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Auguste Rodin and Tahiyra have emerged as contenders for the Cartier Horse of The Year award following their success at Irish Champions Festival, writes Tom Masters. 

The Classic winners were in fine form at Leopardstown on Saturday, sharing the day’s Group 1 honours.

Aidan O’Brien’s Derby star Auguste Rodin beat stablemate and current Cartier Horse of the Year leader Paddington to the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes while Dermot Weld’s Tahiyra delivered on favouritism to claim the Coolmore America "Justify" Matron Stakes. 

Those victories see the duo advance past Mostahdaf in the Cartier Horse of the Year standings, although they still have a way to go to usurp Auguste Rodin’s stablemate Paddington, after wins in the Irish 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Coral-Eclipse and the Sussex Stakes this year.

He also sits atop the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt standings, while Tahiyra has a substantial lead over Warm Heart in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly standings.

Despite struggling at the weekend, John Quinn’s Highfield Princess remains the joint leader as the top sprinter. 

Henry Longfellow, the horse which landed O’Brien his 4000^th career winner in the National Stakes, has made significant progress in the Two-Year-Old Colt standings, sitting only behind Bucanero Fuerte, who finished third at The Curragh.

The points will next be updated following the Qatar Prix De l’Arc de Triomphe on October 1, with the winners of the Cartier Racing Awards to be finalised on November 9. 

Cartier Horse of The Year Award standings

Cartier Horse Of The Year 

172 Paddington
128 Auguste Rodin
120 Tahiyra
102 Mostahdaf
84 Westover
80 Luxembourg
80 Nashwa
80 Warm Heart
78 Big Rock
76 Mqse De Sevigne 

Cartier Older Horse 

102 Mostahdaf
84 Westover
80 Luxembourg
80 Nashwa
76 Mqse De Sevigne
72 Inspiral
72 Simca Mille
72 Via Sistina 

Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt 

172 Paddington
128 Auguste Rodin
78 Big Rock
64 Chaldean
64 Shaquille 

Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly 

120 Tahiyra
80 Warm Heart
72 Blue Rose Cen
72 Sauterne
64 Savethelastdance
64 Soul Sister 

Cartier Sprinter 

64 Highfield Princess
64 Shaquille
44 Bradsell
44 Moss Tucker
40 Live In The Dream 

Cartier Stayer 

56 Coltrane
56 Courage Mon Ami
40 Eldar Eldarov
32 Emily Dickinson
32 Quickthorn 

Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt 

60 Bucanero Fuerte
48 Vandeek
48 Henry Longfellow
24 River Tiber
24 Haatem
24 Lake Forest
24 Islandsinthestream 

Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly 

40 Ramatuelle
40 Fallen Angel
36 Vespertilio
32 Porta Fortuna
24 Relief Rally