Impressive victories from Auguste Rodin and Tahiyra at the Irish Champions Festival have seen the duo close the gap on Paddington at the head of the points for Cartier Horse of the Year.
Auguste Rodin (128 points) failed to beat a rival in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes but the English and Irish Derby winner returned to his best when coming out on top in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.
Paddington – tops the charts (Pic – Racing TV)
In beating Cartier Older Horse hopefuls Luxembourg (80) and Nashwa (80), Auguste Rodin moves up to second behind Paddington (172), another colt trained by Aidan O’Brien for a Coolmore partnership, in both the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt divisions.
Tahiyra (120) was successful on the same Leopardstown card as the Aga Khan’s homebred comfortably took the Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes. Trained by Dermot Weld, Tahiyra was recording a third consecutive top-level success following wins in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes, and she occupies pole position for the Cartier-Three-Year-Old Filly award.
Fellow Royal Ascot winner Warm Heart (80) holds Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly claims of her own after she followed up her Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks success with victory in the Qatar Prix Vermeille, highlight of Longchamp’s Arc Trials Day on Sunday.
The joint leaders in the Cartier Sprinter division – Shaquille (64) and Highfield Princess (64) – failed to capitalise over the weekend as both met with surprise defeats. Shaquille trailed home last behind Regional (32) in the Betfair Sprint Cup, while Highfield Princess could only finish fifth in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes, a race won by Moss Tucker (44).
Eldar Eldarov (40) posted his first victory since last year’s St Leger as he readily accounted for last year’s Cartier Stayer Kyprios (16) in Sunday’s Comer Group International Irish St Leger. The duo could yet challenge Coltrane (56) and Courage Mon Ami (56) at the top of the year’s Cartier Stayer standings, with this week’s Betfred St Leger also set to have an impact on the category.
Aidan O’Brien registered his 4,000th victory as a trainer at the Curragh on Sunday as Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt contender Henry Longfellow (48) decisively beat Islandsinthestream (24) and Bucanero Fuerte (60) in the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes.
Fallen Angel (40) is the significant mover in the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly division, with the daughter of Too Darn Hot now sharing the lead with Ramatuelle (40) following her clear-cut success over Vespertilio (36) in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.
Cartier Racing Awards – points earned in Pattern races up to and including Sunday, September 10, 2023
