Juddmonte homebreds Item and Kalpana have enhanced their Cartier Horse of the Year prospects following exhilarating wins in two of the feature races of last week’s Sky Bet Ebor Festival at York.
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.
Item took his career record to five wins from six starts as he clinched victory on the line in a thrilling renewal of the Juddmonte International, taking him to 80 points in Pattern races so far this year and moving him into contention for the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt awards.
A son of 2011 and 2012 Cartier Horse of the Year Frankel, the Andrew Balding-trained colt beat a deep field at York that included Tattersalls Gold Cup victor Almaqam (56), Coral-Eclipse scorer Constitution River (92) and Prince Of Wales’s Stakes hero Ombudsman (80).
Juddmonte and Balding also teamed up with Kalpana (96), who followed up her King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes success with a brave victory in the Legends Global Yorkshire Oaks. The daughter of Study Of Man now leads the Cartier Older Horse division ahead of stablemate and fellow Juddmonte-owned filly Blue Bolt (80), Calandagan (80) and Ombudsman.
Bacio (32) was another horse to shine at York, with the Wesley Ward-trained colt in contention for Cartier Sprinter honours on the back of an impressive all-the-way success in the Coolmore City Of Troy Nunthorpe Stakes.
Fellow three-year-old Samangan (32) also announced his claims in the same category with a battling win over Division (34) in the ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest – Fee – En Memoire de Louis Romanet at Deauville earlier in the month.
Having finished second and third in two previous renewals, Al Nayyir (33) gained a deserved success in the Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup. The Tom Clover-trained eight-year-old is now fourth in the Cartier Stayer standings behind Gold Cup and Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup winner Scandinavia (88), who holds a commanding lead over his rivals.
Bow Echo (128) continues to lead both the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt categories, although his shock retirement has opened the door to several of his rivals. Rayif (80) is a notable mover in both divisions after the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains victor secured a second top-level win in Deauville’s marquee race, the Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques Le Marois.
Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly leader Diamond Necklace (112) has also closed the gap in the Cartier Horse of the Year standings, although the Coolmore-owned runner met with a first career defeat when second to older rival Aventure (56) in last weekend’s Sumbe Prix Jean et Louis Romanet.
Fillies have dominated the first two major juvenile contests in the calendar, with Senorita Bonita (56) scorching to victory in Deauville’s Sumbe Prix Morny and Sun Goddess (52) taking the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh. The duo lead the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly standings ahead of Sky Bet Lowther Stakes winner Libertango (32).
Great Barrier Reef (24) and Adaay Of Scarlett (24), who were first and second in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, share the early lead in the Cartier Two-Year-Old division alongside Goffs Prix Robert Papin scorer Tokaido (24).
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.