The Vaal Outside track stages a nine race meeting tomorrow. The draw bias used to favour high drawn horses here but this seems to have evened out and the jockeys were tending to stick to the middle and inside last week.

The highlight of the meeting will be the return to action of the unbeaten Mawshoof, who hails from the flying Mike de Kock yard and runs in the sixth race, a MR 83 Handicap over 1200m. This three-year-old Trippi colt beat a moderate workrider’s maiden field by 4,75 lengths on debut over 1000m and was accorded only a 76 merit rating by the handicappers. However, second time out he showed much improvement and stormed to victory full of running to win by 2,75 lengths. The handicappers could only raise him a maximum of eight points to an 84, but he gave the impression he could rise well above that mark. He carries a nice galloping weight of 55,5kg, although on the evidence of last Thursday’s racing the connections might have preferred him to be drawn lower than seven out of nine.

The main danger could be Arabian Beat, who was a classy sort as a two-year-old for this yard and won the Grade 1 SA Nursery. He does have breathing issues these days but having won by 2,25 lengths over this trip last time he can do well again with Keagan de Melo retaining the ride. Another classy sort in the field is the three-year-old Laurent Du Var, who beat the like of the useful So Var comfortably over 1000m at level weights as a two-year-old in March. He could run well fresh after a 107 day layoff, having been found to not be striding out in his last start in August. Mujallad is another speedy and classy three-year-old and he was only caught late by the useful sprinters Exquisite Touch and The Thinker over 1000m last time, although off a 92 merit rating he has to give Mawshoof 4kg and Laurent Du Var 3kg. Torre Del Oro has the ability to be in the shake up too.

Lauren Of Rochelle (JC Photographics)

The best bet on the card could be Star Of Joburg, who looks hard to beat in a drop in trip to 1000m in the second race. He showed exceptional pace over 1160m last time and was only overtaken by two classy sorts with the rest of the field beaten by 5,75 lengths.

Fans will be hoping to see the Sean Tarry yard bouncing back to form before the Sansui Summer Cup meeting and he could win the first race over 1600m with Piaget Prince. He showed pace over 1400m in his penultimate start and was then not striding out over 1600m last time. This Philanthropist colt should enjoy the 1600m trip on pedigree and does not have a lot to beat. The main danger could be the well-bred first-timer Circle The Sun, who is by Await The Dawn out of Fisani, a Kahal mare who won the Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas. She later won another Grade 2 over 2000m and a Grade 3 over 1800m.

Tarry could also win the last race on the card over 1600m with Pachuco. This horse was flying at the finish last Thursday over 1400m when a close sixth and should relish the step up in trip.

The third race is the first leg of the PA and in this uninspiring affair Mizshowbiz and Ultimate Shamrock should fight it out.

In the next race there is a very interesting debutant, the R1,2 million Captain Al filly Penny Royal, who is a half-sister to the brilliant champion sprint-miler Princess Victoria and she does not have a lot to beat in this 1200m maiden. Kitty Coo makes the most appeal of those to have raced.

In the fifth race Lake Kinneret is interesting dropped in trip to 1200m with blinkers on as he fared well in a string Progress Plate last time over 1450m.

The seventh also produces an interesting runner in Lauren Of Rochelle as he was not far off them last time after a tardy start. Weichong Marwing has stayed aboard and this horse has now dropped three points since his handicap debut.

In the eighth over 1000m Ilha Da Var improved to win his maiden comfortably and could follow up. He could beat home the consistent Osculation and the honest little mare Celtic Lady.

By David Thiselton

Durban July winner Marinaresco will gallop at Kenilworth on Wednesday and he begins his campaign over 1 200m in Saturday week’s WSB Cape Merchants instead of the expected Green Point Stakes over a mile.

Candice Bass-Robinson said: “We are changing his programme this season. Rather than have two runs over a mile he will run six furlongs, a mile in the Queen’s Plate and then 2 000m in the Sun Met.  He needs to be fresh for a mile and he possibly had a race too many over that trip last season.”

Marinaresco

Marinaresco has top weight of 62kg in the Merchants while Legal Eagle, who beat Marinaresco less than half a length in last year’s Green Point, heads the 13 nominations for the Grade 2 and is expected to run. The big names likely to take him on include Captain America, Edict Of Nantes and Gold Standard.

