Below a press release from Cartier with the latest standings, as at 21 August:
Established in 1991 to reward excellence in horseracing, the Cartier Awards are determined by points earned by horses in Pattern races throughout 2011, 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 the eight equine awards, the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit goes to the person or persons who, in the opinion of the special 18-strong Cartier Jury, has/have done the most for European racing and/or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months.
European horseracingâs equivalent of the Oscars will be presented on the evening of Tuesday, November 15, during a glittering ceremony before an invited audience at Londonâs Dorchester Hotel.
Deauvilleâs August meeting and Yorkâs Ebor Festival last week saw outstanding wins for Immortal Verse and Blue Bunting, both leading contenders for the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly Award.
Competition for that coveted prize is particularly intense this year but Blue Bunting, already a dual Classic heroine thanks to wins in the QIPCO 1,000 Guineas and Darley Irish Oaks, maintained her position at the head of the division with a determined victory against older fillies and mares in the Group One Darley Yorkshire Oaks at York on August 18.
Blue Bunting has 110 points, 14 more than the Robert Collet-trained Immortal Verse (96), who built upon her success in the Group One Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot with a stunning triumph against all-comers in the Group One Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois over a mile at Deauville on August 15.
Immortal Verse swept through from the rear in the prestigious mile contest to win by a length from the great mare Goldikova, the 2010 Cartier Horse Of The Year.
Golden Lilac, winner of the two French filliesâ Classics, the Poule dâEssai des Pouliches and the Prix de Diane - Longines, added to her points haul when third to Goldikovaâs half-sister, Galikova, in the Group Two Prix Guillaume DâOrnano at Deauville on August 15. She is third in the category with 76 points, just ahead of Misty For Me (72).
Goldikovaâs (96) runner-up effort saw her rise above So You Think (84) and the now-retired Canford Cliffs (80) to take a brief lead in the Cartier Older Horse division, an award she won in 2009 and 2010. Her advantage did not last long as the Sir Henry Cecil-trained Midday ran a fine race to finish a narrow second to her stable companion Twice Over in the Group One Juddmonte International Stakes at York on August 17.
Midday had appeared the likely winner when she hit the front within the final quarter-mile but the Oasis Dream mare wandered around as Twice Over ran straight and true to register the fourth Group One win of his career by three quarters of a length. Midday now tops the Cartier Older Horse standings with 100 points.
With the 2011 season moving towards its final third, the Cartier Two-Year-Old divisions are beginning to heat up and the hottest of the bunch right now appears to be Dabirsim who stormed to an impressive three-length victory in the Group One Darley Prix Morny at Deauville on August 21.
Trained by Christophe Ferland, the Hat Trick colt retained his unbeaten status as he triumphed impressively from Group Two Prix Robert Papin winner Family One, whom he joins at the head of the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt category with 40 points.
Power, second in the Group One Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on August 7, has 32 points, followed by Group Two Railway Stakes victor Lilbourne Lad (28), runner-up to Caspar Netscher in the Group Two Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes at York on August 19.
La Collina (36), trained by Kevin Prendergast, heads the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly standings after defeating colts to win the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes, and the Richard Hannon-trained Best Terms (32) added to her Group Two Queen Mary Stakes success when easily taking the Group Two Jaguar Cars Lowther Stakes at York on August 18. Fire Lily (18) was runner-up to Best Terms that day, while Maybe (24) retained her unbeaten status with an easy win in the Group Two Keeneland Debutante Stakes at the Curragh on August 7.
In what is a vintage season, the mighty Frankel still tops the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt division with 136 points, Sir Henry Cecilâs unbeaten charge has captured the QIPCO 2,000 Guineas, the St Jamesâs Palace Stakes and the QIPCO Sussex Stakes this year.
Frankel sees his lead cut, however, thanks to the battling victory of Irish Derby hero Treasure Beach at Arlington Park, Chicago on August 13. The Aidan OâBrien-trained colt held Ziyarid to land the Grade One Secretariat Stakes by a neck and now has 108 points. Group One King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Sponsored by Betfair hero Nathaniel (68) and Investec Derby winner Pour Moi (66) are next.
Opinion Poll was a late-closing runner-up to Fame And Glory in the Group One Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June and now heads that rival in the Cartier Stayer standings. The Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained five-year-old has 61 points, after adding the Group Two Weatherbys Insurance Lonsdale Cup at York on August 20 to his earlier success in the Group Two Artemis Goodwood Cup.
Fame And Glory (48) was the neck runner-up to Fictional Account in the Listed Irish Field St Leger Trial at the Curragh on the same day, while Brigantin (33) came third to Jukebox Jury in the Group Two Darley Prix Kergorlay at Deauville on August 21.
Margot Did was on the mark at York on August 19, slamming her rivals under Hayley Turner to cause an upset in the Group One Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes over five furlongs. Michael Bellâs charge now has 33 points in the Cartier Sprinter standings, after seeing off third-placed Prohibit (53), winner of the Group One Kingâs Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, by a length and a quarter. Society Rock (64), the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes scorer, heads the category after finishing second to Moonlight Cloud in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville on August 7, a race in which Group One Darley July Cup winner Dream Ahead (48) finished seventh.
