Ace Impact has been crowned the Cartier Horse of the Year at the 33rd Cartier Racing Awards during a glittering ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel in London.
Trained by Jean-Claude Rouget for Gousserie Racing and Serge Stempniak, the son of the 2017 Cartier Three-Year Old Colt Cracksman becomes the first French-trained winner of the prestigious award since Treve in 2013.
Unbeaten in six career starts, Ace Impact unleashed a scintillating turn of foot to take the Prix du Jockey Club and again showed exceptional acceleration when beating a top-quality field in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Ace Impact secured the premier equine award ahead of Paddington, a four-time Group One winner in 2023, dual Derby and Irish Champion Stakes victor Auguste Rodin and Mostahdaf, who captured the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and Juddmonte International.
Ace Impact also secured the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt award, a category that featured Paddington, Auguste Rodin and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Big Rock.
Shadwell homebred Mostahdaf, trained by John and Thady Gosden, claimed the Cartier Older Horse award following his victories at Royal Ascot and York. He prevailed over Hukum and Westover, who produced one of the races of the year in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and Inspiral, who narrowly missed out on a third consecutive Cartier racing award.
Tahiyra, a fifth generation homebred for the Aga Khan, took the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly award following a superb campaign for Dermot Weld that yielded wins in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Coronation Stakes and Matron Stakes.
Shaquille, co-bred by his owner Martin Hughes, received the Cartier Sprinter accolade after breathtaking displays from the Julie Camacho-trained colt in the Commonwealth Cup and July Cup.
Having been crowned Cartier Stayer in 2021, Trueshan claimed the award for a second time. The hugely-popular seven-year-old, trained by Alan King for the Singula Partnership, returned to his best with victories in the Doncaster Cup and Prix du Cadran.
City Of Troy, owned by Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, took the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt award following an unbeaten season for Aidan O’Brien that culminated with success in the Dewhurst Stakes.
O’Brien and a Coolmore partnership are also responsible for Opera Singer, who received the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly award on the back of a progressive campaign that included an emphatic success in the Marcel Boussac.
The recipient of the Cartier/The Daily Telegraph Award of Merit in 2023 was Jeff Smith.
One of the most popular owner/breeders in the sport, his famous purple and light blue silks have been worn by some of the great horses of modern times, including Chief Singer, Lochsong and Persian Punch.
Laurent Feniou, managing director of Cartier UK, said: “I am delighted to celebrate another outstanding group of horses at the 33rd Cartier Racing Awards. Ace Impact displayed his brilliance throughout the year, culminating with a magnificent victory in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and he is a deserving recipient of the Cartier Horse of the Year award.
“We are also extremely pleased to present the Cartier/The Daily Telegraph Award of Merit to Jeff Smith, who has enjoyed tremendous success as an owner and breeder over the past six decades.
“Cartier are honoured to be able to recognise these champions of the sport and I congratulate all of this year’s winners.”
Highlights from the 33rd Cartier Racing Awards will be shown on Sky Sports Racing at 4.30pm on Sunday November 12.