Racing: Ultimate Machete wins by a nose

Natalie Rasmussen drives Ultimate Machete to victory in the NZ Trotting Cup last November. Photo / Racing Desk

Two epic wins and a host of serious seconds have been enough to win Ultimate Machete the closest battle at the harness Horse of the Year awards.

The Sires' Stakes and Sales Series hero was voted three-year-old pacer of the year, winning by one vote (14-13) over stablemate Vincent for one of the glamour awards at last night's ceremony in Christchurch.

On a night where Lazarus fittingly secured all 27 votes for Horse of the Year, Pacer of the Year and four-year-old, the tightest contest came down to the two three-year-old pacers.

Ultimate Machete was crushing in his late 2016 form but Vincent had the better of him in both the NSW and NZ Derbies after New Year. But New Zealand form, particularly that during Cup week, stuck in the voter's minds the most.

Ultimate Machete may also have been aided by the fact that even when he didn't win he was also second in both Vincent's Derbies, the Northern Derby and the Jewels, meaning he was rarely far from voters' minds.

Either pacer would have been a worthy winner as they both set serious national records and which one goes further this season will be fascinating, Vincent looking the more richly talented but Ultimate Machete having the Bettors Delight blood which has so dominated the pacing landscape in the last five years.

On a night with plenty of clean sweeps, Smolda, The Orange Agent, Enghien, Monbet and Chevron Express were unanimous winners of their age divisions while Dream About Me, Temporale, Wilma's Mate, Spankem, Paramount King and Spanish Armada secured almost every vote in theirs.

One of the closer calls was the aged trotting mare where a little surprisingly Sunny Ruby (15) outpointed Habibti Ivy (8) and Quite A Moment (4), not that the winner didn't deserve it but her hottest form was mainly in Australia and that can often make less impression on voters.

Monbet's brilliance and higher profile saw him edge out stablemate Enghien for trotter of the year (16-11).

The juvenile fillies divisions were also relatively close, trotter Aoraki winning 17-10 over Renezmae, the same margin Elle Mac downed Dizzy Miss Lizzy by in the

pacing division in a result that could have gone either way.

Love You and Bettors Delight won the top stallion awards, Lazarus's mum Bethany top pacing broodmare and Enghien's dam Another Starlet top trotting dam. Brian West was Breeder of the Year.

And after sharing in the ownership of Lazarus, Smolda, Ultimate Machete and Spankem, Christchurch couple Phil and Glenys Kennard had to win the owners of the year.

The outstanding contribution award was enormously popular, going to Phil and Bev Williamson, who continue to set records for training trotting winners while their sons star in the sulky.

Keiran McNaught won the cadet of the year, with Dexter Dunn (driver), Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen (trainers) and Rory McIlrick (junior driver) recognised for winning their premierships.