Galileo head shot

Galileo dominates Cartier Awards

After such a brilliant season, it was only fitting that champion-sire elect Galileo was on everybody’s minds at the 2011 Cartier Racing Awards in London on Tuesday evening.

And there was no surprise that the brilliant and unbeaten Frankel (3c Galileo-Kind, by Danehill) was named both Horse Of The Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Colt.

Meanwhile Maybe (2f Galileo-Sumora, by Danehill) was crowned Champion Two-Year-Old Filly after an unbeaten season that culminated in a victory in the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.

Frankel is named after the Prince’s late American trainer Bobby Frankel and owner-breeder Prince Khalid Abdulla’s racing manager Lord Grimthorpe told the Cartier Racing Awards guests: “I think when future champions come to be judged, they’ll find the bar has been set very high by Bobby Frankel, Henry Cecil and Frankel himself.”

He continued: “Prince Khalid has been overwhelmed by the attention the horse has got from around the world, it has been absolutely mind-boggling. The interviews, requests and interest in him has been spectacular.”

Trainer Sir Henry Cecil added: “Every sport needs a champion and this year Frankel, although slightly wayward to begin with, seems to have settled down and decided he wants to be one. As long as touch wood everything goes right and he gets through the winter then next year there’s a chance he might go on from strength to strength. Let’s hope he does for the good of racing and the racing public. When you’ve got something good let’s appreciate it.”

Christy Grassick, General Manager of Coolmore, collected Maybe’s prize. He commented: “On behalf of John and Sue Magnier, Michael and Doreen Tabor and Derrick and Gay Smith, I’d like to thank Cartier and the Daily Telegraph for this award. I’d also like to say a special thank you to Aidan and Annemarie O’Brien and all the team at Ballydoyle. A special mention too to a jockey who has ridden her in three of her Group races, Joseph (O’Brien). He deserves a special mention and also her breeder, Denis Brosnan, without whom it wouldn’t be the same.

“We think she’s a very special filly for next year and hopefully you’ll see her more times over here (in Britain) next season as well. She’s been part of a great success for her sire (Galileo) this year as well.”

Meanwhile, Montjeu’s brilliant son Fame And Glory (5h Montjeu-Gryada, by Shirley Heights), a five-time G1 winner, was named Champion Stayer.

The horse’s part-owner Dr Jim Hay picked up the award and said: “Many thanks to Cartier and to everyone who voted for Fame And Glory to get this award. On behalf of my wife and I, I’d like to thank everybody at Coolmore and Ballydoyle just for allowing us to be part of their organisation. It has been an enormous privilege for us. It’s not easy to ever have a horse as good as Fame And Glory and it’s only through Coolmore that we have been able to achieve it. So many, many thanks to everyone including our jockey Jamie Spencer.”