Hong Kong’s equal top rated horse D B Pin was crowned Horse of the Year at the 37th Annual Group One dinner held by the Waikato Branch of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association on Friday night.

The Darci Brahma gelding was bred by Willie and Karen Calder and attained the mantel of Hong Kong’s equal top-rated horse after his victory in the Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) for trainer John Size.

A $200,000 purchase by bloodstock agent John Foote out of The Oaks Stud’s 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling draft, D B Pin has won six of his 14 career starts and has accrued more than HK$16.6 million in stakes.

The Calder's also received an award as the breeders of Group 1 winning filly Avantage, who was sold through The Oaks Stud's 2017 Premier Yearling draft.

The awards dinner also acknowledged this season’s 16 Group One winners bred by members of the branch along with naming the recipients of Young Achiever of the Year and Personality of the Year.

The Oaks Stud received an award for their Darci Brahma filly, Devise, winner of the 2018 Group 1 Haunui Farm WFA Classic.