Mostahdaf’s superb tactical victory in the Juddmonte International last week raises the possibility of a Shadwell homebred receiving the Cartier Horse of the Year award for a second successive year.
Baaeed produced a sensational display in the centrepiece of York’s season 12 months ago as he beat Mishriff by six and a half lengths, a performance that helped him clinch Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Older Horse honours.
Mostahdaf also impressed on the Knavesmire as he made every yard under Frankie Dettori to deny Nashwa by a length, with current Cartier Horse of the Year points leader Paddington meeting with his first defeat of the season back in third.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Mostahdaf was following up his four-length verdict in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes. The five-year-old has moved up to second in the Cartier Horse of the Year standings and the head of the Cartier Older Horse category with 102 points.
Despite his defeat at York, Paddington (172) continues to hold a significant advantage in the points for Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt following victories in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Coral-Eclipse and Qatar Sussex Stakes.
Established in 1991 to reward excellence in horseracing, the 33rd Cartier Racing Awards will be presented at the Dorchester Hotel in London on the evening of Thursday, November 9.
Thrilling action at York’s Sky Bet Ebor Festival and the Meeting de Deauville Barriere has resulted in significant movement across the categories in the Cartier Racing Awards, notably in the Cartier Older Horse division.
Last year’s Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly Inspiral (72) bounced back from her fifth in the Qatar Sussex Stakes as she captured the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois for a second successive year.
Mqse de Sevigne (76) has excelled at Deauville over the summer and Baron Edouard de Rothschild’s four-year-old completed a G1 double at the Normandy course with a nose success over Via Sistana (72) in the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet.
Warm Heart (48) could yet challenge for Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly honours following her battling victory in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks, a race in which Juddmonte Irish Oaks 1-2 Savethelastdance (64) and Bluestocking (20) finished third and fourth.
St Mark’s Basilica Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary winner Jannah Rose (56) advanced her claims in the same division as she made a successful return from a break in the Sumbe Prix Alec Head at Deauville.
Live In The Dream (40) is the new name on the Cartier Sprinter leaderboard following his all-the-way success in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes. The Adam West-trained four-year-old was posting a first Group-race win in the York highlight but the form looks strong, with last year’s Cartier Sprinter Highfield Princess (64) and King’s Stand Stakes scorer Bradsell (40) filling the places.
Commonwealth Cup and Pertemps Network July Cup winner Shaquille (64) remains the only horse to capture two top-level sprints in Europe this year and Julie Camacho’s stable star will be hoping to continue his unbeaten campaign in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock later this month.
Coltrane (56) gained revenge on his Gold Cup conqueror Courage Mon Ami (56) as the duo finished first and second in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes. Both are currently tied at the head of the Cartier Stayer standings ahead of Emily Dickinson (32) and Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup victor Quickthorn (32), who could only finish sixth at York.
Winners of the two European G1 races for juveniles this year make the early running in the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt division. Bucanero Fuerte (52) produced a dominant display in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, while Vandeek (48) unleashed a strong late run to land Deauville’s Sumbe Prix Morny.
Ramatuelle (40) went down by a short-neck to Vandeek at Deauville and the Prix Robert Papin winner leads the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly standings ahead of Royal Ascot scorer Porta Fortuna (32), who was runner-up to Bucanero Fuerte in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes.