Front-runner: Camelot still retains his lead in teh Cartier Awards, but Frankel is chasing hard
Frankel has reduced Camelot‘s lead in the latest point standings for the 2012 Cartier Horse Of The Year Award following a facile six-length success in the Group One QIPCO Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on August 1.
The Cartier Racing Awards are now in their 22nd year, having been established in 1991 to reward excellence in horseracing. They are determined by points earned by horses in Pattern races throughout 2012, combined at the end of season with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists and votes from readers of the Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph.
In addition to eight equine awards, the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit goes to the person or persons who, in the opinion of the special Cartier Jury, has/have done the most for European racing and/or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months.
European horseracing’s equivalent of the Oscars will be presented during a glittering ceremony before an invited audience at London’s Dorchester Hotel on Tuesday evening, November 13.
Frankel extended his unbeaten run to 12 at the West Sussex course with his second successive QIPCO Sussex Stakes victory and has moved onto 96 points – 48 behind three-year-old Camelot (144), who leads the way in the standings for both the Cartier Horse Of The Year and Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt after victories in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas, Investec Derby and Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. Camelot, trained by Aidan O’Brien in Ireland, is also unbeaten.
They have opened up a gap on their nearest opponents, the now-retired So You Think (78) and last season’s QIPCO Champion Stakes winner Cirrus Des Aigles (72).
Frankel, last year’s Cartier Horse Of The Year and Cartier-Three-Year-Old Colt, is due to appear next in York’s Juddmonte International Stakes (10f 88y), his first attempt at beyond a mile, on August 22.
Camelot holds a dominant lead in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt Award over Prix du Jockey Club hero Saonois (58), St James’s Palace Stakes winner Most Improved (48) and stable companion Imperial Monarch (40), who won the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris on July 14.
The Fugue (66) bagged her first Group One in the Markel Insurance Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on August 4 and has taken a narrow lead on points in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly category. Investec Oaks scorer Was has moved on to 60 points after taking third in the same race, while French 1,000 Guineas winner Beauty Parlour is on 56 points. QIPCO 1,000 Guineas heroine Homecoming Queen is close up on 51 points but has been retired.
The Cartier Stayer Award is dominated at the moment by Godolphin, with Gold Cup winner Colour Vision (60) adding four points to his tally after finishing third to Saddler’s Rock (28) in the Group Two Artemis Goodwood Cup on August 2. Opinion Poll, also owned by Godolphin, is on 36 points with Group Three Prix de Barbeville winner Usuelo (24) in fourth.
Mayson (56) has been joined by Moonlight Cloud (56) at the top of the Cartier Sprinter Award after Freddy Head’s filly sauntered to a five-length success in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville on August 5. Australian superstar Black Caviar is just behind on 48 points, while The Cheka (40) is hot on their heels after placed efforts in the Darley July Cup and Prix Maurice de Gheest.
Glorious Goodwood also saw a very good performance from the Richard Hannon-trained Olympic Glory (40), who annexed his second Group Two in the Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes and has edged ahead in the race for the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt Award.
He is followed by Reckless Abandon (32), who added the Group Two Prix Robert Papin to his Norfolk Stakes success on July 22, while Group race scorers Alhebayeb, Dawn Approach, Grafelli and Heavy Metal are joint-third on 16 points.
Sendmylovetorose (24) has an eight-point advantage in the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly standings over Ceiling Kitty (16) and recent Group Three Princess Margaret Juddmonte Stakes winner Maureen (16).
Harry Herbert, Cartier’s racing consultant, commented: “Frankel did no harm to his position as the world’s best horse in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and it will be fascinating to see whether he can show even better form over 10 furlongs.
“Excellent racing is coming up at Deauville and York’s Ebor Festival and performances at those two courses will no doubt influence the 2012 Cartier Racing Awards.”
For more information, please contact Harry Herbert, Cartier’s racing consultant (01488 669166), Hardeep Chohan of Cartier (020 7408 5740) or Mark Popham of Racenews (020 7704 0326).
Cartier Racing Awards points up to and including August 5, 2012
Cartier Horse Of The Year
Camelot – 144
Frankel – 96
So You Think – 78
Cirrus Des Aigles – 72
Cartier Older Horse
Frankel – 96
So You Think – 78
