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| Staff Writer |
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City Of Troy is laying down a strong challenge for Cartier Horse of the Year honours after a scintillating performance in the Gr.1 Juddmonte International at York. The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt, lowering the course record, made all under Ryan Moore to defeat fellow 3YO Calandagan by a length in a thrilling renewal of the Knavesmire feature.
Adding to his triumphs in the Betfred Derby and Coral-Eclipse, the son of Justify has amassed 144 points in Pattern races this season, giving him a significant advantage in both the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt categories.
The Juddmonte International, a cornerstone of the European racing calendar, has a rich history of producing champions. Frankel, the 2012 winner, went on to claim Cartier Horse of the Year honours, while Ghaiyyath (2020) and Mishriff (2021) both used the race as a springboard to year-end accolades.
Trained by Aidan O'Brien for a Coolmore partnership, City Of Troy could now make an audacious switch to dirt for the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in November. Only Arcangues (1993) and Raven's Pass (2008) have triumphed for European trainers in America's richest race, with connections eyeing a potential US$6 million prize.
City Of Troy's closest pursuers in the Cartier Horse of the Year standings include two Cartier Older Horse contenders boasting recent victories at Deauville's Barriere Meeting. Charyn (128 points) backed up his impressive Queen Anne Stakes success with another dominant display in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois, while Mqse de Sevigne (96) completed the Prix Rothschild-Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet double for a second successive year.
In addition to City Of Troy, a superb Ebor Festival for Coolmore, O'Brien and Moore also saw Content (56) reverse the form of the Juddmonte Irish Oaks as she edged out You Got To Me (48) in Thursday's Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks. Both look set to bid for more top-level honours during the autumn and could challenge Porta Fortuna (88) at the head of the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly standings.
Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby victor Los Angeles (68) struck for the same owner/trainer/jockey combination as he gamely defied a Group One penalty in the Great Voltigeur Stakes, earning the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt hopeful a tilt at some significant late-season targets.
Bradsell (32) added his name to a wide-open Cartier Sprinter division with victory in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday, a race that also featured Believing (36), Asfoora (40), Ponntos (30) and Big Evs (24). Trained by Archie Watson for Victorious Racing, Bradsell has bounced back from a fractured fetlock and is unbeaten in both his starts this year.
Gold Cup fourth Vauban (28) notched his first win of 2024 in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes on the same day. Double Major (38) also enhanced his Cartier Stayer claims with a dominant win in the SumbePrix Kergorlay at Deauville earlier in the month, although Kyprios (88) continues to hold a commanding lead in the category.
Whistlejacket (64) sets the early pace in the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt division following his victory over Rashabar (32) in the Sumbe Prix Morny at Deauville. Henri Matisse (32), trained like Whistlejacket by Aidan O'Brien for a Coolmore partnership, also ranks highly following an unbeaten start to his career that has yielded wins in the GAIN Railway Stakes and Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Irish EBF Futurity Stakes.
Babouche (40) had Whistlejacket a length and a half in arrears when taking the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes. A Juddmonte homebred trained by Ger Lyons, the daughter of Kodiac leads the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly standings ahead of Prix du Calvados winner Simmering (28) and Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes scorer Bedtime Story (24).
The 34th Cartier Racing Awards, established in 1991 to reward excellence in horseracing, will be presented at the Dorchester Hotel in London on the evening of Wednesday, November 20.