Calandagan is Cartier Horse of the Year

Calandagan was be crowned the Cartier Horse of the Year at the 35th Cartier Racing Awards during a celebratory event at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Wednesday night.

The son of 2014 Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt Gleneagles is the fourth horse bred by the Aga Khan Studs to be crowned Cartier Horse of the Year following Daylami (1999), Dalakhani (2003) and Zarkava (2008), and the first since the passing of His Highness Aga Khan IV in February.

Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, Calandagan has enjoyed a superb campaign in 2025, including defeating top-class opposition in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes and QIPCO Champion Stakes. Brigadier Gerard (1972) is the only other horse in history to win both races in the same season.

He takes the Cartier Horse of the Year award ahead of QIPCO Champion Stakes runner-up Ombudsman, who captured the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and Juddmonte International, and multiple G1-winning three-year-olds Delacroix and Minnie Hauk.

Calandagan, who races in the colours of Aga Khan Studs SCEA, also receives the Cartier Older Horse award from Ombudsman, globe-trotting veteran Rebel’s Romance and Fallen Angel, who registered a hat-trick of G1 wins during the season.

Delacroix takes the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt award, having defeated Ombudsman in the Coral-Eclipse and captured the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes during a campaign that stretched from March until October.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien for a Coolmore partnership, the son of Dubawi and North American champion mare Tepin prevails over Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victor Daryz, Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes scorer Field Of Gold and dual Derby winner Lambourn.

Coolmore and O’Brien are also represented by Minnie Hauk, who is the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly for 2025 following an admirable season that yielded victories in the Betfred Oaks, Juddmonte Irish Oaks and Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks.

A daughter of two-time Cartier Horse of the Year Frankel, she takes the prize ahead of Prix de Diane Longines and Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Gezora, with Whirl and Desert Flower completing the nominations.

Having been nominated 12 months ago, Asfoora is the third Australian-bred horse to receive the Cartier Sprinter award following Black Caviar (2012) and Starspangledbanner (2010) thanks to her wins in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes and Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines.

The Henry Dwyer-trained mare, who was homebred by Akram El-Fahkri’s Noor Elaine Farm, takes the award over Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes victor Lazzat and fellow G1 winners Arizona Blaze and Big Mojo.

Trawlerman, trained by John & Thady Gosden for owner/breeder Godolphin, is the Cartier Stayer of 2025 following a perfect European season that included a relentless display in the Gold Cup. Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup and Betfred St Leger winner Scandinavia was nominated in the same category alongside Al Riffa and Sweet William.

In addition to taking the two three-year-old prizes, Coolmore partnerships and Aidan O’Brien also dominate the juvenile awards, with Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf scorer Gstaad taking the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt title ahead of Gewan, Zavateri and Puerto Rico.

Precise, who captured the Moyglare Stud Stakes and bet365 Fillies’ Mile during a highly progressive autumn, receives the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly award. Stablemates True Love and Diamond Necklace were also nominated, along with Sumbe Prix Morny winner Venetian Sun.

The recipient of the Cartier/The Daily Telegraph Award of Merit for 2025 is Brough Scott. The former jockey has gone on to establish himself as a hugely respected journalist and acclaimed author, in addition to becoming the face of racing on TV for three decades and co-founder of the Racing Post. Brough has worked in the sport for well over 60 years, lending his considerable talents to a host of causes throughout the industry and beyond.