Dubai: Despite a less-than-satisfactory British Champions Day at Ascot last weekend, Godolphin remain strong contenders to bag a number of major end-of-season honours.

Ribchester, who was instrumental in Godolphin winning a 12th British Owners Championship on Saturday, heads the Older Horse division, one of the eight equine categories in the prestigious Cartier Racing Awards, the highest honour in European flat-racing history.

Given the unfavourable ground condition at Ascot, Ribchester had to settle for second place behind Persuasive in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

However, the performance helped trainer Richard Fahey’s star stay on pole position with 166 points.

Ulysses, winner of the Juddmonte International (G1) and Eclipse Stakes (G1), is in close pursuit with 152 points and is followed by Irish Champion Stakes (G1) scorer, Decorated Knight, with 128.

With the European season coming to an end on Saturday with the Racing Post Trophy, the final Group 1 race of the season, there are international events over the coming weeks, including the Breeders’ Cup championships at Del Mar, USA, on November 3 and 4 that could impact on the Cartier Racing Awards.

It was announced on Monday that Ribchester will go to stud for 2018, but Fahey is yet to decide whether Ribchester has his career finale in the Del Mar Mile.

Fahey reported that Ribchester came out of the QEII in good order, and that he would like to see him run one last time on firm turf,

However, a final decision will be made on Friday and if a trip to the US is confirmed Ribchester would ship on Saturday.

All Ribchester’s rivals in the Cartier Older Horse standings are expected to make the trip to California, which means that the destiny of the Award lies across the Atlantic.

Meanwhile, Godolphin’s Harry Angel continues to head the Cartier Sprint Award despite finishing fourth to Librisa Breeze in the British Champions Sprint on Saturday, the testing ground having a lot to play in that performance.

Clive Cox’s star sprinter is on 100 points.

He holds a comfortable lead over Marsha (76) and Irish speedball Caravaggio (64).

The Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt division looks wide open with Barney Roy and Churchill joint leaders on 116 points and are followed by the John Gosden-trained Cracksman 108 who emulated his sire Frankel by storming to a seven-length victory in the Group 1 Champion Stakes.

Gosden is also responsible for the outstanding Enable (208), who currently leads both the Cartier Horse Of The Year and Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly standings following five consecutive Group 1 victories this season, including the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly, France, on October 1.

Harry Herbert, Cartier’s racing consultant, commented: “QIPCO British Champions Day has firmly established itself as one of the great fixtures in the calendar and this year’s renewal produced truly memorable races.

“While the European season is starting to wind down, there are still opportunities for horses to mount a late challenge for honours at the Cartier Racing Awards, with the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar, California and Melbourne Cup Carnival in Australia on the horizon.”