News

Aussies Shine In World Rankings

27th May 2011

Racing Victoria - Friday, 27th May 2011

The second release of the World Thoroughbred Rankings for 2011 by the International Federation of Horse Authorities (IFHA) overnight has further strengthened Australian racing’s burgeoning position on the world stage.

Australia’s golden girl Black Caviar remains at the top of the rankings, although she now shares the title of the world’s highest rated racehorse with another unbeaten star, English three-year-old Frankel.

Frankel’s dominant six-length victory in the Group 1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Newmarket (UK) on 30 April was considered the equal of Black Caviar’s record breaking victory in the Group 1 Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on 12 March.

The pair have been given a rating of 130 by IFHA and are clearly the dominant performers in world thoroughbred racing for the six month period from 1 December 2010 to 23 May 2011.

Moving to third in the rankings is dual Tatts Cox Plate winner So You Think with Bart Cummings’ former superstar achieving a rating of 126 in both of his victories on Irish soil this month.

Under the tutelage of Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, So You Think won the Group 3 Mooresbridge Stakes (2000m) at his European debut on 2 May at The Curragh before claiming the Group 1 Tattersall’s Gold Cup (2100m) at the same track on 23 May.

His wins were rated the equal of his victories in last year’s Group 1 Longines Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) and Group 1 Yalumba Stakes (2000m) in Melbourne when he achieved ratings of 126 also.

Moving to equal fourth in the world rankings with English miler Canford Cliffs is Singapore’s Australianbred speed machine Rocket Man who was given a career-high rating of 125 for his brilliant hometown triumph in the Group 1 Krisflyer International Sprint (1200m) on Sunday night.

A showdown between the world’s two highest rated sprinters, Black Caviar and Rocket Man, may eventuate on Australian soil in the Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) at Flemington on 5 November with the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) announcing a lucrative bonus and stakes increase.

The big mover amongst the Australian ranks is Black Caviar’s perennial adversary Hay List who has jumped from 30th in the world to equal seventh alongside a group of horses including South African sprinter JJ The Jet Plane and Japan’s recent Group 1 Dubai World Cup (2000m) winner Victoire Pisa.

Hay List lifted his rating to a career high 122 with his victory in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on 23 April and matched that with his gallant second to Black Caviar in the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on 14 May.

Debuting in the world’s top 50 is Gai Waterhouse’s wonder mare More Joyous, who achieved a career high rating of 120 when winning the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf (1500m) at Rosehill on 2 April.

The third highest rated mare in the world behind Black Caviar and French star Sarafina (121) – who is trained by Emirates Melbourne Cup-winning horseman Alain de Royer Dupre – More Joyous sits equal 20th in the world rankings with another Australian, the Mark Kavanagh-trained Whobegotyou.

Whobegotyou’s former stablemate Shocking, who was retired last week, sits at equal 27th in the world alongside Hong Kong’s acclaimed Australian-bred sprinter Sacred Kingdom with a rating of 119.

The other Australians to appear in the world rankings are the Mick Price-trained Heart Of Dreams and another Australian-bred Singapore star, Better Than Ever, whose rating of 118 has them in equal 37th.

Greg Carpenter, Chairman of the ANZ Classifications Committee and Australia’s representative on the World Thoroughbred Rankings Committee, said the result again gave cause for celebration.

“What another great result for Australian racing,” Carpenter said. “Black Caviar continues to head the list of the top 50 active thoroughbred racehorses in the world, plus Hay List and More Joyous have heralded their arrival on the world stage with career high ratings.

“It is also pleasing to see our dual Tatts Cox Plate winner So You Think move to number three in the world and the Australian-bred Rocket Man again emphasis the quality of our sprinting bloodlines by jumping to equal fourth.

“Black Caviar’s rating of 130 remains the highest by an Australian horse since the World Thoroughbred Rankings commenced in 2002 and she is still the only sprinter ever to head the list of the world’s top 50 racehorses.

“These results are once again a wonderful advertisement for our racing and breeding industries and we look forward to more Australian racehorses staking their claim for a position amongst the sport’s elite throughout the second half of 2011.”

The Peter Moody-trained Black Caviar was sent for a spell after stretching her unbeaten streak to 13 in the BTC Cup at Doomben on 14 May. She will resume racing in Melbourne during this year’s Spring Racing Carnival where a 14th victory will see her equal the immortal Phar Lap’s winning streak.

For a full list of the World Thoroughbred Rankings visit www.horseracingintfed.com