Magical heads Horse of the Year category as Cartier Standings set to conclude

Magical is the flagbearer for the European challenge for the 37th Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland on Friday and Saturday, and she also heads Cartier's standings as the race to be crowned Horse of the Year reaches its climax this weekend.

The seven-time Group 1-winning mare, trained by Aidan O'Brien, is currently at the top of the market for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf where she will be ridden by Ryan Moore.

Moore shuns Mogul as Magical gets luck of the draw in Breeders' Cup Turf

Magical leads Ghaiyyath in both the overall standings and the Older Horse category and is the only horse ranked in the top ten who will be in action this weekend.

Cartier Horse Of The Year

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

The Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt category is led by Palace Pier, but both Kameko and Siskin could throw down a challenge when they line up in Saturday’s Breeders' Cup Mile.

Peaceful and Cayenne Pepper could enhance their claims for the Three-Year-Old Filly award when they go to post in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, while Glass Slippers lines up in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint as she bids to chase down Battaash in the Sprinter category.

The Breeders' Cup 2020: the must-have guide to two days of racing at Keeneland

Battleground, Campanelle and The Lir Jet are among the Cartier contenders featuring on Friday's juvenile programme, while away from Keeneland, Joseph O'Brien's Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment jumped to second in the Stayer category after his Flemington heroics.

European horseracing's top awards are decided through a system of points earned by horses in Pattern races (30 per cent), combined at the end of season with the opinions of a panel of journalists/handicappers (35 per cent) and votes from readers of the Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph (35 per cent).

Voting is open for the 2020 Cartier Racing Awards via www.cartierracingawards.co.uk and closes at noon on Monday, November 9.

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