The official listing of the world's best racehorses
(covering the period 1st May to 6th November 2012)
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World Thoroughbred Rankings Leading Horses |
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Rank |
Horse |
Rating |
Trained |
1 |
Frankel (GB) |
140 |
GB |
2 |
Cirrus Des Aigles (FR) |
130 |
FR |
2 |
Excelebration (IRE) |
130 |
IRE |
4 |
Orfevre (JPN) |
127 |
JPN |
4 |
Wise Dan (USA) |
127 |
USA |
6 |
I'll Have Another (USA) |
126 |
USA |
6 |
Nathaniel (IRE) |
126 |
GB |
8 |
Bodemeister (USA) |
125 |
USA |
8 |
Fort Larned (USA) |
125 |
USA |
8 |
So You Think (NZ) |
125 |
IRE |
The winner of all his fourteen races, by a total of over 76 lengths, Frankel overcame a tardy start and the most testing conditions he had faced to defeat CIRRUS DES AIGLES (FR) [130] by a length and three-quarters, with NATHANIEL (IRE) [126] a further two and a half lengths back in third.
Frankel demonstrated exceptional consistency at the highest level, recording a rating in excess of 130 in all his five starts as a four-year-old, a magnificent achievement.
Cirrus Des Aigles, currently the joint second highest rated horse in the world, reproduced the level of form he had shown to take the Prix Ganay (G1) by eight lengths at Longchamp in April and the Qatar Prix Dollar (G2) by nine lengths at the same course early in October.
Nathaniel has also been a model of consistency, only once finishing out of the first three in eleven career starts, and running to a rating of 126 in all his four races in the current season. Coincidentally, Nathaniel and Frankel made their debuts in the same Newmarket maiden race, when Nathaniel achieved the distinction of finishing closer to Frankel than any other horse, going down by half a length.
EXCELEBRATION (IRE) [130] shares second place in the Rankings with Cirrus Des Aigles following his impressive victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) at Ascot, in which he defeated CITYSCAPE (GB) [123] by three lengths. Excelebration had also come out on top in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois (G1) at Deauville in August, when the margin was a length and a quarter.
WISE DAN (USA) [127] put up the highest rated performance in North America so far this year when taking the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Santa Anita by a length and a half from ANIMAL KINGDOM (USA) [123]. In the process, Wise Dan recorded his third Grade 1 win in succession, having already captured the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1) at Woodbine in September and the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland in October.
LITTLE MIKE (USA) [123] ensured that the home team kept both major races on the turf at the Breeders' Cup meeting with a brave display in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), in which he held off POINT OF ENTRY (USA) [123]. Like Wise Dan, Little Mike was also winning his third Grade 1 race of the year, adding to his earlier successes in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs in May and the Arlington Million (G1) at Arlington Park in August.
On the main track, FORT LARNED (USA) [125] just got the better of MUCHO MACHO MAN (USA) [124] in a terrific tussle to land the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), in which the two principals pulled six and a half lengths clear of their rivals.
In Australia, DUNADEN (FR) [122] achieved the highest rating of his career to date when coming with a strong run to land the BMW Caulfield Cup (G1), while New Zealand trained OCEAN PARK (NZ) [122] reeled off his fourth Group 1 victory in a row when defeating improving three-year-old ALL TOO HARD (AUS) by a neck in the Sportingbet W.S. Cox Plate (G1).
2010 Tokyo Yushun-Japanese Derby (G1) winner EISHIN FLASH (JPN) [121] returned to the winner's enclosure for the first time since then with a half length victory over FENOMENO (JPN) [120] in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) in Tokyo. The runner-up had been very narrowly beaten in the 2012 running of the Tokyo Yushun-Japanese Derby (G1).
In Hong Kong, reigning Horse of the Year AMBITIOUS DRAGON (NZ) [124] made a successful seasonal debut at Sha Tin with an impressive length and a half success under top weight in the Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy (HK G2).
The World Thoroughbred Rankings are compiled by the World Rankings Supervisory Committee and published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).
For further details on the World Thoroughbred Rankings, please contact:
Nigel Gray, co-chairman World Rankings Supervisory Committee
Garry O'Gorman
Senior Flat Handicapper, Irish Turf Club
Telephone +353 5997 26596
Email gaogorman@eircom.net
Tom
Robbins, chairman North American Ratings Committee
Executive Vice President, Racing & Industry Relations, Racing Secretary, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
Telephone +1 858 792 4230
Email tomr@dmtc.com
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The full list and further information on the World Thoroughbred Rankings are available on the IFHA web site http://www.ifhaonline.org/
The next edition of the World Thoroughbred Rankings will be released on 15th January 2013.