Frankel (136) leads the way in the race to be crowned Cartier Horse of The Year, ahead of his closest pursuers, Blue Bunting (110), Treasure Beach (108) and Midday (100).
Harry Herbert, Cartierâs racing consultant, commented today: âWe have witnessed a host of exceptional performances already this season and that continued at York, Deauville and the Curragh last week.
âThere are so many highlights worthy of mention but Blue Buntingâs victory in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks was a particular thrill, as was Prince Khalid Abdulla enjoying a one-two on the Knavesmire in the race he sponsors, the Juddmonte International Stakes, thanks to the popular pair of Twice Over and Midday.
âAt Deauville, Immortal Verse was stunning in her defeat of Goldikova, while a potential superstar emerged on Sunday in the form of the impressive Dabirsim.
âThere is so much still to come and, with the major autumn targets looming large on the horizon, we look forward to plenty more sensational contests before the Cartier Racing Awards are determined.
âWith so many championship-calibre horses around, it seems guaranteed that the competition for Cartier Awards recognition is going to be particularly fierce this year.â
CARTIER AWARDS 2011 LATEST POINTS STANDINGS
(up to and including August 21, 2011)
Cartier Horse of the Year
FRANKEL 136
BLUE BUNTING 110
TREASURE BEACH 108
MIDDAY 100
Cartier Three-year-old Colt
FRANKEL 136
TREASURE BEACH 108
NATHANIEL 68
POUR MOI 66
Cartier Three-year-old Filly
BLUE BUNTING 110
IMMORTAL VERSE 96
GOLDEN LILAC 76
MISTY FOR ME 72
Cartier Older Horse
MIDDAY 100
GOLDIKOVA 96
SO YOU THINK 84
CANFORD CLIFFS 80
Cartier Sprinter
SOCIETY ROCK 64
PROHIBIT 53
DREAM AHEAD 48
MARGOT DID 33
Cartier Stayer
OPINION POLL 61
FAME AND GLORY 48
BRIGANTIN 33
BLUE BAJAN 28
Cartier Two-year-old Colt
DABIRSIM 40
FAMILY ONE 40
POWER 32
LILBOURNE LAD 28
Cartier Two-Year-old Filly
LA COLLINA 36
BEST TERMS 32
MAYBE 24
FIRE LILY 18
MAJOR VICTORIES SHAKE UP CARTIER RACING AWARDS STANDINGS
Events this month at premier Group One venues such as the Curragh, York, Deauville and Arlington Park, USA, not only thrilled and delighted horseracing fans, they also gave the latest Cartier Racing Awardsâ standings a bit of a shake-up.Established in 1991 to reward excellence in horseracing, the Cartier Awards are determined by points earned by horses in Pattern races throughout 2011, 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 the eight equine awards, the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit goes to the person or persons who, in the opinion of the special 18-strong Cartier Jury, has/have done the most for European racing and/or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months.
European horseracingâs equivalent of the Oscars will be presented on the evening of Tuesday, November 15, during a glittering ceremony before an invited audience at Londonâs Dorchester Hotel.
Deauvilleâs August meeting and Yorkâs Ebor Festival last week saw outstanding wins for Immortal Verse and Blue Bunting, both leading contenders for the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly Award.
Competition for that coveted prize is particularly intense this year but Blue Bunting, already a dual Classic heroine thanks to wins in the QIPCO 1,000 Guineas and Darley Irish Oaks, maintained her position at the head of the division with a determined victory against older fillies and mares in the Group One Darley Yorkshire Oaks at York on August 18.
Blue Bunting has 110 points, 14 more than the Robert Collet-trained Immortal Verse (96), who built upon her success in the Group One Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot with a stunning triumph against all-comers in the Group One Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois over a mile at Deauville on August 15.
Immortal Verse swept through from the rear in the prestigious mile contest to win by a length from the great mare Goldikova, the 2010 Cartier Horse Of The Year.
Golden Lilac, winner of the two French filliesâ Classics, the Poule dâEssai des Pouliches and the Prix de Diane - Longines, added to her points haul when third to Goldikovaâs half-sister, Galikova, in the Group Two Prix Guillaume DâOrnano at Deauville on August 15. She is third in the category with 76 points, just ahead of Misty For Me (72).
Goldikovaâs (96) runner-up effort saw her rise above So You Think (84) and the now-retired Canford Cliffs (80) to take a brief lead in the Cartier Older Horse division, an award she won in 2009 and 2010. Her advantage did not last long as the Sir Henry Cecil-trained Midday ran a fine race to finish a narrow second to her stable companion Twice Over in the Group One Juddmonte International Stakes at York on August 17.
Midday had appeared the likely winner when she hit the front within the final quarter-mile but the Oasis Dream mare wandered around as Twice Over ran straight and true to register the fourth Group One win of his career by three quarters of a length. Midday now tops the Cartier Older Horse standings with 100 points.
