Paddington Heads Cartier Standings | Sporting Post
Paddington is the new leader in the race to be crowned Cartier Horse of the Year, with three-year-olds taking the top seven spots in the points classification for the Cartier Racing Awards’ premier horse honor.
Established in 1991 to celebrate excellence in horse racing, the 33rd Cartier Racing Awards will be presented on the evening of Thursday 9th November at the Dorchester Hotel in London.
Paddington – up front where he likes to be (Image – Racing TV)
Paddington has amassed 112 points after a flawless campaign by Aidan O’Brien that included dominant wins at the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes.
The Siyouni son, who is owned by a Coolmore partnership, triumphed in the first major competition between classic horses and older horses, the Coral-Eclipse, on July 8 when he defeated Cartier Older Horse contender Emily Upjohn (56) Length defeated by a half margin.
The Coral-Eclipse has proven to be a central element of the Cartier Racing Awards in recent years. Cartier Horse Of The Year winners Roaring Lion (2018), Enable (2019), Ghaiyyath (2020) and St Mark’s Basilica (2021) all won the showpiece at Sandown Park, alongside last year’s Cartier three-year-old colt Vadeni.
O’Brien and Coolmore have another leading contender for Cartier Horse of the Year in Auguste Rodin (80) and the Cartier three-year-old colt who gave his trainer his 100th Classic win when he was at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby a derby double completed at the Curragh on July 2nd.
Like his stable mate, Auguste Rodin is hoping to deal a blow to the three-year-old when he takes on the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes later this month.
His rivals at Ascot might include Emily Upjohn, recent Grand Prix de Saint Cloud winner Westover (60) and Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Luxembourg (56), all closely leading the Cartier Older Horse division stand.
The Classic generation also won the Pertemps Network July Cup on July 15 in Newmarket when Shaquille (64) put on a sensational performance despite a muddled start.
Rossa Ryan (right) and friends celebrate with Shaquille winning the Pertemps Network July Cup Stakes at July Cup Day of Boodles July Festival 2023 (Image – Racing TV)
Coached by Julie Camacho, the Commonwealth Cup winner has established a clear lead in the Cartier Sprinter category and looks set to fight for more top-level honors in September’s Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock Park.
Older horses have won the two G1 all-ages races for fillies and mares so far this season, with Via Sistina (56) winning the Yulong Pretty Polly Stakes at Curragh earlier in the month and Nashwa (36) storming to victory in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket last week.
Nashwa will be hoping to strike the Qatar Nassau Stakes again at next month’s Qatar Goodwood Festival, although she faces a tough test as Blue Rose Cen (72), two-time French Classic hero and Cartier Three-Year Contender Old Filly, come along for the race.
The Qatar Goodwood Festival could also see the first major clash of generations in the Cartier Stayer category. Courage Mon Ami (48), Coltrane (32) and Subjectivist (15) all returned after finishing first, second and third in the Gold Cup, with rising star Gregory (16) also making a start.
Cartier Racing Awards – Points earned in Pattern races up to and including Sunday 16th July 2023
Cartier Horse of the Year
112 Paddington
88 Tahiyra
80 Auguste Rodin
72 Blue Rose Cent
64 Chaldeans
64 Shaquille
64 soul sister
60 Westover
56Emily Upjohn
56 Luxembourg
56 Via Sixtina
Cartier older horse
60 Westover
56Emily Upjohn
56 Luxembourg
56 Via Sixtina
54 Dubai honor
54 Mostahdaf
Cartier Three Year Colt
112 Paddington
80 Auguste Rodin
64 Chaldeans
64 Shaquille
44 Good guess
44 Marhaba Ya Sanafi
Three-year-old filly by Cartier
88 Tahiyra
72 Blue Rose Cent
64 soul sister
48 Mawj
40 Jannah Rose
40 Remark
Cartier Sprinters
64 Shaquille
36 Bradsell
32 Highfield Princess
32 Khaadem
32 Little Big Bear
Cartier Stayer
48 Courage Mon Ami
32 Coltranes
28 The good man
24 Siskany
20 sober