Courtesy The West Australian website:

Racing NSW chief handicapper Mark Webbey has thrown the cat among the pigeons by selecting Northerly as his Horse of the Year, "far ahead" of Lonhro and Defier.

Lonhro's legion of fans in Sydney reckon victory in tomorrow's $750,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick - which would give Lonhro his fifth Group 1 for the season - would be enough to earn the black flash Horse of the Year honours.

"No hope in the world," Webbey said in response.

"Northerly is by far and away the best-performed horse this season."

Webbey's controversial comments are sure to spark furious debate, especially from the camp of Lonhro's trainer, John Hawkes, and owners, Jack and Bob Ingham.

Add the spectre of the West Australian champ's three defeats in Sydney this autumn and Webbey's opinion will have its detractors.

"Even if Lonhro won on Saturday and went on to win the Doomben Cup, I still couldn't have him overtaking Northerly, who beat Lonhro by about 25 lengths in the Cox Plate.

Northerly has won four Group 1s this season - the Underwood, Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup last spring and the Australian Cup this autumn.

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