THE Tasmanian Racehorse of the Year voting rules will deny star filly Tempest Tost the chance to win the three-year-old of the year title for 2008-09.

The Racehorse of the Year voting forms state only horses that have raced in Tasmania at some time during the season and those that have been owned or trained in Tasmania at some time during the season would be eligible to win the awards.

Tempest Tost (3f Statue Of Liberty – Lady Violet by Old Crony) has not raced in her home State since winning at Elwick at the tail end of her juvenile year.  She then crossed Bass Strait to win at Caulfield at the start of her three year-old season.  She won again at Flemington in December before capturing the $1 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast in January.

Tempest Tost was then prepared in her home state for two races in Victoria in May before heading back to Queensland for the Group 1 Winter Stakes that was run at Eagle Farm in which she finished a good fourth to Russeting.

The Gary White-trained filly has been based at the Brighton training complex in Tasmania for her interstate campaigns in Victoria and Queensland and she is wholly Tasmanian owned by the Harper family.

Writing on the Tasmanian TOTE website, leading local reporter Peter Staples suggested that with so many local horses performing well on the mainland these days, it might be appropriate for the organising body of the Tasmanian Horse of the Year Awards to consider reviewing the eligibility clause in the conditions.