Magical leads Ghaiyyath in Cartier Horse of the Year standings after Ascot third

Magical has moved to the top of the Cartier Horse of the Year standings after her third in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained mare has moved narrowly in front of the recently retired Ghaiyyath in the Horse of the Year and Older Horse standings.

Magical has won three Group 1s this season – the Pretty Polly, Tattersalls Gold Cup and Irish Champion Stakes – and finished second in the Juddmonte International and third behind Addeybb in the feature race on Champions Day on her other two starts.

Cartier Horse of the Year standings

Magical 120
Ghaiyyath 118
Addeybb 96
Love 96
Barney Roy 92
Fancy Blue 88
Nazeef 88
Persian King 88
Alpine Star 80
Battaash 80
Stradivarius 80

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes third Palace Pier has joined Pinatubo at the top of the Three-Year-Old Colt table.

It was a first defeat for Palace Pier on Champions Day, having won his three previous starts this term. He beat Pinatubo by a length in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot then struck at the top level for a second time in the Prix Jacques le Marois.

Love (Three-Year-Old Filly), Battaash (Sprinter), Stradivarius (Stayer), Lucky Vega (Two-Year-Old Colt) and Pretty Gorgeous (Two-Year-Old Filly) lead their respective divisions.

The awards are delivered through a combination of points earned by horses in Pattern races (30 per cent), combined at the end of season with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists/handicappers (35 per cent) and votes from readers of the Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph (35 per cent), giving horseracing fans the chance to put forward their favourite horses.

This year marks the 30th Cartier Awards with the winners confirmed next month.

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