Five-time Group 1 winner St Mark's Basilica holds on in front once again
Narrow Irish Champion Stakes winner St Mark's Basilica has a similarly slender lead in the race to be Cartier Horse of the Year for 2021.
Getting the best of a three-way battle at Leopardstown last weekend landed the Aidan O'Brien-trained three-year-old his fourth Group 1 success of the season, after the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Prix du Jockey Club and the Coral-Eclipse.
And it took his points tally in the Cartier Awards to 160, which puts him just four clear of Poetic Flare, who finished a close third in the Irish Champion.
Palace Pier (144) is in third place in the overall standings after beating Poetic Flare in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville last month and he leads the older horses' table, well clear of Juddmonte International winner Mishriff (108).
Success in the St Leger last Saturday took Hurricane Lane (140) into fourth place in the main list and he is also second behind the sidelined Subjectivist in the contest to be top stayer.
Hurricane Lane (blue, right) won the St Leger at Doncaster
Oaks and Irish Oaks winner Snowfall (136) remains top three-year-old filly despite her shock defeat in the Prix Vermeille, while Starman heads the sprinters' ranks.
Godolphin's Native Trail is joint-leader in the two-year-old colts' category after his National Stakes success, sharing that position with Prix Morny winner Perfect Power.
Native Trail: third winner of the National Stakes in four years for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin
Second place in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh was enough to make Agartha the leading two-year-old filly.
The Cartier Award winners are determined by a combination of points earned by horses in Pattern races plus the end-of-season opinions of a panel of racing journalists/handicappers and votes from readers of the Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph.
They were established in 1991 and the 31st annual awards will be presented in November.
Cartier Horse Of The Year standings
St Mark's Basilica160 points
Poetic Flare156
Palace Pier144
Hurricane Lane140
Snowfall136
Mother Earth128
Mishriff108
Adayar100
Alcohol Free96
Broome88
Catch up on how the leaders have been running:
Racing Post exclusive offer. New customers can get £30 in free bets. First single & e/w bet only. Odds of 1/1 or greater. 6 x £5 bet token. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets redeemable on horse racing only. Free bets are non-withdrawable. No free bet expiry. Eligibility restrictions. Further T&Cs apply. 18+. begambleaware.org.
