SENTIMENT or performance will be a question facing the judges of the 2014 Equus Horse of the Year award.

The awards panel also face a stiff task in finding the winner of many other categories, and there is sure to be further animated debate among racing fans when the names of the winners are announced on Wednesday, 13 August, at the award ceremony to be held at Emperors Palace.

The two-year-old awards could be the toughest as there is no obvious winner of either the colts or fillies categories.

Afrikaburn beat Harry’s Son in the Grade 1 Golden Horseshoe but the roles were reversed in the Grade Premiers Champion Stakes. Guiness won the Grade 1 Gold Medallion over 1200m at Scottsville but was beaten by the other two in the Golden Horseshoe.

The fillies have a similar problem with the nominees including Alboran Sea, Bilateral, Carry On Alice and Same Jurisdiction.

The three-year-old colt award is also tricky as you have a horse who won three Grade 1 races, including the Vodacom Durban July, in Legislate, as well as Louis The King, who won the SASCOC Triple Crown. It is not an easy feat to achieve, winning three top races over 1600m, 1800m and 2450m, in the space of two months.

You also have Futura in that list and he beat older horses well over 1800m at Greyville, setting a course record in the process.

The three-year-old fillies nominated – Along Came Polly, Athina and In The Fast Lane – have all won Grade 1 events but perhaps the best case can be made for Along Came Polly, who won the Empress Club Stakes, beating older fillies and mares.

The award every owner wants to win is the Horse Of The Year. The winner of any category is eligible and there are a number of options. The sentimental choice would probably be Beach Beauty but at the end of the day it could come down to Legislate and Yorker as both have won three Grade 1 races this season.

The full nominee list for this year’s Equus awards:

Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding
Afrikaburn; Guiness; Harry’s Son (AUS)
Two-Year-Old Filly
Alboran Sea (AUS); Bilateral; Carry On Alice; Majmu (AUS); Same Jurisdiction
Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding
Futura; Legislate; Louis The King
Three-Year-Old Filly
Along Came Polly; Athina; In The Fast Lane
Champion Older Male
Capetown Noir; Copper Parade; Hill Fifty Four; King Of Pain; Yorker
Champion Older Filly/Mare
Beach Beauty; Via Africa
Champion Sprinter (1000-1200m)
Copper Parade; Fly By Night; Via Africa
Champion Miler (1400-1600m)
Beach Beauty; Capetown Noir; King Of Pain; Yorker
Champion Middle Distance Horse (1800-2200m)
Beach Beauty; Futura; Hill Fifty Four; Legislate; Louis The King; Yorker
Champion Stayer (2400m and up)
Hot Ticket; Louis The King; Wavin’ Flag

Other categories featured at the Equus Awards include Champion Stallion; Champion Broodmare; Champion Breeder; Special Achievement; Print Media Award; TV Media Award; Apprentice of the Year; Champion Jockey; Champion Trainer; Owner of the Year; Horse of the Year.

 Headline photo: Sheikh Hamdan’s Majmu, Equus contender.