Field of Gold and Lambourn Go Head-to-Head for Cartier Horse of the Year Honors

With 3-year-olds continuing to dominate, the points table has been updated on the road to Europe’s most prestigious awards

Field of Gold Shines at Royal Ascot/ RACINGFOTOS.COM

LONDRES, Inglaterra (Special for Turf Diario).- With four months remaining until the ceremony celebrating Europe’s finest, the race for the 2025 Cartier Horse of the Year is heating up. The latest update to the points system—which combines racetrack performances with votes from the media and the public—shows brilliant miler Field of Gold leading on 96 points, just four ahead of dual Derby hero Lambourn (Australia, 92) atop the overall standings.

Established in 1991, the Cartier Racing Awards will celebrate their 35th edition on Wednesday, November 19, at London’s traditional Dorchester Hotel. All indications are that the three-year-olds will be the stars of the show this season.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, Field of Gold, a son of Kingman, cemented his lead with electrifying victories in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas (G1) and the St James’s Palace Stakes (G1). However, his advantage narrowed following Lambourn’s triumph in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1). The John & Thady Gosden trainee became the 20th colt to complete the Anglo-Irish Derby double after his win in the Betfred Derby (G1) at Epsom.

Neither has yet faced older horses, but the first major generational clash in the Coral-Eclipse (G1) at Sandown Park sent a clear message. Delacroix (Dubawi, 64), only ninth in the Derby, stormed from the rear to nose out the leading older horse, Ombudsman (Night of Thunder, 76), while Ruling Court (Justify, 68), winner of the 2000 Guineas, completed the trifecta.

In the three-year-old filly division, the battle is similarly tight. Whirl (Wootton Bassett, 64) claimed leadership after a courageous victory in the Pretty Polly Stakes (G1) over four-year-old Kalpana (Study of Man, 24). The Coolmorefilly, trained by Aidan O’Brien, had previously finished second to Minnie Hauk (Frankel, 48) in the Betfred Oaks. Minnie Hauk now sits third in the table.

Among the older fillies and mares, Cinderella’s Dream (Shamardal, 62) asserted herself with a strong win in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (G1) during Newmarket’s Debenhams July Festival, defeating January (Kingman, 24), third in the Coronation Stakes.

The French-trained Calandagan (Gleneagles, 60), bred by Aga Khan Studs, also emerged as a new contender, securing his first G1 in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

In the sprint division, things remain wide open after No Half Measures (Cable Bay, 32) sprang an upset in the July Cup (G1) over Big Mojo (Mohaather, 24). The victory gave trainer Richard Hughes, a multiple champion jockey, his first success at G1 level.

Meanwhile, veteran Trawlerman (Golden Horn, 56) continues to lead among the stayers after landing the Gold Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot. However, his confirmed absence from the upcoming Goodwood Cup (G1) leaves his position vulnerable as the season progresses.

The 2025 Cartier Racing Awards landscape reflects a vibrant European turf season, with a powerful classic generation, established stars refusing to yield ground, and an autumn campaign set to deliver high drama—culminating, of course, in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, where several of these names will seek to seal their candidacy in golden letters.