AS EXPECTED, Sea The Stars began racing's awards season by being crowned Cartier Horse of the Year in London last night.

The outstanding colt, widely regarded as among the best ever to race in Europe after a sequence of six Group One victories that included an unprecedented 2,000 Guineas-Derby-Arc hat-trick, was also named champion three-year-old colt.

Other Irish recipients at the prestigious awards were the Aidan O'Brien-trained pair of St Nicholas Abbey, crowned champion two-year-old colt, and Yeats, who was yet again voted champion stayer.

Sea The Stars' trainer John Oxx was also honoured, becoming the 20th winner of the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Merit Award, following in the footsteps of such as Queen Elizabeth of England, the Aga Khan and Sheikh Mohammed.

However, there was no doubting the central role played by Sea The Stars in 2009, and he routed his opposition in the main category, beating the dual Breeders' Cup champions Goldikova and Conduit, as well as Ghanaati and Aidan O'Brien's Mastercraftsman.

At home, the flat focus continues at Dundalk tonight where Johnny Murtagh can extend his lead over Pat Smullen in the race towards another jockeys' title.

Murtagh goes into tonight's action six clear of his rival (91-85), and while both have six rides, the leader can extend the margin if Indian Wind scores in the first division of the mile handicap.

Murtagh's link with Ger Lyons has paid off handsomely at Dundalk this season, but he is committed to Aidan O'Brien's runner Bright Horizon in the mile juvenile maiden and that could cost him.

Sole Power was a valuable winner for Smullen here on his last start, but on figures he looks to face a tough task in the conditions event against Velvet Flicker, who won at Cork last month and has some decent form on the all-weather from September.