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Back-to-back Dux awards for Kayla

Kayla Crowther has captured Racing SA’s most prestigious apprentice jockey award for the second successive year.

Crowther was named dux of this year’s crop at the 2020 TAB Apprentice Academy Awards Night, held at Morphettville Racecourse on Monday night.

Crowther booted home 103 winners in the 2019-20 racing season and achieved the relatively rare feat of outriding her apprentice’s claim in June last year, claiming her 80th metropolitan success.

In addition, Crowther landed her first Black Type winners – both while still an apprentice – when she won the Group 3 Lord Reims Classic (on Eperdument) and the Listed Manihi Classic (Shamino) at Morphettville last autumn, taking home achievement awards for that double.

Crowther currently sits fifth on the 2020-21 SA Metropolitan Jockeys’ premiership table.

The awards were scheduled to be held in November, but were postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Also recognised on the night was Crowther’s former boss David Jolly, taking home the SA Jockeys’ Association award Master of the Dux. Crowther linked up with the David Jolly stable when she first moved to South Australia from Victoria in 2016 and has also forged a strong association with the Stokes stable in recent times.

Caitlin Jones was named the Skillinvest Dux runner-up and was also given a special award for landing her first Black Type winner, aboard Regalo Di Gaetano in the inaugural John Letts Cup.

After also moving from Victoria to SA seeking more opportunities last year, Jessica Eaton picked up two awards: Best Winning Strike Rate and the Minister for Racing-Endeavour and Sportsmanship Award.

Margaret Collett took home the Caitlin Forrest Memorial Award, chosen and proudly presented by the Forrest Family to an apprentice showing true drive, dedication and talent, while Hong Kong apprentice Scarlet So – who came to SA via Tasmania – won the Simone Montgomerie Encouragement Award.

Other winners included Lizzie Annells (SA Racehorse Owners Association Award), Ben Price (The Advertiser Media Award), Libby Halliday (Longest Priced Winner, $91, Benovsky at Mount Gambier) and Jacob Opperman (Rising Star – Junior Apprentice Award).

The 85 winners for Lachlan Neindorf, who is now based in Victoria, was enough to clinch the Most Winners in an Academy Year award.

 

IMAGE: Kayla Crowther joined a prestigious group winning back-to-back Dux Awards at Morphettville tonight (ATKINS PHOTOGRAPHY)

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