Classic winners True Love and Christmas Day feature alongside top four-year-old Daryz at the head of the early points standings for the Cartier Horse of the Year, the premier equine accolade of the Cartier Racing Awards.
Established in 1991 to reward excellence in horseracing, the 36th Cartier Racing Awards will be presented at the Dorchester Hotel in London on the evening of Wednesday, November 18.
True Love leads both the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly divisions, having accrued 72 points in Pattern races this year. Trained by Aidan O’Brien for a Coolmore partnership, the daughter of No Nay Never decisively beat Evolutionist (32 points) in the Betfred 1000 Guineas and was runner-up to stablemate and 2025 Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly Precise (32) in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas.
Thundering On (56) pressed her early claims for the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly award with a dominant display over Legacy Link (32) in the Betfred Oaks, while Diamond Necklace (32) enjoyed Classic success of her own when taking the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches.
Coolmore-owned runners trained by Aidan O’Brien have won three of the five major Classics for colts so far this season, with Christmas Day (60) overcoming attritional conditions in the Betfred Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday to lead the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt division.
Constitution River (32) led home a Coolmore 1-2-3 in the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, while 2025 Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt Gstaad (56) was a dominant winner of the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas.
The most impressive Classic performance so far this season has come from Bow Echo (48), who maintained his unbeaten record for George Boughey with a scintillating victory over Gstaad in the Betfred 2000 Guineas.
Last season’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victor Daryz (64) has enjoyed a superb start to 2026 and leads the Cartier Older Horse standings following comprehensive wins back at Longchamp in the Prix Ganay and Prix Aga Khan IV.
Homebred by the Aga Khan Studs and trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, the Sea The Stars colt represents the same connections that took the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Older Horse awards in 2025 with Calandagan (24).
Other leading Cartier Older Horse contenders include Bay City Roller (56), who had Calandagan in behind when taking Saturday’s Coolmore Coronation Cup by 10 lengths, Jebel Hatta Presented By Longines victor Opera Ballo (40) and Prix Ganay runner-up Bright Picture (40).
Night Raider (24) holds the early advantage in the race to be crowned Cartier Sprinter, having won the HKJC World Pool Palace House Stakes and William Hill Temple Stakes on his two appearances so far in 2026. Owned by Wathnan Racing, the Karl Burke-trained gelding holds a narrow advantage over the well-travelled duo of Lazzat (20) and Comanche Brave (19), with Elmonjed (16) and Venetian Sun (16) having both posted G2 wins in the UK.
Victorious Forever’s Caballo de Mar (42) leads the Cartier Stayer division following his battling victory over Santorini Star (16) in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at Longchamp. Boodles Yorkshire Cup winner Rahiebb (16) features prominently along with Al Nayyir (17), Sons And Lovers (12) and Fairy Glen (12), who all enjoyed success in the Gulf States earlier in the year.
About the Cartier Racing Awards
The Cartier Racing Awards were established in 1991 to reward excellence in horseracing. There are eight equine awards – the Cartier Horse Of The Year, the Cartier Older Horse, the Cartier Sprinter, the Cartier Stayer, the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt, the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly, the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt and the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly.
European horseracing’s top awards are delivered through a tried and tested combination of points earned by horses in Pattern races (30%), combined at the end of the season with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists/handicappers (35%) and votes from members of the public (35%).
In addition to the equine awards, the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit goes to the person or persons who, in the opinion of the 15-strong Cartier Jury, has/have done the most for European racing and/or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months.
The 36th Cartier Racing Awards will be presented at the Dorchester Hotel in London on the evening of Wednesday, November 18.