The weekend of September 9 and 10 saw top-class racing in Ireland, France and Britain, which has had a significant impact on the standings for the 2017 Cartier Racing Awards.
Big Orange – holds narrow edge
See all the revised rankings below.
Drakenstein stallion Duke Of Marmalade’s son Big Orange (72) just holds sway over Order Of St George (68), who was back to form with a vengeance at the weekend, in the Cartier Stayer division.
Order Of St George, who gained the Cartier Stayer Award in 2016, recorded a facile nine-length victory in the 14-furlong Gr1 Comer Group International Irish St. Leger at the Curragh on September 10, a race he also captured in 2015. There was only a short-head between the pair when Big Orange achieved a gutsy victory in the Gr1 Gold Cup over two and a half miles at Royal Ascot in June.
There is currently a three-way tie for the lead in the tussle for the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt Award between Beckford, Sioux Nation and Unfortunately (all on 48 points). Verbal Dexterity (40) is close behind the trio following his victory in the G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh on September 10.
Aidan O’Brien – top three in Moyglare
Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore partners enjoyed a superb 1-2-3 in the Gr1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on September 10 with Happily (48) coming out on top from Magical (32). Those two juvenile fillies head the standings in the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly division.
Star four-year-old miler Ribchester, (142), owned by Godolphin and trained by Richard Fahey, now lies in third place in the Cartier Horse Of The Year standings following his third Gr1 victory of 2017 in the Qatar Prix du Moulin at Chantilly on September 10.
Ribchester has taken a slight lead in the Cartier Older Horse division from Coral Eclipse and Juddmonte International winner Ulysses (140). He is set to run in the Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes sponsored by QIPCO at Ascot on October 21 and then, if all is well, will go for the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar, USA, on November 4.
Decorated Knight (128) moves up to fifth place in the Cartier Older Horse category following his 25/1 victory in the G1 QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 9. Trained by Roger Charlton for owners Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar, Decorated Knight was winning his second G1 contest in Ireland this season, having landed the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in May.
Churchill leads 3yo category with Barney Boy
The Richard Hannon-trained Barney Roy (116) and Churchill(104) lead the way in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt division. St James’s Palace Stakes winner Barney Roy did not run over the weekend, while dual 2,000 Guineas victor Churchill was unable to get competitive in the QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes.
Harry Angel (100) is now third in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt division and the clear leader in the Cartier Sprinter standings following his scintillating victory in the G1 32Red Sprint Cup over six furlongs at Haydock Park on September 9.
The Godolphin-owned, Clive Cox-trained Dark Angel colt was previously successful in the G1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket and has a significant advantage over G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Marsha (60) and Caravaggio (56) in the Cartier Sprinter Award.
Caravaggio, who defeated Harry Angel in the Gr1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot before disappointing efforts at Newmarket and Deauville, got back to winning ways when taking the five-furlong Gr2 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh on September 10.
Cartier Racing Awards – points earned in Pattern races up to and including Sunday, September 10, 2017
Cartier Horse Of The Year
Winter 164
Enable 160
Ribchester 142
Ulysses 140
Decorated Knight 128
Barney Roy 116
Churchill 104
Harry Angel 100
Roly Poly 96
Thunder Snow 90
Cartier Older Horse
Ribchester 142
Ulysses 140
Decorated Knight 128
Highland Reel 80
Cloth Of Stars 64
Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt
Barney Roy 116
Churchill 104
Harry Angel 100
Thunder Snow 90
Al Wukair 72
Brametot 72
Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly
Winter 164
Enable 160
Roly Poly 96
Hydrangea 56
Sobetsu 56
Cartier Sprinter
Harry Angel 100
Marsha 60
Caravaggio 56
Brando 48
Lady Aurelia 48
Tasleet 48
Cartier Stayer
Big Orange 72
Order Of St George 68
Stradivarius 48
Vazirabad 39
Marmelo 32
Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt
Beckford 48
Sioux Nation 48
Unfortunately 48
Verbal Dexterity 40
Cardsharp 28
Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly
Happily 48
Magical 32
Clemmie 24
Heartache 20
Actress 16
Different League 16
Nyaleti 16
Threading 16
