Racing
Rochelle Milnes Crowned John Letts Medal Winner
Rochelle Milnes’ incredible season in the saddle reached a crescendo on Saturday night when she secured a runaway win in the John Letts Medal at the 2025 Sportsbet SA Racing Awards & Hall of Fame.
The prestigious honour capped off a memorable twelve months for the 23-year-old, who won six awards at SA racing's night of nights, including the 2024-25 South Australian Jockey Premiership and the Glennon-Johnson Metropolitan Jockey Premiership.
Rochelle Milnes led the John Letts Medal count from start to finish polling 63 votes, well clear of her nearest rival Jacob Opperman on 41. Kayla Crowther was third with 40 votes after her season was cut short in early May with a fractured collarbone. Last year's winner Jake Toeroek polled 38 votes to finish fourth, while Jason Holder and Lachy Neindorf tied for fifth with 33 votes each.
Milnes' remarkable dominance in her first full metro season included securing the premiership with a career-best quartet of victories including the Lightning Stakes at Morphettville on the final day of the season, taking the honours in the Adelaide Cup aboard Silent Surrente, and winning back-to-back Port Lincoln Cups on I Need A Drink in front of her hometown crowd.
For the second year in a row, Milnes, who recently outrode her claim, also won three apprentice awards, including the Leon Macdonald South Australian Apprentice Premiership for most wins overall, the Caitlin Forrest Provincial Apprentice Premiership and the Metropolitan Apprentice Premiership.
The awards night was made all the more special with three generations of the McEvoy family in the room to celebrate Tony McEvoy's induction into the South Australian Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame. 1963 Caulfield Cup winner Sometime was also anointed as one of the greats in SA racing.
Goldrush Guru was crowned Festival Hire Champion Racehorse of the Year after winning the Group 1 Victoria Derby for Macdonald Gluyas Racing. He claimed the honour ahead of Sir Sway, who finished second in SA's premier sprint, the Group 1 Goodwood, and Adelaide Cup winner Silent Surrente.
The Evright.com Best Performed Horse Award went to the Sue and Jason Jaensch trained Sir Sway.
Phillip Stokes won the Metropolitan Trainer Premiership. Garrett Lynch claimed his first CS Hayes South Australian Trainer Premiership for the most wins across all races in the state. Lynch also secured the Country Trainer Premiership. And in his return to training, Stephen Theodore won the race for the Sportsbet Provincial Trainer Premiership.
Jake Toeroek claimed the Provincial Jockey Premiership, Sairyn Fawke won the Sportsbet Country Premiership, and Brooke King secured the Country Apprentice Premiership.
The unsung heroes of the racing industry were recognised with Giahn Pierpoint (for Byron Cozamanis) named the South Australian Stablehand/Strapper of the Year. After three straight years as a finalist, Jess Squires was named the South Australian Trackwork Rider of the Year.
Port Lincoln Racing Club Committee member Michelle Power was presented with the award for Most Outstanding Achievement by an Individual for her unwavering commitment and selfless service to help transform and grow the Port Lincoln Racing Club. Power's dedication, community spirit and humble service have not only rebuilt the foundations of the club but also created lasting initiatives that benefit the local community and the broader Eyre Peninsula racing industry.
The South Australian Jockey Club/Morphettville Racecourse won Most Outstanding Achievement by a Club for delivering on key priorities outlined in Racing SA's 2024-2026 Strategic Plan. Along with the Wolf Blass Events Centre significantly boosting Morphettville's Conference and Events business to ensure financial sustainability, the Club's partnership with Villawood and the Department of Infrastructure has converted underutilised land into residential and commercial precincts to create ongoing revenue. The SAJC has also heavily invested in its members' area and continues to work on elevating race day experiences.
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