MJ Byleveld had the first five-timer of his career at Fairview on Friday. Three of the five were for boss Vaughan Marshall but Piet Botha has been given a week’s suspension for causing “bunching and interference” when five of the 11 runners in the concluding mile handicap at Kenilworth nine days ago were hindered.

A number of horses are understood to have tested positive for caffeine in Kwazulu Natal, including some normally based In Cape Town. Caffeine is a stimulant and therefore prohibited. However its use this time is believed to be wholly innocent. Contaminated feedstuffs are the most likely cause.

NHA Racing Control boss Arnold Hyde said at the weekend: “We are carrying out investigations but it is quite sensitive. We will put out a press release when we have all our ducks in a row.”

By Michael Clower

…following the 19-1 shot’s fast-finishing short head win in the R2.5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run on Saturday.

But Snaith deflected all the credit to the Trippi filly’s racing manager Kevin Sommerville, saying: “Miss Katalin is very mouthy and throws her head around. Kevin rang me about this during the week and as a result we changed the equipment to make her more comfortable.”

But the filly had a rough passage early on and Grant van Niekerk found himself even more effectively hemmed in than Robert Mugabe. His mount was then bounced from one warring faction into another. But her rider quickly found his way into an on-the-rails comfort zone and he made up almost three lengths in the final furlong.

Broadway Trip (Candiese Marnewick)

Van Niekerk is riding out of his skin at the moment – he rode an equally fine race on 28-1 shot Power Grid in the Progress Plate – but he is now focussed on getting the interference demons off his back – “I will get this right,” he insisted. “I need to – it’s costing me.”

Indeed it is. He is in demand countrywide yet this season he has ended up with more holidays than a schoolteacher and he was given another 14 days on Friday for an incident at Turffontein on the day he won the Charity Mile.

But spare a thought for Corne Orffer. On Bold Respect he rode one of the best races in defeat that he, or any other jockey for that matter, has ever ridden. He overcame his coffin-box draw by getting his mount to leave the gates faster than Usain Bolt and he was on the rails going the shortest way round in less time than it takes to read this.

When free-running stable companion Phelan Lucky came at him, Orffer wisely let him go past until taking it up again over a furlong out. Had he not had the misfortune to come up against a jockey riding like a man inspired the short head verdict – and the big prize – would have been his.

Rocket Countdown, at 36-1 the longest-priced Selangor Cup winner this century, also earned a Guineas ticket as well as some surprise from his trainer.

Candice Bass-Robinson said: “We always rated him and his work at home has been outstanding but I didn’t think he was that class over a mile.”

Second-placed White River wore ear muffs but perhaps he should also have been fitted with a muzzle. He tried to bite the winner’s backside 50m out and Greg Cheyne had to straighten him to stop the teeth sinking in. But he was still only beaten half a length and will renew rivalry in the Guineas.

More fancied stable companion Undercover Agent was beaten a length and half into fifth. “He was hanging and I’ve got to find out what that was about,” said Brett Crawford.

Broadway Trip started 33-10 favourite but weakened into fourth after looking the winner over a furlong out and Randall Simons said: “He got the trip but he pulled a bit – lack of cover.”

Alec Laird added: “I’m disappointed he didn’t win but he is good enough to take his chance in the Guineas. It was his first time over a mile and he needed to relax more.”

Top weight Eyes Wide Open managed only ninth and Glen Kotzen commented: “He was never travelling well. It was a flat run but it wasn’t the end of the world. I will freshen him up for the Guineas.”

Kinaan, a second successive Kenilworth Cup win for Mike de Kock and Callan Murray, will stay in Cape Town for the Cape Summer Stayers on 16 December.

By Michael Clower

The International team were comfortable winners of the tenth renewal of the Air Mauritius International Jockey’s Challenge at Turffontein yesterday and it was only the third time they had emerged victorious.

Ireland’s PJ McDonald produced a late rattle out of the second favourite, Secret Potion (22/10), in the first of the Challenge races over 1600m to snare the favourite Tigerlace (2/1), ridden by Craig Zackey, on the line. Lyle Hewitson was third on Diva Faustina (7/1) and Australia’s Cory Brown and France’s Thierry Thulliez were next best on Truth Of Beauty (9/1) and Pokemon Shuffle (100/1) respectively.