With the 2011 season moving towards its final third, the Cartier Two-Year-Old divisions are beginning to heat up and the hottest of the bunch right now appears to be Dabirsim who stormed to an impressive three-length victory in the Group One Darley Prix Morny at Deauville on August 21.
Trained by Christophe Ferland, the Hat Trick colt retained his unbeaten status as he triumphed impressively from Group Two Prix Robert Papin winner Family One, whom he joins at the head of the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt category with 40 points.
Power, second in the Group One Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on August 7, has 32 points, followed by Group Two Railway Stakes victor Lilbourne Lad (28), runner-up to Caspar Netscher in the Group Two Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes at York on August 19.
La Collina (36), trained by Kevin Prendergast, heads the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly standings after defeating colts to win the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes, and the Richard Hannon-trained Best Terms (32) added to her Group Two Queen Mary Stakes success when easily taking the Group Two Jaguar Cars Lowther Stakes at York on August 18. Fire Lily (18) was runner-up to Best Terms that day, while Maybe (24) retained her unbeaten status with an easy win in the Group Two Keeneland Debutante Stakes at the Curragh on August 7.
In what is a vintage season, the mighty Frankel still tops the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt division with 136 points, Sir Henry Cecilâs unbeaten charge has captured the QIPCO 2,000 Guineas, the St Jamesâs Palace Stakes and the QIPCO Sussex Stakes this year.
Frankel sees his lead cut, however, thanks to the battling victory of Irish Derby hero Treasure Beach at Arlington Park, Chicago on August 13. The Aidan OâBrien-trained colt held Ziyarid to land the Grade One Secretariat Stakes by a neck and now has 108 points. Group One King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Sponsored by Betfair hero Nathaniel (68) and Investec Derby winner Pour Moi (66) are next.
Opinion Poll was a late-closing runner-up to Fame And Glory in the Group One Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June and now heads that rival in the Cartier Stayer standings. The Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained five-year-old has 61 points, after adding the Group Two Weatherbys Insurance Lonsdale Cup at York on August 20 to his earlier success in the Group Two Artemis Goodwood Cup.
Fame And Glory (48) was the neck runner-up to Fictional Account in the Listed Irish Field St Leger Trial at the Curragh on the same day, while Brigantin (33) came third to Jukebox Jury in the Group Two Darley Prix Kergorlay at Deauville on August 21.
Margot Did was on the mark at York on August 19, slamming her rivals under Hayley Turner to cause an upset in the Group One Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes over five furlongs. Michael Bellâs charge now has 33 points in the Cartier Sprinter standings, after seeing off third-placed Prohibit (53), winner of the Group One Kingâs Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, by a length and a quarter. Society Rock (64), the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes scorer, heads the category after finishing second to Moonlight Cloud in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville on August 7, a race in which Group One Darley July Cup winner Dream Ahead (48) finished seventh.
Frankel (136) leads the way in the race to be crowned Cartier Horse of The Year, ahead of his closest pursuers, Blue Bunting (110), Treasure Beach (108) and Midday (100).
Harry Herbert, Cartierâs racing consultant, commented today: âWe have witnessed a host of exceptional performances already this season and that continued at York, Deauville and the Curragh last week.
âThere are so many highlights worthy of mention but Blue Buntingâs victory in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks was a particular thrill, as was Prince Khalid Abdulla enjoying a one-two on the Knavesmire in the race he sponsors, the Juddmonte International Stakes, thanks to the popular pair of Twice Over and Midday.
âAt Deauville, Immortal Verse was stunning in her defeat of Goldikova, while a potential superstar emerged on Sunday in the form of the impressive Dabirsim.
âThere is so much still to come and, with the major autumn targets looming large on the horizon, we look forward to plenty more sensational contests before the Cartier Racing Awards are determined.
âWith so many championship-calibre horses around, it seems guaranteed that the competition for Cartier Awards recognition is going to be particularly fierce this year.â
CARTIER AWARDS 2011 LATEST POINTS STANDINGS
(up to and including August 21, 2011)
Cartier Horse of the Year
FRANKEL 136
BLUE BUNTING 110
TREASURE BEACH 108
MIDDAY 100
Cartier Three-year-old Colt
FRANKEL 136
TREASURE BEACH 108
NATHANIEL 68
POUR MOI 66
Cartier Three-year-old Filly
BLUE BUNTING 110
IMMORTAL VERSE 96
GOLDEN LILAC 76
MISTY FOR ME 72
Cartier Older Horse
MIDDAY 100
GOLDIKOVA 96
SO YOU THINK 84
CANFORD CLIFFS 80
Cartier Sprinter
SOCIETY ROCK 64
PROHIBIT 53
DREAM AHEAD 48
MARGOT DID 33
Cartier Stayer
OPINION POLL 61
FAME AND GLORY 48
BRIGANTIN 33
BLUE BAJAN 28
Cartier Two-year-old Colt
DABIRSIM 40
FAMILY ONE 40
POWER 32
LILBOURNE LAD 28
Cartier Two-Year-old Filly
LA COLLINA 36
BEST TERMS 32
MAYBE 24
FIRE LILY 18
