The exceptional Sea The Stars was named Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Champion Three-Year-Old Colt at the 2009 Cartier Racing Awards, which were presented at Claridge's Hotel in Mayfair, London, yesterday.
Sea The Stars swept all before him as he won each of his six races in 2009, all in Group One company. The first two of those victories were in Classic races and he thus became the first horse in 20 years to win both the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and
the Derby at Epsom.
Few horses in history have possessed that ability to win over a mile on the first weekend in May and then stretch their stamina to a mile-and-a-half just five weeks later.
After clinching the Derby, Sea The Stars dropped down to 10 furlongs for his next three starts and emphasised his dominance against the best in Europe with triumphs in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park, the Juddmonte International at York and the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
Home-bred out of the Tsui family's outstanding mare Urban Sea, Sea The Stars then emulated his dam with victory in Europe's top middle-distance race, the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe over 12 furlongs at Longchamp, in October.
No horse before him had added Arc success to wins in the 2,000 Guineas and Derby and that victory stamped him as one of the all-time great champions.
In the Horse of the Year Category, Sea the Stars prevailed from the two-time TVG Breeders' Cup Mile heroine Goldikova, dual Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf victor Conduit, boylesports.com Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Mastercraftsman and the stanjames.com 1,000 Guineas heroine Ghanaati.
Sea The Stars also took the honours in the Three-Year-Old Colt category from crack miler Rip Van Winkle, Mastercraftsman, Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Fame And Glory and Prix du Jockey Club winner Le Havre.
Goldikova topped a very strong division to clinch the Cartier Champion Older Horse Award.
With four Group One wins on the board this year, including a scintillating second Breeders' Cup Mile triumph, the Freddie Head-trained filly saw off Group One King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Conduit, as well as Fleeting Spirit, Dar Re Mi and impressive Group One Prince Of Wales's Stakes victor Vision d'Etat.
The Two-Year-Old Colt category was particularly competitive but it was the unbeaten Group One Racing Post Trophy winner St Nicholas Abbey who took the award.
Special Duty, who stormed to success in the Group One Electrolux Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in October, was crowned the Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.
Sariska won the Investec Oaks at Epsom and cruised to a spectacular victory in the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh.
In a close-run contest, the Michael Bell-trained Pivotal filly took the Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Award from 1,000 Guineas winner Ghanaati, and the Henry Cecil-trained Midday.
Yeats ensured his place among racing's greats with a record fourth victory in the Gold Cup at Ascot.
The Sadler's Wells eight-year-old, who aroused great emotion when winning the Royal Ascot feature, was named the Champion Stayer, thus becoming the first horse to win a Cartier award four times.
Fleeting Spirit's victory in the Group One Darley July Cup at Newmarket, where she defeated a whole host of top-class sprinters from far and wide, sees her receive the Champion Sprinter award.
