Staff Writer |
Auguste Rodin and Tahiyra have made impressive strides at the Irish Champions Festival, narrowing the gap on Paddington at the top of the Cartier Horse of the Year points standings. The Cartier Racing Awards, which have been recognizing excellence in horse racing since 1991, will be held at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Thursday, November 9th.
Auguste Rodin, with 128 points, had a disappointing performance in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, failing to beat any of his rivals. However, the English and Irish Derby winner bounced back in style by winning the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday. By defeating Luxembourg and Nashwa, Auguste Rodin now sits in second place behind Paddington in both the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier 3YO Colt categories. Both colts are trained by Aidan O'Brien for a Coolmore partnership.
Setting The Bar High: Tahiyra’s Triple Crown Triumph
Tahiyra, with 120 points, also had a successful day at Leopardstown, comfortably winning the Coolmore America "Justify" Matron Stakes. Trained by Dermot Weld, Tahiyra has now secured three consecutive top-level victories, having previously won the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes. She is currently leading the race for the Cartier 3YO Filly award.
Another notable contender is Warm Heart, who won the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks and followed it up with a victory in the Qatar Prix Vermeille on Longchamp's Arc Trials Day. With 80 points, she holds strong claims in the Cartier 3YO Filly category.
The joint leaders in the Cartier Sprinter division, Shaquille and Highfield Princess, faced unexpected defeats over the weekend. Shaquille finished last in the Betfair Sprint Cup, trailing behind Regional, while Highfield Princess could only manage a fifth-place finish in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes, with Moss Tucker taking the victory.
Eldar Eldarov, at the age of 40, celebrated his first victory since last year's St Leger with a convincing win over last year's Cartier Stayer, Kyprios, in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger on Sunday. This impressive performance puts him in contention to challenge Coltrane and Courage Mon Ami at the top of the Cartier Stayer standings for the year. The upcoming Betfred St Leger will also play a significant role in determining the standings in this category.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien achieved a significant milestone on Sunday, notching his 4,000th victory at the Curragh. This momentous occasion occurred during the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes, where the promising 2yo colt Henry Longfellow, a potential contender for the Cartier 2YO Colt award, emerged as the clear victor. Henry Longfellow decisively outperformed his rivals Islandsinthestream and Bucanero Fuerte to secure the win.
In the Cartier 2YO Filly division, Fallen Angel has emerged as a key contender. This daughter of Too Darn Hot has now joined Ramatuelle at the top of the leaderboard. Fallen Angel's recent victory over Vespertilio in the Moyglare Stud Stakes was a decisive one, solidifying her position as a major force in the competition.