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Sea the Stars named Cartier Horse of the Year The exceptional SEA THE STARS was named Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier champion three-year-old colt at the 2009 Cartier Racing Awards, which were presented at Claridge's Hotel in Mayfair, London, England, before an invited audience of 200 on the Tuesday night. Sea the Stars swept all before him as he won each of his six races in 2009, all in Group 1 company. The first two of those victories were in classic races and he thus became the first horse in 20 years to win both the Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) at Newmarket and the Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) at Epsom Downs. After clinching the Derby, Sea the Stars dropped down to 10 furlongs for his next three starts and emphasized his dominance against the best in Europe with triumphs in the Eclipse S. (Eng-G1) at Sandown, the Juddmonte International (Eng-G1) at York and the Irish Champion S. (Ire-G1) at Leopardstown. A homebred out of the Tsui family's outstanding mare Urban Sea (Miswaki), Sea the Stars then emulated his dam with a victory in Europe's top middle-distance race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) over 12 furlongs at Longchamp, France, in October. No horse before him had added Arc success to wins in the Two Thousand Guineas and Derby. In the Cartier Horse of the Year category, Sea the Stars prevailed from the sensational two-time Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) heroine GOLDIKOVA (Ire) (Anabaa), dual Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) victor Conduit (Ire) (Dalakhani), Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) winner Mastercraftsman (Ire) and the One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) heroine Ghanaati. Between them, the five nominees gained 16 Group 1 races in 2009. Sea the Stars also took the honors in the three-year-old colt category from crack miler Rip Van Winkle (Ire) (Galileo [Ire]), Mastercraftsman, runaway Irish Derby (Ire-G1) winner Fame and Glory (Montjeu [Ire]) and Prix du Jockey Club (Fr-G1) hero Le Havre. Goldikova topped a very strong division to clinch the Cartier champion older horse award. With four Group 1 wins on the board this year, including that scintillating second Breeders' Cup Mile triumph, the Freddie Head-trained filly saw off King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. (Eng-G1) winner Conduit, as well as FLEETING SPIRIT (Ire) (Invincible Spirit), Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]) and impressive Prince Of Wales's S. (Eng-G1) victor Vision d'Etat (Chichicastenango). The Cartier two-year-old colt category was particularly competitive but it was the unbeaten Racing Post Trophy (Eng-G1) winner ST NICHOLAS ABBEY (Montjeu [Ire]) who took the 2009 award. The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt pipped Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Fr-G1) scorer Siyouni (Pivotal), the unbeaten pair of Middle Park S. (Eng-G1) hero Awzaan (Alhaarth) and Prix Morny (Fr-G1) winner Arcano (Oasis Dream [GB]), as well as Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) victor Pounced (Rahy). SPECIAL DUTY (Hennessy) stormed to success in the Cheveley Park S. (Eng-G1) at Newmarket in October and she has been crowned the Cartier champion two-year-old filly for 2009. The Criquette Head-Maarek-trained youngster won twice from four starts and defeated colts when winning the Prix Robert Papin (Fr-G2). Also nominated were Termagant (Powerscourt [GB]), winner of the Moyglare Stud S. (Ire-G1), Rosanara (Sinndar), Hibaayeb (Singspiel [Ire]) and Lady of the Desert (Rahy). SARISKA (Pivotal) won the Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1) at Epsom and cruised to a spectacular victory in the Irish Oaks (Ire-G1) at the Curragh. In a close-run contest, the Michael Bell-trained Pivotal filly took the 2009 Cartier champion three-year-old filly award from Ghanaati, and the Henry Cecil-trained Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream [GB]), who added the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) to a Nassau S. (Eng-G1) triumph. Runaway Prix de Diane (Fr-G1) winner Stacelita (Monsun) and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1) heroine Elusive Wave (Elusive City) were also nominated. YEATS (Ire) ensured his place among the greats with a record fourth victory in the Gold Cup (Eng-G1) at Ascot. The eight-year-old, who aroused great emotion when winning the Royal Ascot feature, was named the Cartier champion stayer for 2009, thus becoming the first horse to win a Cartier Award four times. In a tough division, he headed Alandi (Galileo [Ire]), who defeated Yeats in both the Irish St Leger (Ire-G1) and Prix du Cadran (Fr-G1). Also in the running for recognition were the top-class Ask (GB) (Sadler's Wells), Schiaparelli (Monsun) and Askar Tau (Montjeu [Ire]). Fleeting Spirit's victory in the July Cup (Eng-G1) at Newmarket, where she defeated a whole host of top-class sprinters from far and wide, sees her receive the 2009 Cartier champion sprinter award. Prix de l'Abbaye (Fr-G1) winner Total Gallery (Namid) was also in contention, as was the popular Borderlescott (Compton Place) who secured a second successive win in the Nunthorpe S. (Eng-G1) at York in August. Group 1 winners Art Connoisseur (Lucky Story) and King's Apostle (King's Best) were also nominated. John Oxx, the trainer of Sea the Stars, has been voted the 2009 Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit winner. The Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit is for the person or persons who, in the opinion of the special 18-strong Cartier Jury, has/have done most for European racing and/or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months. The list of past winners of the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit is as follows: HM The Queen, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Niarchos Family, Peter Willett, Henry Cecil, David & Patricia Thompson, Lord Oaksey, Prince Khalid Abdulla, John Magnier, His Highness The Aga Khan, Peter Walwyn, the Head Family, Sir Peter O'Sullevan, Frankie Dettori, John Dunlop, the Marquess of Hartington, Francois Boutin, Lester Piggott and Henri Chalhoub. The Cartier Award winners were determined by points earned in Pattern races combined with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists headed by Brough Scott plus votes from readers of the Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph.
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