Trainer of one horse wins World Pool Moment of the Year for 2025

Kevin Daffy, who is the trainer and strapper of the one and only horse in his yard, Oh Too Good, has won the World Pool Moment of the Year for 2025.

The six-year-old mare’s win in the Group 3 Catanach’s Jewellers (Ladies Day) Vase on Might And Power (Caulfield Stakes) Day was publicly voted the World Pool Moment of the Year for 2025, after receiving 48% of the total vote.

Oh Too Good beat three nominated finalists to this year’s award: Group 1 Saudi Cup winner Forever Young, Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes winner Asfoora and Group 1 Cox Plate winner Via Sistina, and Daffy will now be invited on a VIP trip to Hong Kong for four people next year.

After being told the news by Racing.com’s presenter Edward Sadler, Daffy said: “You’re joking! Fair dinkum Edward? Moment of the Year in world racing, for a little bloke and his little horse out of Guys Hill – I can’t believe it. This is amazing, I’m a little bit speechless. To win this award, you couldn’t make this stuff up!

“I’d just like to thank everyone for their support right across this journey, and it’s been a journey. We’ve had her five years and she’s only run for the last two – it’s been a lot of hard work, dedication and mainly a lot of love for this horse. We love her, she’s part of the family – we told her that when we got her, we promised her a home for life even if she never got to the racetrack. She’s a very lucky horse in that regard and she’s also made it very lucky for me and my family with what she’s repaid us with.

“The amount of support has blown me away, that people have followed this horse and been inspired by the story. We had some beautiful messages come through from people all over the world.”

Daffy’s connection with Oh Too Good, nicknamed ‘Gigi’, has really struck a chord with racing fans the world over, and the trainer described the bond the pair share.

“With her individually there’s a very special bond. She wasn’t the easiest of horses when we got her as a yearling and she was fairly wilful, and still is to this day, but I think through a connection that we forged, we get on very well.

“She’s most definitely changed my life. That’s why we call her the ‘fairytale horse’, because that’s what she’s been.”

As the 2025 World Pool Moment of the Year winner, Daffy receives a VIP trip for four to Hong Kong next year, and when asked about it, he said: 

“I’ve never been to Hong Kong. It will be an amazing experience, I’m sure.” 

Oh Too Good’s victory marked a first stakes success for Daffy, and he collected the World Pool Moment of the Day cheque for AU$8,000 at Caulfield wearing a Gigi T-shirt. 

Recalling the special day in October, Daffy said: “It was a bit surreal really. I’ve been around racing my whole life and been to a lot of race meetings, but that was just the day of all days. Even months later, I’m still on cloud nine about what she did that day. 

“On the race day, I’d actually taken her home and tucked her into bed and got a phone call from Josh Rodder from the Melbourne Racing Club [to say congratulations and that we’d won World Pool Moment of the Day]. I drove back into Caulfield and was presented with this great big cheque for AU$8,000. To win that was just the cherry on top of the day.” 

In total, there were 30 World Pool Moment of the Day prizes awarded this year, with each winning groom receiving a cheque for HK$40,000 (or equivalent), meaning World Pool has returned a total of HK$1.2 million to grooms and racing stables in 2025. 

Following the final World Pool Moment of the Day of the year being awarded on Champion Stakes Day at Flemington last month, a shortlist of four finalists were chosen, with a public vote deciding the eventual winner as Oh Too Good and Kevin Daffy.