The strength of the current three-year-old crop is emphasised in the first release of finalists for the 2016-17 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has announced the finalists for five of the six racehorse categories, with the finalists for the Jumper of the Year to be finalised later in the month.

The five finalists for Three-Year-Old of the Year have all been classic winners this season and Bonneval and Gingernuts were Group One winners on both sides of the Tasman.

Jon Snow was a dual Group One placegetter in New Zealand and a Group One and Group Two winner in Australia, while La Diosa was a Group One winner in New Zealand and a Group Two winner in Australia.

Bonneval, Gingernuts and Jon Snow are also finalists in the stayers’ category and three-year-old Saracino is a finalist for Sprinter of the Year.

All finalists are also eligible for the Horse of the Year award, which will be announced at a gala dinner in Auckland, at the Langham Hotel, on Sunday, September 10.

Champion two-year-old:  Gold Fever, Melody Belle, Summer Passage.

Champion three-year-old: Bonneval, Gingernuts, Jon Snow, La Diosa, Ugo Foscolo.

Champion sprinter (up to 1500m): Kawi, Saracino, Signify, Start Wondering.

Champion middle distance (1501m-2100m): Kawi, Thee Auld Floozie, Volkstok’n’barrell, Willie Cazals.

Champion stayer (2101m and further):  Bonneval, Chenille, Chocante, Gingernuts, Jacksstar, Jon Snow, Lizzie L’Amour.