BY MIKE DILLON
Sunline for New Zealand sports icon of the year.
That's what the champion mare has been nominated for, but beauracracy may get in the way.
Thoroughbred Marketing has nominated the champion mare for the Halberg Award, to be presented at the Say When Sports Awards of New Zealand dinner in Christchurch on February 15, but there is a hitch.
The conditions of the Halberg Award do not specifically exclude non-humans, but the three categories from which the supreme winner is selected - outstanding performance by a woman, outstanding performance by a man and outstanding performance by a team - present a problem.
"I think it's marvellous that Sunline has been nominated, fantastic really, but the whole thing could run into problems eventually," said Halberg trust chief executive Dave Currie.
Currie has become a huge Sunline fan as a result of sharing offices with Thoroughbred Marketing and the breeders of Sunline Susan Archer and Mike Martin.
"To start with I knew nothing about horses, but I got carried into following Sunline's achievements and I think it's extraordinary what she's done."
Sunline has been nominated for the Outstanding Performance by a Woman award, but perhaps a better category may have been the team award - there is no question Trevor and Stephen McKee have been a major guiding force. Their immaculate timing of Sunline's Cox Plate preparation has been one of this year's highlights.
Sunline has become the first equine nomination for the Halberg Award since the national sports awards were revamped in 1988.
By Government decree Bonecrusher was the first non-human official New Zealand sports ambassador in 1987 after his sensational run of form in Australia.
Sunline had a serious gallop at Takanini yesterday in preparation for the $60,000 Auckland Thorioughbred Breeders Stakes at the Counties Cup meeting on Saturday.
Stephen McKee dispelled any rumours the champion mare was a doubtful starter on Saturday, the theory being she was not ready for such a test.
"She'd have been ready if she hadn't galloped this morning," said McKee.
"Ideally, we would have liked one week less between this race and the Hong Kong Mile, but we can adjust to accommodate that."
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A round-the-clock vigil continues at Inverness Stud in the New South Wales' southern highlands where Songline is taking her time producing a Danehill brother or sister to Australasian champion Sunline.
Songline was originally due to foal on October 28, the day her famous daughter won her second Cox Plate, but studmaster Ross Bone said there no concerns about the mare's health.
"She's always late, but by the time this one arrives it will be ready for the Cox Plate," Bone said.
"We've got someone with her 24 hours a day. She was very agitated yesterday afternoon and we thought it was going to happen then.
"But she's taking her time. These things happen when they happen, we can't hurry it.
"She's fine and it should happen tonight or tomorrow morning."
Inverness Stud will offer an Octagonal half-brother to Sunline at next year's Easter sale.
Sunline assumed the mantle of Australasia's highest stakeswinner from Octagonal with her Cox Plate victory.
If Songline's foal is a colt it would also be for sale but the stud would more than likely retain the offspring if she produces a filly.
Racing: Sports icon of the year for Sunline?
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