Cartier racing awards: Cartier jewellery house and the sport of kings

The allure of diamonds, high-end watches, and luxury defines the Cartier brand. Its founder, Louis-François Cartier (1819-1904), began life as an ordinary and savvy boy in Paris, the son of a craftsman and a laundress. His father's decision to apprentice him to jeweller Adolphe Picard proved to be prescient. After acquiring valuable experience, Cartier purchased a workshop and watch shop in 1847, launching his own business. He quickly gained a reputation for creating unique pieces, assuring customers that their jewellery was one-of-a-kind.

In 1856, Princess Matilda, a niece of Napoleon I, visited Cartier's shop and purchased several luxurious items, elevating the store’s profile and attracting the Parisian elite. The Cartier legacy continued with a family dynasty. Louis-François's son Alfred joined the business, and after his passing in 1904, his sons Louis, Pierre, and Jacques expanded its reach. Louis established a presence in Paris, Pierre opened a venture in New York, and Jacques became a fashion influencer in England.

In 1904, Cartier earned the prestigious title of supplier to the royal courts of King Edward VII of Britain and King Alfonso XIII of Spain. Following the deaths of Louis and Jacques in 1942, Pierre took over management. After Pierre's death in 1964, the family business came to an end as the heirs sold it. Eventually, it was acquired by the Richemont holding company, which currently owns the brand.

The Cartier jewellery house is renowned worldwide, not only for its exquisite gems and luxury timepieces but also for its support of European equestrian sports, particularly horse racing and polo. In 1984, Cartier established the Cartier International Polo event, a prestigious highlight of the social calendar that was attended by the young King Charles III of England along with his siblings.

Patronage of horse racing

In 1991, the Cartier Racing Awards were established, a fitting endeavour for the House of Cartier, known for its patronage of both royal courts and royal sports. These awards recognize the top European horses each year and feature eight categories: Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt, Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly, Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt, Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly, Cartier Older Horse, Cartier Stayer, Cartier Sprinter, and the prestigious Cartier Horse of the Year, which is the highest honour for a European horse. 

A panel of 16 jurors meticulously selects the nominees, awarding a prize to an individual who has significantly contributed to horse breeding or racing development in Europe. The selection process for the winners is designed to minimise subjectivity: 40% of the points are based on the results of group races throughout the year, while 30% are awarded by professional journalists and handicappers, and the remaining 30% comes from a reader survey conducted by the Racing Post and Daily Telegraph newspapers. 

Notable past nominees for the Award of Merit include jockey Lester Piggott in 1992 and Frankie Dettori in 1996. The award has also honoured individuals such as BBC racing commentator Sir Peter O'Sullivan in 1997, and the team behind Frankel in 2012. Other acclaimed trainers recognized include Peter Tyndall Walwyn in 1999, Sir Henry Cecil in 2005, Aidan O'Brien in 2016, Sir Michael Stoute in 2017, and John Gosden in 2020.

Champion horses

Each of the horses that entered any of the Best of the Year nominations is excellent and is the pride of the country, owner and trainer. The Horse of the Year nomination is given to a superstar, a horse whose achievements are indisputable.

Particularly charismatic horses have received the Cartier award several times, such as the unrivalled Frankel, he received the Cartier award five times, and for good reason! In his career, he won 14 starts out of 14, he retired from the sport never defeated by anyone. In 2010, he was nominated for the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt, in 2011 - Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt, in 2012 - Cartier Older Horse, and in 2011 and 2022, Frankel was twice named Horse of the Year by Cartie. Frankel was trained by Sir Henry Cecil and owned by Khalid bin Abdullah Al Saud.

The same owner owns the equally amazing mare Enable, who won 15 of her 19 races in the 2017-2019 seasons, trained by John Gosden. Enable, like Frankel, has won the Cartier Award five times in her career.

Edward Stanley, 19th Earl of Derby owned the horse Ouija Board, which won the Cartier Award four times in the 2004-2005 seasons, including being named Horse of the Year in 2004.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien's Irish Thoroughbred Yeats is truly remarkable. Although he was never named Horse of the Year, he was awarded the Cartier Stayer Award four years in a row from 2006 to 2009. During those years, he won the Ascot Gold Cup, the first horse to win the race four years in a row.

In 2013, Queen Elizabeth's horse Estimate was nominated for the Cartier Stayer Award.

The Longines World Horse Rankings and the Cartier European Horse Rankings overlap. In the 2023 Longines ranking. Irish horses Ace Impact and Mostahdaf (ranked 128) are second behind Equinox (ranked 135). In the 2023 Cartier ranking, Ace Impact is named Horse of the Year and Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt, while Mostahdaf is nominated for Cartier Older Horse.

Award Ceremony

The Cartier Racing Awards, often referred to as the Oscars of European racing, takes place at the Dorchester Hotel in London. According to Cartier racing consultant Harry Herbert, if the event is akin to the Oscars, then the Horse of the Year award is equivalent to the best film.

Every November, the Dorchester becomes a hotspot for the elite of European racing and London society, drawing around 300 guests, including invited celebrities, artists, fashion designers, journalists, and others connected to the industry.

Organised by Cartier representative Laurent Feniou and Harry Herbert, the evening kicks off with a champagne reception followed by an elegant dinner, leading into the awards ceremony itself.

During the event, nominees and winners are revealed, trainers and owners are celebrated, and the highlight of the night is always the announcement of the Horse of the Year. In 2013, when the royal horse Estimate was nominated for the Cartier Prize, Queen Elizabeth accepted the award at Buckingham Palace, with the ceremony broadcast to attendees at the Dorchester. The horse's 87-year-old owner expressed her joy in accepting the award on behalf of Estimate.

This prestigious award, bestowed by the luxury jewellery and watchmaking brand Cartier, not only supports the European racing community but also infuses the event with sophistication and style. More importantly, it helps draw public attention to the sport, fostering its future growth and success.