Lyle Hewitson

The next race over 1800m was dominated by the international team. The Paul Peter-trained first-timer Majestic Mambo (11/1) looked as if he had been dropped into the race at the 200m mark and coasted to a 5,5 length victory under Thulliez. Brown on Royal Resolution (7/2) and Ireland’s Seamie Heffernan on Harrington Port (28/1) were next best. Gavin Lerena in fourth place on the fancied Flexible Fugitive (9/2) was the first South African home and PJ McDonald was in fifth place on Soldat (12/1). The favourite Finding Troy with South African captain Anthony Delpech up faded from a handy position and finished well beaten.

The internationals were even more dominant in the next race over 3000m where they read the pace well. In a thrilling three-way finish Ireland’s Pat Smullen got up on Dromedaris (9/1) ahead of Martin Dwyer on the 4/1 favourite Ali Bon Dubai and Brown on Sess (11/2). Heffernan was fourth on King’s Drive (19/1) and Lyle Hewitson was the first South African home on fifth-placed Stunned (11/2).

The internationals had built a huge lead and were on 200 points to 107.

The South Africans fought back in the next race over 1600m as Gavin Lerena burst through on Snowdonia (13/1) to give Paul Peter a double and S’Manga Khumalo was second on Costa Da Sol (9/1). Brown, Greg Cheyne and Thulliez were the next three in on Sea Bean (12/1), Pennington Sands (22/1) and Seattle Tango (28/1).

PJ McDonald scored a double in the next over 1600m as Monarch Air (8/1) kept going well to hold off Hewitson on Rose Water (9/2) and Cheyne on Sammi Moosa (12/1). In fourth and fifth were Delpech on Flowing Gown (7/1) and Thulliez on Subtle Force (22/1) respectively.

Going into the last of the Challenge’s races The International team were going to be hard to peg back being on 281 points to South Africa’s 226.

Lyle Hewitson won the 1450m race from start to finish on Bubbly Reply (19/1), but The Internationals ensured victory as Dwyer finished second on the 41/10 favourite Captain Chips and McDonald came from last to finish third on the slowly away Shortstop (12/1). Cheyne and Smullen were next best on Highway Eightyfive (19/1) and Mambo Symphony (15/2) respectively.

The Internationals won by 331 points to 290 and McDonald was a comfortable winner of the victor ludorum prize on 86 points.

By David Thiselton

Sir David Baird ran out a commanding winner of the Listed Guineas Trial at Greyville on Saturday and in doing so booked his place in the Gr1 Cape Guineas to be run at Kenilworth next month.

“He’s found his trip,” said a well satisfied Mike de Kock who has a plethora of smart sophomores in his care this season. “1400m is a nothing race,” he said, commenting on Sir David Baird’s two recent defeats over the distance. “It’s not a sprint and it’s not a mile but this horse shows a lot of speed and if he had got beat today I would have put him back over a sprint. I also liked the way he saddled up. Usually he kicks and plays up but today he stood like a professional.”

But Sir David Baird will not be going back to a sprint as Gavin Lerena swept to the front from the start, winning unchallenged.

Sir David Baird (Candiese Marnewick)

“We didn’t go very fast but I knew that Puller’s horse (Ryker) pulled very hard so I was not going to play into his hands. This was his right trip,” said Lerena.

“He’s so fast at home but I liked the way he quickened today,” added De Kock as Sir David Baird, a half-brother to Gr1 winning sire Argonaut, put four lengths between him and second-placed Ryker. “It’s just a pity that Mr Rattray was not here to watch, he’s only back Tuesday,” De Kock concluded. “He’s put so much into the game, he deserves this.”

Summerveld-based, Mark Dixon had an afternoon to remember as he sent out three winners. His run started in the third when Asian Star finally got his act together in a competitive maiden and veteran Celtic Captain upsetting a strong field in the fourth where the filly Dawn Calling went off favourite. A disappointed Duncan Howells commented later after Neptune’s Rain had broken the stable duck, that Dawn Calling had pulled up distressed after the race and may have been affected by the heat.

Dixon’s well fancied Fantasy Lady found one too good for her in the fifth as Parabola gave Brett Crawford his first winner from his recently established stallelite yard overseen by salted veteran and top trainer in his own right, Peter Muscutt.

Dixon was not done and rounded off his afternoon as apprentice Ashton Aries scored his second win of the day aboard Admiral’s Guest who had a more than useful field over three lengths behind at the line.

De Kock bolted from the winning interview just in time to see Kinaan score comfortably in the Lanzerac Le General Kenilworth Cup but it was a day of upsets down south.

Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion winner Sand And Sea fluffed his lines on his seasonal debut behind 20-1 shot Power Grid while the filly Miss Katalin upstaged a few Cape Guineas hopefuls in the R2.5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes, getting up close home to edge out a tremendously game Bold Respect who jumped from the worst of the draw.

The upsets didn’t stop there as Rocket Countdown blasted into the Cape Guineas picture in the Gr2 Selangor Cup, beating home another outsider White River with Do It Again and favourite Broadway Trip both losing their unbeaten records finishing third and fourth respectively.

By Andrew Harrison

The annual Air Mauritius International Jockeys Challenge is always an exciting meeting and South Africa will be looking to extend their record to eight wins in the tenth renewal of the contest.

The official eleventh race on the card allows Tote players to bet on the jockeys themselves. R12,000 has been added to both the win and place pools for this race and R6,000 to the quartet pool.

The jockeys are awarded 30 points for a win and 15, 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4 from second down to ninth respectively. Eleventh and twelfth earn 0 points and a jockey without a ride earns 7.

The six Jockeys International races comprise the six legs of the Pick 6.

Costa Da Sol

The first international race is an uninspiring maiden for fillies and mares over 1600m. First-timer Flaming Hot is a four-year-old Australian-bred by Flying Spur out of a half-sister to Summer Cup winner Delta Form and Irishman Seamie Heffernan is aboard from pole position. First-timer All Abuzz is a four-year-old by Bezrin and is a half-sister to eleven-time winning Listed winner Formation. Gavin Lerena is aboard from a tricky draw of ten. Secret Potion by Elusive Fort stayed on nicely on debut over 1160m and has a good draw of five under high-flying Irishman PJ McDonald. The concern will be how the filly handles her first start around the turn, considering she was slow away and green on debut. Tigerlace has been knocking on the door and ran on in her penultimate over this course and distance. Craig Zackey rides from draw nine. Truth Of Beauty could earn under Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Corey Brown.

The second international is a Maiden over 1800m. Finding Troy should be improving all the time being by Go Deputy and having gone close over 1700m last time should be right there from pole position under SA captain Anthony Delpech. Hard-kocking Flexible Fugitive’s sire Wanted is a Grade 1-winning sprinter, but her dam is by middle distance sort Giant’s Causeway and is a half-sister to a USA champion filly who won up to 2000m. However, Gavin Lerena has a tough draw of ten to overcome. Soldat has a tough draw under McDonald, but has the form to earn.

In the third International event, a MR73 handicap over 3000m, Ali Bon Dubai lost three lengths at the start last time but on his going away wins over 2000m before that makes appeal. England’s Martin Dwyer rides from draw three. Stunned finished strongly over 2400m in his penultimate and has Lyle Hewitson up. Out-and-out stayer Fortune Fella enjoys this course and has pole position under Lerena.

In the next, a MR 86 for fillies and mares over 1600m, Sabina’s Dynasty could be on a capped merit rating having won easily last time over this trip. Delpech rides from a fair draw of six. Noceur is promising and can be forgiven her last run, but Heffernan has to overcome a wide draw. Costa Da Sol should enjoy the trip and is drawn two under S’Manga Khumalo.

In the fifth of the internationals, a MR 65 for fillies and mares, Wrap It Up was due to run on Thursday but if she takes her place has a shout from a good draw under Dwyer. Monarch Air won well last time but has a six-point merit rated raise to overcome. McDonald rides. Flowing Gown can do better than her last run and has Delpech up.

In the finale over 1450m Captain Chips (Dwyer) is distance suited and jumps from pole position. Sabre Dance (Heffernan) and Private Ruler (Khumalo) make most appeal of the rest.

By David Thiselton

Out-of-Province success in this most important of Cape Guineas trials is rare but the Alec Laird colt has the form to win.

On his most recent start, in a 1 450m Progress Plate at Turffontein, he came up against a string of previous winners and had to give weight to all but two of the 12 runners. He beat Golden Horseshoe fourth Flying Free only narrowly but he was conceding 3kg. Three lengths further back third was Hakeem who was only beaten a length and a half when sixth in the Golden Horseshoe.

Broadway Trip (Candiese Marnewick)

This line of form puts the Jo’burg horse in front of Ancestry and Captain And Master and – by extension – suggests that he should also beat Eyes Wide Open.

