From her inside barrier, Holly Holy was taken to the front by Walters before she allowed the Warrnambool-trained Monte Carlo to head her with a 1000 metres to go in the $15,000 race.

The talented hoop never panicked before driving the five-year-old mare to the lead at the top of the straight. Holly Holy fought on doggedly over the concluding stages to beat Rock Speed by a length with the favourite Vegas Bound in third place.

Meanwhile, wins in the 2013 Australian Steeplechase and the 2014 Mosstrooper Steeplechase secured victory for Maythehorsebemagic as the leading jumps horse in the Western Otway Region for the 2013-2014 season. Maythehorsebemagic was trained by Jarrod McLean for his Australian Steeplechase win before joining Darren Weir’s stable for his Mosstrooper victory. The 10-year-old is back in McLean’s yard and is being aimed at feature races at Oakbank and Warrnambool next year.

“Maythehorsebemagic has been back in work for a few weeks. He’s in great order. We’ve been doing a lot of beach work with him,” McLean said.

“We’ve got races like the Von Doussa Steeplechase and the Grand Annual Steeplechase on the horizon for him next year.”

The presentation of the Western Otway Region awards were part of the seven-race program at Warrnambool yesterday.

The Darren Weir juggernaut continued with him taking home the leading trainer award. Weir led in 42 winners for the last season.

Dean Yendall took out the leading jockey award with 38 winners and the Pat Hyland Medal which is voted on by the stewards.

Steven Pateman was the leading jumps jockey with 12 winners and also won the Ted Byrne Medal while Eric Musgrove won the leading jumps trainer title.

Josh Cartwright was successful in the apprentice jockey award with eight wins. Honest mare May’s Dream won the horse of year honours.