Cressfield’s general manager Wayne Bedggood and Bennett accepted the honour at the 2016 NSW Country and Provincial Racing Awards in Sydney last Friday night.

The horse won the award after a stellar season which included winning the Hunter and North West qualifier for the Country Championships at Scone then going to Randwick and winning the Championship Final.

He was given a freshen-up before returning to Scone to win the Listed Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) in May before being sent to the paddock for a break.

Clearly Innocent resumed with a sixth, beaten 3.2 lengths, in The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on September 17 then last Saturday Bennett left with the horse for Melbourne.

He ran in a jump out at Caulfield on Tuesday and will have his first southern start in the Listed Village Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Wednesday before going on to the Group Three L’Oreal Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Oaks Day, November 3.

“We might also look at a race over 1500 metres at Sandown but we will worry about that after Flemington,” Bennett said.

Bennett, who flew back to Scone on Tuesday, said Clearly Innocent had settled in well.

The horse is stabled with Bennett’s good friend and trainer Colin Scott who will look after the horse in Bennett’s absence.

“I hated leaving him but I have 43 other horses back home that are coming and going to worry about as well,” Bennett said.

“I will fly down to supervise the lead up to his two races.

“I could not have been happier with his jump out.

“Jake Noonan rode him and said he handled the reverse way of going as if he had been doing it all his life.”

Tommy Berry, who rode Clearly Innocent when he won the Scone qualifier and the Championship Final, is back aboard for both races.