Magical holds sizeable lead at head of Cartier Horse of the Year standings

Magical's hard-earned victory in the Champion Stakes at Ascot on British Champions Day has stretched the lead of the resolute filly in the race to be crowned Cartier Horse of the Year.

The tough and supremely consistent four-year-old has raced nine times since April and has claimed three Group 1s in that timeframe, the most recent by three-quarters of a length from Addeybb to seal a British and Irish Champion Stakes double.

Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Magical (216) is some way clear of Enable (152) and Stradivarius (136) in the Horse of the Year standings, while she also leads the same two rivals in the Older Horse category.

Cartier Horse of the Year standings

Magical 216
Enable 152
Stradivarius 136
Waldgeist 120
Crystal Ocean 112
Hermosa 112
Star Catcher 112
Too Darn Hot 112
Japan 108
Blue Point 106

Stradivarius was beaten for the first time in two years in the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day, with Kew Gardens (36) getting the better of Bjorn Nielsen's dual Stayers' Million winner by a nose. Stradivarius is still significantly clear in the Cartier Stayer race, with Dee Ex Bee (72) next best.

The other big move in the categories on Champions Day was Star Catcher (112), who recorded a third consecutive victory at Group 1 level when narrowly edging out Delphinia in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. Anthony Oppenheimer's homebred is now joint-top of the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly standings alongside dual Classic heroine Hermosa.

Star Catcher now shares the lead with Hermosa in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly categoryCredit: Edward Whitaker

Advertise (80) sat in joint-second with Battaash prior to the Qipco British Champions Sprint which opened the Ascot card. However, the Martyn Meade-trained three-year-old could not replicate his success from the royal meeting despite being sent off 4-1 joint-favourite in a race won by Donjuan Triumphant (36). Blue Point (106), who completed a famous double at Royal Ascot before being retired, remains top of the Sprinter category.

King Of Change (72) produced perhaps the most impressive performance on the day when powering up the mile straight to win the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. The Richard Hannon-trained colt moved into sixth in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt rankings, with retired Sussex Stakes winner Too Darn Hot (112) narrowly ahead of Japan (108) at the head of the category.

The awards, established in 1991, will be presented in London on the evening of Tuesday, November 12. Click here to vote.

Cartier Older Horse

Magical 216
Enable 152
Stradivarius 136
Waldgeist 120
Crystal Ocean 112

Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt

Too Darn Hot 112
Japan 108
Circus Maximus 88
Advertise 80
Anthony Van Dyck 76

Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly

Hermosa 112
Star Catcher 112
Anapurna 80
Iridessa 74
Castle Lady 52
Fleeting 52

Cartier Sprinter

Blue Point 106
Advertise 80
Battaash 80
Hello Youmzain 56
So Perfect 48

Cartier Stayer

Stradivarius 136
Dee Ex Bee 72
Logician 48
Enbihaar 44
Holdthasigreen 40

Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt

Pinatubo 80
Earthlight 72
A'Ali 48
Armory 48
Siskin 48
Threat 48

Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly

Raffle Prize 64
Albigna 48
Daahyeh 48
Love 48
Millisle 36

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