Rock of Gibraltar was named the Cartier Horse of the Year on Wednesday in London. Winner of seven Group 1 races in a row, the son of Danehill finished an unlucky second in the Breeders' Cup Mile on his last start. The bay will stand at Coolmore Stud next year. “The Rock” was also named champion three year old colt. He was named Horse of the Year at the expense of High Chaparral, Kazzia, Islington and Grandera. 

Godolphin have dominated the “older horse” award. This year was no exception with Grandera winning. The temperamental son of Grand Lodge won Group 1 races in Singapore, Britain and Ireland. The four year old was third to Northerly in the Cox Plate on his last start. He stays in training next year. He leads the World Series on points accumulated. He was a narrow winner ahead of Arc hero Marienbard and the multiple Group 1 winner Nayef. 

Godolphin picked up another award with the game Kazzia being named champion three year old filly. The Zinaad filly was beaten just twice despite suffering from foot abscesses. She became the first filly since Salsabil to win both the English 1000 Guineas and Oaks. Despite being beaten into fourth in the Yorkshire Oaks, Kazzia clinched the title with a gallant win in the Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Park. She finished unplaced in the Breeders Cup Fillies and Mares Turf. There was little to choose between Kazzia and Islington but the final vote favoured Godolphin’s tough little filly. 

The two year old colts featured no standouts in the manner of Arazi, Xaar and Celtic Swing. However the latter’s daughter, Six Perfections, was named champion two year old filly after a dominating win in the Prix Marcel Boussac. From the family of another champion filly, Miesque, Six Perfections also won the Group three Prix du Calvados. In the latter she had Group winners Rag Top and Loving Pride well beaten. She was named the champion by a point from Guineas fancy Russian Rhythm and the unbeaten Soviet Song. 

The handsome Hold That Tiger was named champion two year old colt. Half brother to Belmont winner Editor’s Note, he is a close relative to last year’s champion Johannesburg’s sire Hennessy. The son of Storm Cat was an impressive winner of the Group three Railway Stakes but disappointed in the Phoenix Stakes won by Spartacus. He turned the tables when running out a good winner of the Grand Criterium (won last year by Rock of Gibraltar). At his last start, Hold That Tiger was an excellent third in the Breeders Cup Juvenile. The big chestnut lost a considerable amount of ground at the start. He was also forced wide on the turn and is now thought to be a live Kentucky Derby contender. Hold That Tiger was chosen over the likes of Prix Morny hero, Elusive City and the Derby favourite, Brian Boru. 

Continent was named champion sprinter after picking up two Group 1’s in the July Cup and Prix de’l Abbaye. A son of 1995 champion Lake Coniston, Continent is from the family of champion Wandesta. Continent, was also second in the King’s Stand Stakes where he beat the classy Kyllachy, is trained by Sprint King Dandy Nicholls. It was a tussle between Kyllachy and Continent, the latter’s two Group 1 wins getting the vote. 

Vinnie Roe, unsurprisingly was the champion stayer. The son of Definite Article had another good season with a repeat win in the Irish St Leger, a second in the Ascot Gold Cup and an excellent fourth in the Melbourne Cup under top weight. One of his better performances came in the Listed Ballyroan Stakes where he won under ten stone, giving the runner up 18 pounds. 

CARTIER AWARDS WINNERS:

Horse of the Year: Rock of Gibraltar

Champion Three Year Old Colt: Rock of Gibraltar

Champion Three Year old Filly: Kazzia

Champion Two Year old Colt: Hold That Tiger

Champion Two Year Old Filly: Six Perfections

Champion Older Horse: Grandera

Champion Spinter: Continent

Champion Stayer: Vinnie Roe

Award of Merit: Prince Khalid Abdullah

Award of Merit: Tony McCoy