Dubai: The Epsom Derby (Group 1), Dubai Sheema Classic (Group 1) and King George (Group 1) rank among the major prizes that proud horse owner Shaikh Mohammad Obaid Al Maktoum has amassed in recent years.

Now, Shaikh Mohammad is in contention to add another prestigious trophy to that list, should stable star Postponed go on to secure top honours in the 2016 Cartier Racing Awards.

Unbeaten in his last five starts, including the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup at Epsom on his most recent outing, Postponed is vying for honours in the highly competitive Cartier Older Horse of the Year category, which in the past has been won by the likes of some outstanding stars of the turf including Daylami, Ouija Board and Frankel.

Trained in Newmarket by Roger Varian since September last year, the five-year-old son of Dubawi has collected 68 points at this stage in the competition and only trails French-trained Dariyan by two points.

However, Postponed can take control of the category should he capture this month’s renewal of the King George, a race he won 12 months ago and is currently the ante-post favourite.

None of Postponed’s rivals in the division, among them Found (64), Silverwave (64), Belardo (56) and My Dream Boat (56) are set to contest July 23rd’s Newmarket feature.

Meanwhile, Sandown Park’s Eclipse Meeting and Newmarket’s recently concluded July Festival saw several horses improve their bids for Cartier glory.

The Eclipse provided the Classic crop with their first opportunity to test their mettle against older horses, an opportunty that was not lost on Godolphin’s Hawkbill (56), who held off Irish raider The Gurkha (60) in a pulsating battle. Both horses have subsequently emerged as strong Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt contenders, a category that is currently headed by English 2,000 Guineas (Group 1) and St. James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1) scorer Galileo Gold (112).

Galileo Gold and The Gurkha are set to re-oppose in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at the Goodwood Festival on July 27 while Hawkbill takes on the might of Postponed in the King George.

Henry Candy’s Limato posted a commanding victory over Suedois in the Darley July Cup (Group 1) to enter the fray in the Cartier Sprinter of the Year categoy, which is currently headed by Quiet Reflection (64), who was third in the July Cup but has three previous Pattern race wins this year including the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Harry Herbert, Cartier’s Racing Consultant, commented: “The performance of Hawkbill at Sandown Park marked him down as a fast-improving three-year-old colt, but it is Galileo Gold and Minding who are setting the pace for the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt Award and Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly Award respectively.

“The Cartier Sprinter division is wide open at the moment, with Limato throwing his hat into the ring with a fine performance in the Darley July Cup at Newmarket.

“The Qatar Goodwood Festival, York’s Ebor Festival and Deauville are all coming up in the next few weeks so there will be plenty more movement in the Pattern race points for the Cartier Racing Awards reward excellence in European horseracing.”