“It was that form which gave us the confidence to have a crack at the Cape Guineas,” says Laird, already looking ahead to the big one in four weeks’ time. “My horse came down here last week, he travelled well and had a gallop on the course last Saturday. He handled the left-hand turn and I was happy with the way he was working.”

Randall Simons’ mount opened 7-2 favourite with World Sports Betting yesterday but that is a doubtful benefit in the Selangor. Five of the last seven favourites have been beaten.

Captain And Master (9-2) didn’t help his chance in the Golden Horseshoe by over-racing early on. He did it again in the Premiers Champion when he also met with interference. If S’Manga Khumalo can settle him he will be a major threat.

Eyes Wide Open (a big price at 6-1) has to give 2kg all round and, as such, there must be a suspicion that he will find at least one too good for him. But he is the highest rated and he ran above his mark in a mile Pinnacle three weeks ago.

“He has already achieved a higher rating than Gold Standard was given after his win in last year’s Selangor,” points out Glen Kotzen. “He has had a good prep and he is ready for this.”

Joey Ramsden has won four of the last six runnings, with Anton Marcus on two of them, and 11-2 shot Ancestry’s Durban form suggests he should turn the tables on the Kotzen hope.

Eyes Wide Open (Candiese Marnewick)

Undercover Agent’s second to Tap O’Noth in the Cape Classic represents a more recent guide and he is second favourite at 4-1. “The extra 200m will be in his favour,” says in-form Brett Crawford who adds: “I also give White River (12-1) a chance. He is a very progressive horse.”

The draw should, theoretically at least, be crucial in the R2.5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run with the turn starting so soon after the start and the run-in so much shorter than on the summer course. But a quick start can overcome the worst of draws and Crawford’s 11-2 chance Bold Respect is taken to prove the point.

“He is a fast starter, he is a very good horse and I’m confident,” enthuses his trainer. If he and I are wrong then Sean Tarry should win for the second successive year with 28-10 favourite Wonderwall, almost certainly the pick of the stable’s quartet.

Attempting to overcome a bad draw by dropping the horse in looks suicidal in such a big field but that is what Justin Snaith intends doing with Sir Frenchie (5-1) and with unbeaten Selangor runner Do It Again. “That is the way they run,” he argues. “What I need is a strong headwind – and I might just get it.”

By Michael Clower 

Inclement weather seems to be the order of the day this summer and tomorrow’s meeting on the Greyville turf is in danger of being transferred to the poly track – but there is still hope.

By early yesterday morning Greyville had recorded 58 mm. Gold Circle Racing Executive Raf Sheik said that a pen reading would be taken late yesterday afternoon (too late for this column) and with the weather forecast taken into consideration, a decision would be made on whether to switch to the poly track sometime this morning.

“It’s a case of damned if you do and damned if you don’t,” said Sheik adding that during the last storm, over 100 mm of rain fell in a couple of hours but two days later – if there had been racing on the turf – it would have gone ahead. The rain is due to have cleared by yesterday afternoon so we live in hope!

Ryker

“I had the Guineas Trial in mind but now I’m not so sure,” puzzled Puller after Ryker had blown away a useful field of older sprinters on the first day of this month.

“I freshened him up for this race,” confirmed Garth Puller after his 1000m triumph. “He’s a big-striding horse and I was a bit surprised.”

“But he’s a horse that will go a mile,” he added and Ryker gets to prove that assessment when he lines up in the said Guineas Trial tomorrow.

“The five (furlongs) was a little bit sharp for him,” confirmed rider Antony Delpech, who has stuck with his mount. “He’s a smart horse and going to win races.”

Mike de Kock has his sophomore contingent wound up as taut as a violin string. Sir David Baird may not be up with his stable companions who have swept most before them so far this Highveld spring so the trip to Durban may have been an easier option. Callan Murray was roundly criticised for his ride when runner-up to Darkest Hour second time out but the gelding could only manage fourth at his next outing which may have been some vindication for Murray. That could all change tomorrow.

The cleverly named Hard To Pay steps up to a mile for the first time for Wendy Whitehead after winning his first two and finishing runner-up to the speedy Di Mazzio last time out. Pedigree suggest that he should see out the trip.

The Dazzler lived up to his name when thumping a field of winners on debut in what was a thoroughly impressive performance. He has been surprisingly winless since be seldom far back.

He races in a tongue-tie tomorrow and can give James Goodman a rousing send-off as the veteran trainer hands in his brief at the end of the month.

