Sakhee scoops French award

Sakee is in training for the 2002 season

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sakhee has won the prestigious Hermes Flat Horse Of The Year Award for 2001.

Sakhee was voted for by the readers of the Paris-Turf, Equida, Trot Information and Courses et Elevage et l'Eperon and journalists in France.

The Godolphin horse's impressive performance over the last year was enough to fight off competition from the likes of Galileo, Aquarelliste, Banks Hill, Johannesburg and stablemate Fantastic Light.

The award was presented to Diana Cooper, Godolphin's French representative, at a ceremony in Paris.

Sakhee produced one of the finest displays in a top middle-distance race for many years when he won the Arc at Longchamp in October.

Arc record

The four-year-old son of Bahri finished with six lengths to spare over Aquarelliste.

It equalled the record for the longest winning margin set by two of the all-time greats - Ribot in 1956 and Sea Bird II in 1965.

Sakhee also recorded an equally impressive success in the Group One Juddmonte International at York earlier in the season.

The horse ended his campaign with a plucky performance in the Grade One Breeders' Cup Classic at Belmont Park in late October, where he was pipped by Tiznow.

Sakhee is in training for 2002 and heads Godolphin's team of four possible runners in next year's Dubai World Cup on 23 March.