Dylan Thomas named Cartier Horse of the Year

Dylan Thomas, seen here sharing the Arc winner's circle with Kieren Fallon, was named Cartier Horse of the Year (Frank Sorge/Horsephotos.com) Multiple Group 1 hero DYLAN THOMAS (Ire) (Danehill) was named Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Older Horse at the 2007 Cartier Racing Awards, which were presented Wednesday evening at the Four Seasons Hotel in London. In the Horse of the Year category, Dylan Thomas came out ahead of an outstanding quartet, comprising Prince of Wales's S. (Eng-G1) hero Manduro, Queen Anne S. (Eng-G1) victor Ramonti (Martino Alonso), Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) conqueror Authorized and four-time Group 1 heroine Peeping Fawn (Danehill). He took the Cartier Older Horse Award over Manduro and Ramonti again, plus two-time Gold Cup S. (Eng-G1) winner Yeats (Ire) and Eclipse S. (G1) victor Notnowcato (Inchinor [GB]) The four-year-old Dylan Thomas, trained by horseman Aidan O'Brien, proved incredibly resilient this year, competing against Group/Grade 1 company in every start except for his seasonal bow. He captured four of those events, beginning with the Prix Ganay S. (G1) and ending with arguably Europe's biggest race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1). His jockey that day, Kieren Fallon, called him the best horse he has ever ridden. In between, Dylan Thomas also won the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. (Eng-G1) and Irish Champion S. (Ire-G1). In his other tries, he ran second in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-G1), Prince of Wales's S. (Eng-G1) and International S. (Eng-G1). Traveling to the United States for the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) last out, the bay was presented with his least favorite conditions when the ground up up soft and could do no better than fifth. Though he didn't fare too well in that recent race, the four-year-old's exploits may not have finished for the year, with the Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) on November 25 next on his schedule with Johnny Murtagh aboard. That event will likely mark the end of Dylan Thomas' stellar career, as he is slated to enter stud at Coolmore in 2008.

The Ballydoyle team of O'Brien and owners Sue & John Magnier,

Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith had another tremendous year of success, not only

with Dylan Thomas but with PEEPING FAWN. The outstanding filly was named the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly over French One Thousand

Guineas (Fr-G1) victress Darjina (Zamindar), E.P. Taylor S. (Can-G1) heroine Mrs Lindsay

(Theatrical [Ire]),

English (Eng-G1) and Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) winner Finsceal Beo

(Mr. Greeley) and Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1) queen Light Shift (Kingmambo). Peeping

Fawn captured the Pretty Polly S. (Ire-G1), Irish Oaks (Ire-G1), Nassau S.

(Eng-G1) and Yorkshire Oaks (Eng-G1), all in succession, and also placed in the

English and Irish Oaks this season.

Sue Magnier and Diane Nagel's YEATS also helped the Ballydoyle team along. Successful

when defending his title in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in mid-June, he was

awarded the Cartier Stayer title for a second straight time. The six-year-old

won four of his five starts this season, including the Irish St. Leger S.

(Ire-G1), and was third most recently in the Prix du Cadran (Fr-G1).

Last year, Irish trainer Jim Bolger achieved the memorable feat of

capturing the Cartier Racing Awards for Two-Year-Old Colt and Two-Year-Old Filly

with Teofilo and Finsceal Beo, respectively. He again had the chance of

winning both Cartier Awards this year and accomplished half the task when his unbeaten dual Group

1 winner NEW APPROACH (Galileo [Ire]) gained the accolade of Cartier

Two-Year-Old Colt. The chestnut colt broke his maiden in mid-July before adding

the Tyros S. (Ire-G3), Futurity S. (Ire-G2), National S. (Ire-G1) and Dewhurst

S. (Eng-G1) to his record.

Bolger's dual Group 1-winning Saoirse Abu (Mr. Greeley) just failed to hold off

Cheveley Park S. (G1) heroine NATAGORA (Divine Light) for 2007 Cartier

Two-Year-Old Filly honors. Trained in France by Pascal Bary and

owned by Stefan Friborg, Natagora finished no worse than second in her seven

starts of this year, including a runner-up placing in the Prix Morny (Fr-G1).

Epsom Derby and International S. (Eng-G1) winner AUTHORIZED did his connections proud

as he was named the Carter Three-Year-Old Colt of 2007 ahead of English (Eng-G1)

and Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) hero Cockney Rebel (Val Royal [Fr]),

St James Palace S. (Eng-G1) winner and Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) runner-up Excellent Art

(GB) (Pivotal), Champion S. (Eng-G1) victor Literato (Kendor) and Irish Derby

(Ire-G1) hero Soldier of Fortune (Galileo [Ire]). RED CLUBS (Red Ransom)

collected the Cartier Sprinter Award after taking the Sprint Cup S. (Eng-G1) and

finishing third in the July Cup S. (Eng-G1).

A special 20-strong Cartier Jury named the Niarchos Family winner of the 2007

Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit, which is presented to the person or

persons who has/have done

most for European racing and/or breeding either over their lifetime or within

the past 12 months. Their involvement has spanned more than 50 years and resulted in tremendous

success in races around the world, as they have bred or owned the winners of 121 Group/Grade

1 contests.

Seb Sanders and Jamie Spencer were the joint winners of the thrilling British

jockeys' championship, which ended in dramatic fashion on Saturday.