Ouija Board named Europe's best

Ouija Board named Europe's best

Dual classic winner OUIJA BOARD (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]), who

shipped to America to easily capture the Breeders' Cup Filly

& Mare Turf (G1) in her last start, was named Horse of the

Year at the 2004 Cartier Racing Awards. Held at the Four Seasons

Hotel in London on Wednesday evening, the awards ceremony is

Europe's equivalent of the Eclipse Awards.

Owned by Lord Derby and trained by Ed Dunlop, Ouija Board

captured both the English (Eng-G1) and Irish Oaks (Ire-G1) this

year and finished a fast-closing third against males in the Prix

de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1). She recorded a 4-0-1 mark from five

starts in 2004 and also won the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly

award. The homebred lass is expected to remain in training at

four.

Fillies more than held their own against male rivals, taking

both Horse of the Year and Top Older Horse honors. The four-year-old

SOVIET SONG (Marju), winner of the Sussex S. (Eng-G1) over males,

also captured the Falmouth S. (Eng-G1), Matron S. (Eng-G1) and

Ridgewood Pearl S. (Ire-G2) this season and just missed when

second in the Queen Anne S. (Eng-G1) against the boys. The James

Fanshawe trainee is slated to race again in 2005.

Arc hero BAGO (Nashwan), who was in the running for Horse of

the Year honors, took home the Cartier Three-Year-Old award for

the Niarchos Family. A three-time Group 1 winner this year in

France, Bago is trained at Chantilly by Jonathan Pease and will

remain in training next year.

The juvenile categories went to a pair of highly promising and

undefeated runners. SHAMARDAL (Giant's Causeway), who recorded

three highly impressive victories in England this year for

trainer Mark Johnston, won the Two-Year-Old Colt award. DIVINE

PROPORTIONS (Kingmamo), who recorded two Group 1 wins in France

while posting a five-for-five mark, earned the Two-Year-Old Filly

prize. Trained by Pascal Bary, Divine Proportions was also

nominated for Horse of the Year.

In the other horse categories, SOMNUS (Pivotal), who capped an

excellent season with a victory in the Prix de la Foret (Fr-G1)

at Longchamp, was named Top Sprinter. The Cartier Top Stayer

award went to WESTERNER (Danehill), a two-time Group 1 winner in

France this year.

David and Patricia Thompson, owners of Cheveley Park Stud in

Newmarket, were honored with the Cartier Daily Telegraph Award of

Merit, which goes to the person or persons who have done the most

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

the past 12 months.