By Andrew Harrison

The Air Mauritius International Jockeys’ Challenge starts on Friday when most of the jockeys will be making public appearances at Betting World The Buzz, Fourways.

Three of the local riders will not be there because they are riding in Port Elizabeth – Craig Zackey, Greg Cheyne and Lyle Hewitson. However, the other jockeys – Anthony Delpech (SA Captain), S’manga Khumalo and Gavin Lerena – and six visiting riders – Australian Corey Brown (who won the Melbourne Cup last week), Englishman Martin Dwyer, Frenchman Thierry Thulliez and Irish trio Seamie Heffernan, PJ Mcdonald and Pat Smullen (International Captain) – are scheduled to be at the shopping centre from 11am.

Teams from the 2012 IJC

Betting World will hold competitions for their customers throughout the afternoon with prizes of betting vouchers and airtime and Tellytrack presenters Dominic Zackey and Neil Andrews will be at the shop, conducting interviews with the jockeys and adding to the excitement of the occasion.

This is the 10th year the International Jockeys’ Challenge, which is organised by Racing Association chief executive Larry Wainstein, will be staged. Home team advantage has played a huge role in the outcome most years, although the international team has won on two occasions, in 2011 and 2012.

There was a ballot for mounts in each of the Challenge races and runners were seeded beforehand in an attempt to ensure both teams have roughly the same calibre of rides overall.

Points are awarded as follows: first – 30; second – 15; third – 12; fourth – 10; fifth – 8; sixth – 7; seventh – 6; eighth – 5; ninth – 4; 10th – 3; 11th – 0; 12th – 0. If a jockey does not ride in a race, he gets seven points. The team that scores the most points wins the Challenge.

TAB and Betting World will offer betting on the actual riders in the challenge and a preliminary glance at the fields shows there will not be much separating the teams at prize giving – Delpech and Dwyer might fight it out for the Bronze saddle.

TAB will not only operate Win and Place pools on the jockeys. Punters can also take Swinger, Exacta, Trifecta and Quartet bets. – TABonline

The outstanding three-year-old filly Enable was named the Cartier Horse of the Year at the 27th annual Cartier Racing Awards, European horseracing’s equivalent of the Oscars on Tuesday night.

The 2017 Cartier Racing Awards are presented at a glittering ceremony before an invited audience of 300 at the Dorchester Hotel in London.

From the first crop of Nathaniel, Enable recorded five consecutive Gr1 victories in 2017. Owned by Khalid Abdullah, trained by John Gosden in Newmarket and ridden by Frankie Dettori, Enable was impressive against her own sex in two Classics, the Investec Oaks at Epsom Downs and the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh, winning by five lengths each time, before easily defeating all-aged, all-sex opposition in Ascot’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Enable (Supplied)

After capturing a third Oaks at York in August, the Gr1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks, Enable created history by becoming the first British-trained filly to win Europe’s most valuable race, the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly. Her comfortable two and a half-length victory against a high-class field was an outstanding performance and the prospect of Enable staying in training in 2018 whets the appetite of all racing enthusiasts. The three other Cartier Horse of the Year nominees were Cracksman, Ribchester and Ulysses.

Enable also easily took the honours in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly Award from Winter, Lady Aurelia and Roly Poly, while her stable companion Cracksman, owned by Anthony Oppenheimer, was the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt following his impressive seven-length success in the Gr1 QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot in October. Cracksman saw off challenges from Harry Angel, Churchill and Barney Roy.

Even by his own incredibly high standards, Ireland’s champion trainer Aidan O’Brien enjoyed an outstanding 2017 as he sent out a worldwide record of 27 Gr1 winners. O’Brien is responsible for both the 2017 Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt, U S Navy Flag, and the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly, Happily, while Order Of St George scoops the Cartier Stayer Award for the second year in succession.

Thrilling Harry Angel was the winner of the 2017 Cartier Sprinter Award. The Godolphin-owned three-year-old colt, trained by Clive Cox, showed tremendous versatility with victories over six furlongs on good to firm ground in Newmarket’s G1 Darley July Cup and on heavy ground in the G1 32Red Sprint Cup at Haydock Park. He finished on top from Marsha, Battaash and Lady Aurelia.

Ulysses is the Cartier Older Horse for 2017, after registering a Gr1 10-furlong double in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park and the Juddmonte International at York, though it was a close-run affair with star miler Ribchester. Highland Reel and Talismanic were the other two nominees.

– racenews@racenewsonline.com