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Cartier Racing Awards 2010 |
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racing news /
Makfi Delivers Potent Cartier Racing Awards Reminder
26/08/10
Makfi emphasised that he is anything but a one-race wonder with a sublime victory in the Group One Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le Buffard Jacques le Marois over a mile at Deauville on August 15, a success that sees him re-emerge as an exciting contender for Cartier Racing Awards honours.
The Mikel Delzangles-trained three-year-old was a surprise winner of the first British Classic, the Group One 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in early May, before losing his unbeaten tag when seventh to Canford Cliffs in the Group One St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot a month later.
Makfi was found to be out of sorts after that defeat and, following a period of recuperation, exhibited improved form in France to defeat the great mare Goldikova with fellow crack miler Paco Boy back in third. That smooth two and a half-length triumph over the dual Breeder’s Cup Mile heroine on very soft ground raises the Dubawi colt to 88 points in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt category and another performance like that would certainly see him challenge for the coveted Cartier Horse Of The Year award at the season’s end.
The Cartier Racing Awards recognise excellence in horseracing and the awards are the sport's equivalent of the Oscars. Split into eight categories for the year’s top horses, including the particularly coveted Cartier Horse Of The Year, the awards are determined by points earned in Pattern races combined, at the end of the season, with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists, as well as votes from readers of the Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph.
European horseracing's most prestigious accolades will be presented for the 20th time on November 16, during a glittering ceremony before an invited audience in the ballroom of London's Dorchester Hotel.
The Cartier Racing Awards were established in 1991 to recognise the achievements of racehorses in Europe. There is also the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award Of Merit for the person or persons who, in the opinion of the special 18-strong Cartier Jury, has/have done most for European racing and/or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months.
Goldikova, denied an outright record of 11 European Group One victories with her runner-up finish at Deauville, has a points tally of 112, placing her equal top of the Cartier Older Horse division alongside the brilliant sprinter Starspangledbanner, and co-second of three with the aforementioned speedster and dual Oaks winner Snow Fairy in a tight contest for the Horse Of The Year Award.
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Also in the Cartier Older Horse category, on August 17, the Khalid Abdulla-owned Group One winners Byword (82 points) and Twice Over (80) looked to have the Group One Juddmonte International Stakes at York between them, only for Rip Van Winkle (48) to swoop late for victory.
Harbinger, sadly retired due to injury, also has 80 points after his 11-length victory in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Group One culmination to a four-race unbeaten run this season.
Canford Cliffs, third to Makfi at Newmarket but successful at the top level in the Group One Sussex Stakes, St James’s Palace Stakes and Irish 2,000 Guineas this season, remains at the head of both the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt standings with 140 points.
Richard Hannon’s charge is 36 points clear of stablemate Dick Turpin in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt category, while Prix du Jockey Club and Poule d’Essai des Poulains victor Lope De Vega has 98 points, 10 more than both Makfi and Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby victor Cape Blanco.
Sole Power stunned the York crowd at the Ebor Festival on August 20, when defying odds of 100/1 to defeat favourite Starspangledbanner in the Group One Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes over five furlongs.
Edward Lynam’s charge had only won twice previously, both victories coming in appreciably lesser grade on the Polytrack at Dundalk. Starspangledbanner went into the race off the back of Group One wins in the Golden Jubilee Stakes and Darley July Cup but he was no match for the much improved three-year-old Kyllachy gelding who held him at bay to collect 33 points in the Cartier Sprinter category.
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Starspangledbanner increased his haul to 112 points with that runner-up effort, while Group One King’s Stand Stakes winner Equiano remains on 72 points and Borderlescott has 32 points after both finished out of the frame at York.
The Dandy Nicholls-trained Regal Parade (40) is another vying for Cartier Sprinter honours after he defeated Joanna (60) by a neck in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville on August 8.
Four-year-old Midday, who beat Snow Fairy three lengths in the Group One Darley Yorkshire Oaks on August 19, is making steady progress up the points table on 72.
Snow Fairy now leads the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly division. Her 112 points sees her leapfrog dual Classic winner Special Duty (98), while Music Show (74), Prix de Diane winner Sarafina (64) and Joanna (60) are all in pursuit.
Some thrilling performances in recent weeks have ignited the juvenile scene and Zoffany from the Aidan O’Brien stable is the current Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt leader following his half-length victory over Glor Na Mara in the Group One Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on August 8.
Approve’s success in the Group Two Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes at York on August 18, saw the William Haggas-trained juvenile take his points haul to 38, while the David Simcock-trained Dream Ahead (32) stepped up on a nine-length debut victory at Nottingham on July 16 with an excellent length and a half triumph over Tin Horse in the Group One Darley Prix Morny at Deauville on August 22.
The Hannon-trained pair of Group Two Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes hero King Torus and Group Two Tanqueray Richmond Stakes victor Libranno (sixth behind Dream Ahead in France), also have 32 points.
Memory, another from the Hannon stable, maintains her position at the head of the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly division with 24 points but the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Hooray (20 points) closed the gap when holding on by three quarters of a length from Margot Did (16 ) in the Group Two Jaguar Cars Lowther Stakes at York on August 19.
Group Two Queen Mary Stakes winner Maqaasid was fourth on that occasion and has 18 points, while Laughing Lashes has 20 points after her success for trainer Jessica Harrington in the Group Two Keeneland Debutante Stakes on August 8.
Ascot Gold Cup hero Rite Of Passage still holds sway in the Cartier Stayer division with 48 points, 20 points ahead of the now retired Age Of Aquarius. Also in contention for honours are Illustrious Blue (26), Purple Moon (24) and Manifest (20).
Harry Herbert, Cartier’s racing consultant, commented today: “Makfi’s victory over Goldikova and Paco Boy was sensational, as was the unheralded Sole Power’s stunning York success. Such races reaffirm what depth there is to the top quality pool of horses we are seeing in action this season in Europe.
“The Cartier Racing Awards are all about rewarding excellence and each week we seem to be seeing performances that hit that level. York offered four days of excellent sport and Deauville continues to offer a feast of top-class racing.
“As we savour what is left of the summer and look forward to the big autumn targets, the excitement and the competition can only intensify which is a thrilling prospect.”
