Just Folk wins back-to-back Bendigo Horse of the Year titles

The announcement was made at the Bendigo Trainers' Association's annual presentation dinner, held in the Bendigo Jockey Club's Silks Dining Room, on Saturday night.

Just Folk also claimed back-to-back middle distance horse of the year titles.

Formerly trained by Josh Julius, who stepped away from training at the end of the season and now works as a curator for the BJC, Just Folk is continuing his career under the guidance of Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood.

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He won six of 32 starts - including two at Group 2 level - and was placed seven times while trained in Bendigo, for stakes earnings of $772,413.

Nearly $268,000 of that prizemoney was accumulated during the 2022-23 season, highlighted by three Listed and one Group 3 seconds.

A prolific and gratifying campaign for Julius took the son of Magnus and Fast Ruby everywhere from Flemington and Randwick to Eagle Farm, Sunshine Coast and his home track of Bendigo, and a few stops in between.

Humbly and highly content with his decision to walk away from training and excited about his new role at the BJC, Julius was elated to score a couple of final accolades with Just Folk on Saturday night.

"He might not have won a race (in 2022-23), but he was certainly competing in the races that everyone wants to be in," he said.

"Four seconds in black-type races last spring is nothing to be sneezed at and got him the win.

"Credit to the horse, the seconds he got, we tried to place him as well as we could, and in most of his races he was giving five or six kilos to his counterparts in those races.

"He's an honest horse, as everyone knows, and given those results, he's certainly a warranted winner.

"I'm as excited as anyone to see how his career unfolds down at Cranbourne and what Gavin can do with him.

"I know (Just Folk's) job is not done."

In other horse of the year night awards, Equine Philosopher pipped Wertheimer for the stayer's prize.

Trained by Jarrod Robinson, Equine Philosopher won three races and was placed five times for earnings of $66,520.

The Matthew Enright-trained Wertheimer failed to win a race, but was twice placed in country cups and finished a bold fourth in the Group 3 Bendigo Cup, won by High Emocean, for earnings of $50,450, making the decision a line-ball call.

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A $150,000 open race win late in the season at Caulfield clinched the three-year-old award for Shane Fliedner with Cute As.

The Rod Symons-trained Pendante won the two-year-old award on the back of one win and a fourth at Listed level in the VOBIS Gold Elvstroem Classic at Swan Hill in June.

It was back-to-back wins for Symons, who won it with Penultimate One in 2021-22.

Trained by Brent Stanley, El Salto won the sprinter's title.

The now six-year-old won three times during the season, including on the host club's two biggest days on the racing calendar, the Bendigo Cup and Golden Mile day.

Already determined before Saturday night, Stanley won the leading trainer award with 18 wins for the season, 11 ahead of Robinson and Fliedner.

His tally included three wins apiece with El Salto, Sorel Rising and Serenaur.

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Robinson claimed the trainer's strike rate award, with his seven winners from 43 starters producing a win-percentage of 16.28 per cent.

Shelley Kirkpatrick won the leading picnic trainer's award in an ultra-close race against Aileen Vanderfeen.

Starcrippa, who provided Kirkpatrick with her first ever country cup success at Mansfield in January, was named picnic horse of the year, following two wins and four placings over distances ranging from 1150m to 1540m.

In a surprise announcement - no more so than to the awards night's MC Ric McIntosh - the racecaller was presented with the Donna Philpot Memorial Award for his outstanding contribution to promoting the Bendigo racing industry and trainers.

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