Battaash, Poet’s Word head award hunters

Stradivarius holds big advantage in Cartier Stayer Division

Battaash and Poet’s Word, two horses with a famous Dubai connection, remain in contention for a prestigious annual Cartier Racing Award as the European flat season enters its final stage.

Despite being beaten in the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York on August 24, Battaash holds joint pole position in the Cartier Sprinter category with now retired Irish speedball Merchant Navy.

Both horses are on 48 points and are being chased by Royal Ascot scorer Blue Point, who represents the Dubai-owned Godolphin stable, winner of this award 12 months ago with Harry Angel.

Battaash is owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, who also won a Cartier Sprinter trophy in 2005 with Muhaarar.

Raced by Derby-winning Dubai businessman Saeed Suhail, Poet’s Word comfortably head the competitive Cartier Old Horse category and is also staking a claim for the much sought-after Cartier Horse Of The Year award.

Winner of the two major races this year, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at the same racecourse, Poet’s World enjoys a huge lead over Cracksman in the former division with 140 points to the latter’s 88.

Stradivarius (112) holds a strong advantage in the Cartier Stayer division as he landed the WH Stayers’ Million for his connections when successful in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup at York on August 24.

Owned by accomplished horse breeder Bjorn Nielsen and trained by John Gosden, the four-year-old Sea The Stars colt is undefeated in four starts so far in 2018 with his earlier victories coming in the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup, Group 1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and Group 1 Goodwood Cup.

Vazirabad (55), runner-up to Stradivarius at Royal Ascot, is his closest pursuer.

The 28th Cartier Racing Awards will be presented on November 13 in England.