The Chris Waller-trained mare won five times at the top level, including wins in two of the jewels of the Australian turf, the Cox Plate and Doncaster, but that was not enough for one member of the panel, who decided sprinter Chautauqua had outshone the queen of the turf in 2015-16.

The expectation around Winx is that she is going to win every time and it was no different heading to the awards at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney. The only surprise was it was not unanimous.

Waller has spoken about the pressure his champion carries with her. "It's an added pressure – because it's no longer your horse, or the owners' horse," Waller said earlier in the month.

"The public certainly have their say, and have ownership of the horse, which is great.

"It's good to have people talking about the horse you train, but the pressure for the horse to perform is different. It's not that she has to win, but we like to make sure she just can't be beaten."

Winx was named champion middle-distance performer on a night where the Waller stable once again shone. Stablemate Preferment, which won the Turnbull Stakes, Australian Cup and The BMW, was named champion stayer.

Waller received the Bart Cummings Award for his 15 group 1 winners, Hugh Bowman, Winx's jockey, took out the leading group 1 jockey with 10 wins in Australia, including eight from Winx and Preferment. He also added another two in Hong Kong.

Winx's sire Street Cry, which died in 2014, won the stallion of the year.

Chautauqua was champion sprinter after storming  to victories in the Manikato Stakes, Lightning Stakes, TJ Smith and Chairman's Sprint Prize in Hong Kong.

Victoria Derby winner Tarzino, which backed up to take the Rosehill Guineas in the autumn, won champion three-year-old colt or gelding. English was named champion filly and Golden Slipper and Magic Millions winner Capitalist took champion two-year-old, while Zanteco was the champion jumper of the season.