Cartier Racing Award Celebrations

On 17 November 2009, the nineteenth Cartier Racing Awards ceremony took place at the Claridge Hotel, Mayfair. This prestigious event awards those in the horse racing industry for outstanding performances, and for contributions made to the sport. The awards, to recognize achievements, are allocated through a points system, where racing journalists and readers, have the opportunity to vote for the horses and community members they believe, deserve to be distinguished from the rest. It was a night of celebration and honor, as the winners of the 2009 Cartier Racing Awards were read.

It did not come as a surprise when Sea the Stars was awarded the Horse of the Year Award on Tuesday night. He took the racing industry by storm and reigned supreme, with six consecutive victories. Now, retired to stud at Gilltown Stud, racing fans will not see this magnificent horse perform again, but will be on the look out for his progeny. He also walked away with the Three Year Old Colt Award, which was well deserved. Another member of the Sea the Stars team, trainer John Oxx, was awarded the Cartier Award of Merit. This award is decided on by 18 jury members and recognizes achievements over a year or lifetime, in either racing or breeding. John Oxx has received this award in previous years, celebrating his ability to produce Cartier Award winning horses. Some of those horses include Azamour (2005 Older Horse), Ridgewood Rearl (1995 Horse of the Year) and Sinnidar (Three Year Old Colt).

Selecting winners this year must have been difficult, with so many talented equine athletes and noteworthy horsemen. The full list of winners, in the different categories, were as follows: Sea the Stars (Horse of the Year), Sea the Stars (Three Year Old Colt), Goldikova (Older Horse), St Nicholas Abbey (Two Year Old Colt), Special Duty (Two Year Old Filly), Sariska (Three Year Old Filly), Yeats (Stayer), Fleeting Spirit (Sprinter) and John Oxx (Award of Merit).

The winners of the awards this year, were truly deserving of the honor and even though the racing community is saying good-bye to a few of the racing greats, they will always be remembered through their awards and achievements.