News

Weekend Hussler still our best

23rd Jul 2009

The Daily Telegraph - Brent Zerafa - Thursday, 23 July 2009

CHAMPION galloper Weekend Hussler has not won since last September but is still regarded as the best racehorse in Australia.

That is the opinion of Timeform, which has rated the Hussler equal sixth on 129 in its latest global rankings released on Wednesday.

Irish galloper Sea The Stars is perched at the top of the rankings after wins in the 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby and Coral-Eclipse.

Weekend Hussler sits alongside freakish American three-year-old filly Rachel Alexander and Septimus, Aidan O'Brien's Irish stayer who famously flopped in last year's Melbourne Cup.

While Ross McDonald's super galloper won't be sighted this spring because of injury, his wins in the Memsie, Makybe Diva and Underwood Stakes almost 12 months ago secured his status as the nation's No. 1.

Recently retired cult hero Takeover Target was handed down a rating of 128 after victories in the TJ Smith Stakes and Goodwood Handicap, placing him equal 12th in the world.

Scenic Blast was momentarily viewed as the best racehorse in Australia with a rating of 131 after his win in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, but failure in the July Cup as a short-priced favourite dropped his rating to 128.

Other Australians in the global top 30 include Apache Cat and Pompeii Ruler, who both finished the season with a rating of 126.

In the local two-year-old rankings, not even wins in the Golden Slipper and Magic Millions were enough for Phelan Ready to secure an outright lead. The Queenslander, who has amassed $3.25 million in earnings after only six starts, finished the year with a rating of 123 along with the recently retired Real Saga.

Gai Waterhouse's pair Manhattan Rain and More Joyous followed a point behind on 122 with Nathan Tinkler's youngster Onemorenomore.

The Mark Kavanagh-trained Whobegotyou has been rated as the standout three-year-old despite not winning in the autumn.

His wins in the Caulfield Guineas and AAMI Vase were enough to secure a rating of 126, three points ahead of the Anthony Cummings-trained Duporth, winner of the Golden Rose and BTC Cup, and fellow Victorian Heart Of Dreams.