News

2009 World Thoroughbred Rankings

13th Jan 2010

Australian Racing Board - Media Release - Tuesday, 12 January 2010

The 2009 World Thoroughbred Rankings have been released by the International Federation of Horse Authorities with a record Australian-trained contingent featuring within.

To merit inclusion, a horse must have been rated at 115 or above in the period under review by the World Thoroughbred Rankings Conference.

Of the 333 horses making the listings 50 were Australian-trained, up from 36 in 2008, which represents a record in any World Thoroughbred Rankings over a 12 month period.

This is the second year the Rankings list all performances throughout the world in the calendar year, irrespective of where individual horses raced or were trained.

The Rankings therefore represent a comprehensive list of the best individual performances by the world’s racing elite during 2009.

SEA THE STARS HEADS RANKINGS

The top rated horse for 2009 at 136 was the recently retired champion Irish three-year-old Sea The Stars (IRE).

Trained by John Oxx, Sea The Stars was undefeated during the year culminating in a brilliant win in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe over 2400m at Longchamp in October.

Sea The Stars is the highest rated horse since Peintre Celebre (137) in 1997.

Brilliant French mare Goldikova (130) was next in the rankings, ahead of Rip Van Winkle (129), with Fame And Glory and unbeaten USA mare Zenyatta both on 128.

AUSTRALIANS SHINE

The highest rated Australian-trained horses on 122 were world class sprinter Scenic Blast and the Bart Cummings-trained pair So You Think and Viewed.

Scenic Blast is the equal Champion Sprinter in the world in 2009 along with Australian-bred and Hong Kong-trained star Sacred Kingdom (122) who achieved his rating in winning the Kris Flyer Sprint in Singapore and the year-ending Hong Kong International Sprint in December.

This marks the third consecutive year that Sacred Kingdom has been ranked Champion Sprinter, either outright or in partnership, over the past three years.

Australian-bred horses again dominated the world sprinting ranks with Singapore trained star Rocket Man (121) the highest rated three-year-old sprinter in the world for his second placing behind Sacred Kingdom in the Kris Flyer Sprint.

A further four Australian-bred and internationally trained horses joined Sacred Kingdom and Rocket Man in the 2009 Rankings. They were South African trained Our Giant (a half brother to Rocket Man), rising Hong Kong star Happy Zero, One World and War Artist.

SCENIC BLAST (122)

Trained by Dan Morton in Western Australia, Scenic Blast achieved a rating of 122 in winning both the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington in March where he carried top weight of 57kg and again when he scorched down the Royal Ascot straight to win the King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) in June.

SO YOU THINK (122)

So You Think achieved a rating of 122 in his all-the-way win in the Tatts Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley in October and again when second in the Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in November where he carried 1.5kg over Weight-For-Age.

VIEWED (122)

Viewed achieved his rating when winning the BMW Caulfield Cup over 2400m in October. He carried the top weight of 57kg and conceded weight to all his rivals in a two length win over Roman Emperor and Vigor.

Whobegotyou came next in the Australian listings on 120 for his wins in the Dato Tan Chin Nam (Feehan) Stakes over 1600m at Moonee Valley in September and the Yalumba (Caulfield) Stakes over 2000m at Caulfield in October.

Typhoon Tracy was the highest rated Australian filly or mare achieving a rating of 118 in her devastating five length victory in the Myer (Empire Rose) Classic over 1600m during Flemington’s Melbourne Cup Carnival in November.

A notable omission from the listings is 2009 Emirates Melbourne Cup winner Shocking. While he joined the honour roll of winners of Australia’s most famous race, Shocking was lightly weighted (51kg) and received weight from the second, third and fourth placegetters in Crime Scene, Mourilyan and Master O’Reilly. Shocking was rated 114 in winning the race.

Greg Carpenter, Chairman of the ANZ Classifications Committee and Australia’s representative on the WTR Committee, said “The 2009 listings again illustrate the dominance of world sprinting by Australian-bred horses with Scenic Blast and Sacred Kingdom heading the older sprint category and Rocket Man the highest rated three-year-old sprinter in the world.

"The performances of our top three-year-old So You Think and leading stayer Viewed were also considered world class and the record number of Australian horses in the listings provide ample proof of the growing influence on world racing of the Australian racing and breeding industry."

Total Number of Australian Trained Horses Rated 115+
2009 - 50
2008 - 36
2007/08 - 33
2006/07 - 29
2005/06 - 16
2004/05 - 9