This weekend’s Breeders’ Cup provides a significant opportunity for horses to mount a late challenge for the Cartier Racing Awards, with a clutch of European raiders set to run during the two-day spectacular at Santa Anita, USA, on Friday and Saturday.
Aidan O’Brien has enjoyed 12 winners at the Breeders’ Cup and the trainer will be well-represented again this year, with leading Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt contenders Circus Maximus (88) and Anthony Van Dyck (76) heading a powerful Ballydoyle team.
Circus Maximus goes for a third Gr1 victory this season in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile on Saturday.
The Galileo colt (pictured above winning), who is owned by a Coolmore partnership and Flaxman Holdings, has already captured the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp at Longchamp, France.
Investec Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck, another son of Galileo who races for a Coolmore Partnership, lines up in Saturday’s Gr1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf over a mile and a half – a race O’Brien has won six times.
Although without a win since his victory at Epsom Downs, Anthony Van Dyck signalled a return to form on his latest appearance with a staying-on third behind current Cartier Horse Of The Year points leader Magical (216) in the Gr1 QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, Ireland, in September.
A trio of horses currently in the frame for Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly honours could enhance their claims with victory in the 10-furlong Gr1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly And Mare Turf on Saturday, including the O’Brien-trained Fleeting (52).
Iridessa (74), a Gr1 winner in Ireland this year in both the Juddmonte Pretty Polly Stakes and Coolmore “Fastnet Rock” Matron Stakes, is trained by O’Brien’s son Joseph, who has already tasted success at the Breeders’ Cup as a jockey on St Nicholas Abbey in 2011.
Castle Lady (52) captured the Gr1 The Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp in May.
The Godolphin filly makes a second consecutive appearance in the USA for Henri-Alex Pantall after coming home second in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes presented by Lane’s End at Keeneland earlier this month.
Success for Albigna (48) or Daahyeh (48) in the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Friday would catapult either horse to the head of the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly standings and both head to Santa Anita on the back of victories.
Albigna, who will be a first Breeders’ Cup runner for Jessica Harrington, readily took the Gr1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac – Criterium des Pouliches at Longchamp on Arc weekend, while Daahyeh was successful for Roger Varian in the G2 Shadwell Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket in September.
Arizona (40) brings strong European form into Friday’s Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Presented By Coolmore America, with the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt having finished second to current Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt leader Pinatubo (80) in the G1 Dubai Dewhurst Stakes.
A’Ali (48) could also make a late impact in the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt category. The son of Society Rock, representing Simon Crisford, bids for a fourth Gr2 success in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on Friday.
The 29th annual Cartier Racing Awards will be presented at a glittering ceremony before an invited audience of 300 in London, England, on the evening of Tuesday, November 12, 2019.
Cartier Racing Awards – points earned in Pattern races up to and including Sunday, October 27, 2019
Cartier Horse Of The Year
Magical 216
Enable 152
Stradivarius 136
Waldgeist 120
Crystal Ocean 112
Hermosa 112
Star Catcher 112
Too Darn Hot 112
Japan 108
Blue Point 106
Cartier Older Horse
Magical 216
Enable 152
Stradivarius 136
Waldgeist 120
Crystal Ocean 112
Blue Point 106
Battaash 80
Romanised 80
Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt
Too Darn Hot 112
Japan 108
Circus Maximus 88
Advertise 80
Anthony Van Dyck 76
King Of Change 72
Logician 64
Sottsass 60
Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly
Hermosa 112
Star Catcher 112
Anapurna 80
Iridessa 74
Castle Lady 52
Fleeting 52
So Perfect 50
Watch Me 48
Cartier Sprinter
Blue Point 106
Advertise 80
Battaash 80
Hello Youmzain 56
So Perfect 48
Fairyland 40
Glass Slippers 40
Donjuan Triumphant 36
Cartier Stayer
Stradivarius 136
Dee Ex Bee 72
Technician 56
Holdthasigreen 48
Logician 48
Call The Wind 47
Enbihaar 44
Kew Gardens 36
Anapurna 32
Search For A Song 32
Sir Ron Preistley 32
Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt
Pinatubo 80
Earthlight 72
Armory 64
Alson 54
A’Ali 48
Siskin 48
Threat 48
Arizona 40
Golden Horde 40
Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly
Raffle Prize 64
Albigna 48
Daahyeh 48
Love 48
Millisle 36
Powerful Breeze 32
Quadrilateral 32
Tropbeau 32
