It’s that time of year where the debate around the Australian Horse of the Year is heating up.

With the 2025/2026 racing season nearly over, the yearly question is starting to defrost: Who would you give Australian Horse of the Year to?

Via Sistina was crowned the 2024/2025 horse of the year, and the mare could very much go back-to-back thanks to three Group 1 victories in the spring before her retirement – the Cox Plate, Champions Stakes and Winx Stakes.

Or will it be Half Yours after completing the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double?

But what about Autumn Glow who managed seven victories, including three Group 1s, or does the Doncaster Mile-winning filly Sheza Alibi hold a claim to the title?

Speaking on SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up, Gareth Hall gave all those marvellous horses their flowers but slightly leant towards Half Yours’ resume.

“Half Yours, he's got a strong argument to say he should be Horse of the Year when you're the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup champ,” Hall started.

“The other horse there would be Via Sistina. She missed the autumn, of course, but she won a Mackinnon (Champions Stakes), a Cox Plate and won a Winx. She had a great spring.

“And Autumn Glow, she didn't win the Queen Elizabeth, but she won a George Ryder, a Verry Elleegant, a Golden Eagle and she won an Epsom. Autumn Glow's an interesting one, she might have had to win the Queen Elizabeth.

“And then you've got Sheza Alibi who would also be in consideration, but I don't know if she's done enough. She won a Doncaster Mile and Randwick Guineas, but in the spring she only won a Sandown Guineas.

“I think Via Sistina’s got it over her (Sheza Alibi) by winning a Cox Plate and a Mackinnon, and Half yours is going to be hard to beat because if you win a Caulfield and Melbourne Cup in the same season, surely that's a pretty good resume.”

Trainer Wayne Hawkes also weighed in on the debate, and while he gave plenty of horses a chance, the trainer ultimately settled on Via Sistina as the Australian Horse of the Year.

“I reckon it has to be between Via Sistina, the Cox Plate winner, and the Caulfield Cup, Melbourne Cup winner of Half Yours,” Hawkes admitted.

“Via Sistina’s the best horse. Out of all those horse together, she’s definitely the best horse. Via Sistina, Via Sistina!”

Listen to Hall and Hawkes’ full conversation around who should win the Australian Horse of the Year below.