Premiership winners for 2016/2017

Trainer Nick Olive and Jockey Brendan Ward added to their ACT premiership tallies when the 1016-17 racing season wound up at Canberra of Friday.

Olive looked out of the race mid-season but came home with a wet sail scoring trebles at the last two meetings to top the Keith-Dryden–Scott Collings yard by 3 wins.

To add to the merit the Olive stable achieved a 24% strike rate on the Canberra course proper and 25% on the Acton synthetic.

Backing every horse from the yard would have produced a 41% profit-on-turnover which is remarkable for such a high-profile stable and a testament to the strength and competitiveness of racing in the capital.  

The Olive trained Lord Denman also took out the Horse of the Year Award, rounding out his last points with a third place on 28 July.

Jeff Penza made a last surge for the jockey premiership also scoring trebles at the last two meeting. These were achieved mainly on Olive-trained horses.

Penza ended the season with 17 Canberra winners two behind mid-season front-runner Matt Cahill and four behind Ward who scored a double at Friday’s meeting.

The up-and-coming Brock Ryan took out the ACT apprentice title despite an injury lay-off.

The first Canberra meeting of the new season will be held on the Acton of Friday 11 August.