TIGIDIG Tigidig was crowned Geelong’s Most Popular Racehorse at the Geelong Racing Awards last Thursday night.
The luckless galloper was unable to score a clear victory on the track last season but his efforts did not go unnoticed by members of the Thoroughbred Club of Geelong and its Facebook community, and Geelong Racing Club members who all voted for the award.
The five-year-old polled an impressive 11.39 per cent of the vote to edge out 2015 Geelong Racehorse of the Year Crafty Cruiser on 9.49 per cent with dual Geelong Racehorse of the Year winner Sertorius, who was Most Popular Racehorse the two previous seasons, in third place on 7.59 per cent.
Simon Jarman accepted the trophy on behalf of his fellow thrilled owners – 20th Hole Syndicate, Julie Duynhoven, Abel Freeman, Christine Hart, Georgina Malady, Hardache Syndicate, Nathan Panozzo, Mark Richards, Jeffrey Richards, Russell Schulz, Mark Sostheim and Marita Wright.
“Who would have thought ‘Tigi’ would have saluted against all those good horses.” Simon said.
“It must have been all the place betters who voted for him.”
Tigidig Tigidig had a remarkable record for the season starting 10 times for a dead-heat for first at Geelong in May and eight second placings.
Trainer Vincent Malady said Tigidig Tigidig always gave his best but often found one better on the day.
“It is very rare for a horse to run so many seconds in a season,” Vincent said.
“He really deserved more than a dead-heat for first but he never disappointed us with his efforts.
“It is a nice consolation for him to be named Geelong Most Popular Racehorse and a terrific acknowledgement of the horse who, while frustrating, has given his owners so much fun.”