highest strike rate (23 wins with a UDR of .2980).

The best Moment of the Season, which was decided by public vote, went to Jim Curtin and his 100th win at Westport's Patterson Park on Boxing Day.

Right now it's the Dinner Break at the awards - and here's what's on offer.

Entree :

Cold smoked salmon, with walnut, rye, lemon oil, and baby rocket
Confit thyme and garlic lamb shoulder rillettes, with mustard croute and cranberry and mint glaze

Main : 

Grass-fed eye fillet, potato and pumpkin gratin, roasted truss tomatoes and truffled greens
Sage roasted chicken Maryland with confit shallots, parsnip, green beans and lemon velouté

Dessert : 

White chocolate and raspberry torte with raspberry vincotto and chocolate soil
Frangipane seasonal fruit tart, with anglaise and almond crisp 

The awards will get underway shortly and there will be updates on HRNZ's social media channels throughout the night with a comprehensive round up on the HRNZ website at 10pm.