Extract courtesy the West Australian website:

Trainer Fred Kersley praised Northerly's toughness after the six-year old gelding was named Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year on the back of his stellar Melbourne spring carnival.

Northerly becomes just the second WA horse to win the award after Placid Ark in 1987.

Northerly proved he was the best weight-for-age galloper in the land with his second Cox Plate victory, just seven days after becoming the first horse in 22 years to carry 58kg to victory in the Caulfield Cup.

He also claimed the $1.25 million Australian Cup for the second time in the qualifying period among a seasonal stakes tally of $5.54 million

Northerly polled 132 of a possible 159 votes from racing administrators and media to convincingly defeat his only rival for the title, Sydney horse Lonhro. Northerly was controversially beaten for the title last year, due mainly to the Sydney vote for Sunline, a horse he beat every time they met.

At the awards ceremony at the Crown Casino complex in Melbourne last night, Northerly also won the Champion Middle Distance horse and the Magic Millions Bloodstock Most Popular Racehorse award, which is decided by a public vote.

it's about ************ time northerly got horse of the year. the best horse i've seen. a champion. well done to fred kersley and connections.

northerly forever!

Belatedly, let me offer my heartiest congratulations to this mighty horse being crowned as Horse Of the Year as well as picking up "most popular" horse and best middle distance horse. No-one can deny his credentials, having won two of our blue riband events during the year.
The jury is still out as to how he has been handled but nothing should detract from the courage and strength displayed by this mighty horse during the last racing season.
As irrelevant as it is, debate is still raging as to whether he is a true "champion." Particularly, from connections of other pretenders to his crown. It is all subjective and he has earned his accolades. Hopefully he can emulate his feats in the upcoming season.

Cheers.

Wayne Hawkes made comments on radio to the effect that Northerly had not proved himself to be in the champion category. It is interesting though that he seemed to mainly list horses trained by John as having that mantle.

G'day croft,

He certainly has some good ones currently and any number of potential"stars" ready to make the step up to being top-liners.
I've got a lot of admiration for that old campaigner, Freemason. He has always raced against the best and has accumulated in excess of $2Million.
In any other era he would probably be in the equine Hall of Fame.

Cheers.

i'm a huge fan of wayne and john hawkes but wayne has let himself down terribly with his comments. he question's northerly's champion status. 2 cox plates, a caufield cup, 2 australian cups. enough said on Northerly. Hawkes says Northerly's inability to win over short trips makes him inferior. he has won from 1300 to 2400(with 58kg in caufield cup). Hawkes' so-called champs win first up. so what. lonhro couldn't get within 7 lengths of him in the cox plate. freemason an admirable tough war horse only beat him because of patrick payne's woeful ride. Hawkes' champ lonhro i doubt would run 2400. does this not make him a champion? horses can be champion's over their specialised trip. saintly wasn'tmuch of a sprinter but is still a champion. I put it to wayne hawkes and other doubters that if hawkes trained Northerly to 2 cox plates etc etc and 18 stakes wins of his 19 wins that he would be the first to say what a champion Northerly is. Wayne your comments are a disgrace! sour grapes wayno?

[ This Message was edited by: umrum on 2003-07-07 13:04 ]

Extract courtesy Racenet -

West Australian and Australian Champion Northerly suffered a tendon injury late yesterday and his racing career may be over.
Trainer Fred Kersley was understandably devastated at the news, and has been with the horse since the injury occurred.
West Australian reporter Ernie Manning said this morning:
"The injury happened late yesterday but the news was only heard today.
"Fred is still with Northerly, along with the vets, and his wife has been fielding the calls for him.
"They have given the horse anti-inflammatory's and they will do scans of the leg today.
"It'll be 48 hours before the extent of the injury is known.
"It certainly isn't life threatening but it could well be career threatening."

...

no no no no no no no no no no no no no no!NO!
spring racing without the champ will not be the same. damn it!

Commiserations fellas,

He was/is a great horse and deserves all accolades for his great career.
The horse is definitely one of the greats but how do you sandgropers feel about the way he was placed in unsuitable handicap events over here which detracted from his overall performance history.
Be honest, do you think his connections detracted from the potential of a truly great horse.
I still remember early this year when he began to race with his head turned to the side-normally this is an indication that the horse has had enough but this mighty horse kept giving his best every race.
A truly great horse and maybe a place in the equine hall of merit?
The jury is still out in respect of his credentials as being a "champion" -ask Fred about that.

Cheers.

I think Patrick Payne blemished his and Northerly's careers when riding the champ in sydney and in the C.F Orr stakes. Northerly only got a slight smudge but Payne has a big black mark next to his name. I think he had to run to get fit. Fred is the master dont worry about that. He knows Northerly back to front. If he doesnt run in the spring or ever again which are both likely it will be sad seeing inferior horses to him winning the races such as the underwood, yalumba, cox plate etc. holding back the tears. great great great horse. Greatest Caufield cup win ever with 58kg.(Might and Powers close second). his career still reads 19 wins(18 black typeand 9 G1's ) and 9 placings(all black type) from 34 starts. 28/ 34 yet his preffered distance was 1600m + beyond.