Busy few weeks for the Cartier Racing Awards

Barney Roy, owned by Godolphin and trained by Richard Hannon, is a possible starter in Saturday's 10-furlong Group One Coral Eclipse, where he would take on older opposition for the first time. Investec Derby runner-up Cliffs Of Moher (24) and dual Group Two winner Permian (32) are also among the entries.

The Sandown Park highlight may see the Roger Charlton-trained Decorated Knight (80) line up following his fine second to Highland Reel (80) in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes over the same trip at Royal Ascot last month. The two horses currently share second place behind Godolphin's star miler Ribchester (86) in the Cartier Older Horse category.

Four-year-old Dubawi colt Zarak (54) moves into the reckoning for the Cartier Older Horse Award , with the Aga Khan-owned runner recording a first top level success in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 2.

The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival was staged at the Curragh from Friday, June 30 through to Sunday, July 2, with the feature Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby taking centre stage.

It was Capri (34), owned by a Coolmore syndicate and trained by Aidan O'Brien, who came out on top in the Irish Classic by a neck and a short-head respectively, seeing off Cracksman (28) and his stablemate Wings Of Eagles (60), who had captured the Investec Derby at Epsom Downs for the same connections when a 40/1 chance. 

The three-year-old Pour Moi colt Wings Of Eagles has now been retired to stud following an injury sustained at the Curragh and, though he stops earning points in Pattern races, he could still win a Cartier Racing Award, thanks to the unique way the awards are decided.

European horseracing's top awards are delivered through a tried and tested combination of points earned by horses in Pattern races (30%), combined at the end of season with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists/handicappers (35%) and votes from readers of Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph plus ITV Racing viewers (35%).

Star Galileo filly Winter (116), who has captured three Group One races this year (the QIPCO 1000 Guineas, the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes), continues to hold a clear advantage in the race for the Cartier Horse Of The Year and Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly Awards. 

The Coolmore-owned, Aidan O'Brien-trained filly could make her next appearance in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket's Moët & Chandon July Festival on July 14 and is also entered in the 10-furong Qatar Nassau Stakes at next month's Qatar Goodwood Festival.

There is likely to be some change to Pattern race points' standings in the Cartier Sprinter category at Newmarket next week, with the Darley July Cup staged on July 15. The six-furlong contest could see the unbeaten Commonwealth Cup scorer Caravaggio (60) take on older opposition for the first time, with Diamond Jubilee Stakes hero The Tin Man (32) a possible opponent.

Big Orange (56), winner of the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, heads the Cartier Stayer division ahead of Vazirabad (31) and Order Of St George (28), with a meeting between all three on the cards in the Qatar Goodwood Cup on August 1.

Harry Herbert, Cartier's Racing Consultant, commented: "The European season is now in full stride with high-class action in the coming days and weeks at Sandown Park, Newmarket, the Curragh, Ascot, Goodwood and Deauville.

"We are looking forward to plenty of thrilling high summer races and it will be fascinating to see if the leaders on Pattern race points for each of the Cartier Racing Awards can maintain their advantages."

The 2017 Cartier Racing Awards will be presented at a glittering ceremony before an invited audience of 300 at the Dorchester Hotel, London, England, on the evening of Tuesday, November 14.

The awards were established in 1991 to reward excellence in horseracing. There are eight equine awards, ranging from the Cartier Horse Of The Year to the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt and Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly.

In addition, the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit goes to the person or persons who, in the opinion of the special 15-strong Cartier Jury, has/have done the most for European racing and/or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months. 

Cartier Racing Awards - points earned in Pattern races up to and including Sunday, July 2, 2017

Cartier Horse Of The Year

Winter    116

Ribchester  86

Barney Roy  80

Churchill  80

Decorated Knight  80

Highland Reel  80

Brametot  72

Wings Of Eagles 60

Big Orange  56

Cloth Of Stars  56

Cartier Older Horse 

Ribchester  86

Decorated Knight  80

Highland Reel  80

Cloth Of Stars  56

Zarak   54 

Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt

Churchill  80

Barney Roy  80

Brametot  72

Wings Of Eagles 60

Thunder Snow   46

Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly

Winter    116

Rhododendron  48

Enable   48

Senga   44

Precieuse   36

Cartier Sprinter

Caravaggio  40

Harry Angel  36

Tasleet   32

Lady Aurelia  32

The Tin Man  32

Cartier Stayer

Big Orange  56

Vazirabad  31

Order Of St George 28

Polarisation  24

Dartmouth  16

Stradivarius  16

Rekindling   16