Wednesday, June 10, 2009

SEA THE STARS TAKES EARLY LEAD IN THE CARTIER RACING AWARDS

The Cartier Racing Awards, now in their 19th year, celebrate the champions of the Turf, along with one person. European horseracing’s most prestigious accolades will be presented during a glittering ceremony before an invited audience at Claridge’s Hotel in Mayfair, London, on Tuesday, November 17, 2009.

The coveted horse awards, horseracing’s equivalent of the Oscars, are determined by points earned in Pattern races combined with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists plus votes from readers of the Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph, a system which accurately rewards supreme excellence.

Sea The Stars, racing’s new superstar, has 96 points for his unbeaten record this year. He is the first horse to win both British Classics for 20 years. Owned by Christopher Tsui, trained by John Oxx in Ireland and ridden by Mick Kinane, Sea The Stars’ next appearance is likely to be in either the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on June 28 or the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park on July 4.

He is 24 points ahead of Le Havre, who was successful in the French Derby, the Prix du Jockey Club, at Chantilly on Sunday, June 7, and had previously finished second in the French 2,000 Guineas, the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, at Longchamp in May.

Sea The Stars and Le Havre are first and second in the battle for the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt Award, as well as the Cartier Horse Of The Year Award, at this relatively early stage of the season.

They are followed in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt category by Silver Frost (56), the Poule d’Essai des Poulains victor, and the 2008 Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt Award winner Mastercraftsman (48), successful in the boylesports.com Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh after finishing fifth in the stanjames.com 2000 Guineas.


Turning to the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly Award, recent Investec Oaks winner Sariska leads the way on 57 points, one ahead of Elusive Wave, the heroine of the French 1,000 Guineas, the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, at Longchamp last month, with boylesports.com Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Again and stanjames.com 1000 Guineas scorer Ghanaati both on 48 points.

There is a three-way tie at the moment in the Cartier Older Horse Award, with Ask, Gloria De Campeao and Presvis all on 48 points.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Ask, owned by Patrick Fahey and ridden by Ryan Moore, is unbeaten in two starts this year, having won the Group Two Emirates Airline Yorkshire Cup in May and then prevailed in a thrilling finish to the Group One Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs on June 5.

Gloria De Campeao and Presvis are in the points thanks to the Cartier Racing Awards’ policy of embracing European-trained horses in leading international races. Gloria De Campeao, trained by Pascal Bary in France, won the Group One Singapore Airlines International Cup by a head from Presvis on May 17 and was previously runner-up in the world’s richest race, the Dubai World Cup at the end of March.

The Luca Cumani-trained Presvis finished well from a poor draw in Singapore after gaining the Group One Audemars Piguet QEII Cup in Hong Kong the previous month and coming second in the Group One Dubai Duty Free at Nad Al Sheba in March.

It is early days for the Cartier Stayer Award and the Cartier Sprinter Award, with much more to be learnt during Royal Ascot, which runs from Tuesday, June 16, through to Saturday, June 20.

Harry Herbert, Cartier’s racing consultant, commented today: “Sea The Stars is the first horse since Nashwan in 1989 to win both the stanjames.com 2000 Guineas and the Investec Derby.

“He still has the scope to improve further and we are all looking forward to an exciting summer.

“Royal Ascot is just around the corner and the five days of superb racing will throw up more contenders for the 2009 Cartier Racing Awards.”

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