IFHA WORLD THOROUGHBRED RACEHORSE RANKINGS
2005/2006
(For the period 1st August 2005 - 31st July 2006)
The World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings Conference was held recently in London to compile the IFHA 2005/6 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings (WTRR), the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities' official end of season assessment of those horse which had either raced in or been trained in countries whose season ran from 1st August 2005 to 31st July 2006 (1st July 2005 to 30th June 2006 in South America). Numerically, Australia head the countries list with 15 horses in the rankings followed by Hong Kong SAR, China with 11 representatives.
The Rankings are headed by the outstanding Australian trained mare MAKYBE DIVA (GB) (124) who in her final season won four of her five starts including the Group 1 WS Cox Plate over 2040m (a mile and a quarter) and then carrying top weight achieved a record breaking third successive victory in the Emirates Melbourne Cup over 3200m (two miles).
The Dubai World Cup Meeting, the most valuable meeting in the world, provided the three joint second ranked horses on 123, ELECTROCUTIONIST (USA), DAVID JUNIOR (USA) and HEART'S CRY (JPN) The locally-trained ELECTROCUTIONIST (USA) won the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup over 2000m (a mile and a quarter) on Dirt, a performance which also made him the top ranked performer on Dirt. He is joined by the GB-trained DAVID JUNIOR (USA) who won the Dubai Duty Free (1777m / 1m 1f) and the Japanese-trained HEART'S CRY (JPN) who won the Nakheel Dubai Sheema Classic over 2400m (a mile and a half).
A trio of Hong Kong SAR, China trained horses come next in the rankings. VENGEANCE OF RAIN (NZ) (122) (formerly Subscribe) who won the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup over 2000m (a mile and a quarter), SILENT WITNESS (AUS) (121) who by virtue of his success in the Sprinters Stakes over 1200m (six furlongs) in Japan was ranked the top sprinter and BULLISH LUCK (USA) (120) (formerly Al Moughazel) who won the HK G1 Champions Mile and the G1 Yasuda Kinen in Japan both over 1600m (a mile). In so doing he won the US $1 million bonus awarded to a horse that wins two legs of the Asian Mile Challenge.
In joint eighth position in the rankings are three horses. Australian trained EREMEIN (AUS) (119) who won three G1 races including the BMW Tancred Stakes over 2400m (a mile and a half). The leading Australian sprinter TAKEOVER TARGET (AUS) who won at the top level in Australia, the Lightning Stakes over 1000m (five furlongs) and Newmarket Handicap over 1200m (six furlongs) as well as the G2 King's Stand Stakes over 1000m (five furlongs) at Royal Ascot. The third horse on 119 is MARAAHEL (IRE) who ran third behind Vengeance of Rain (NZ) in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup over 2000m (a mile and a quarter).
The Top Ranked Horses 2005/2006
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The Top Ranked Performer
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MAKYBE DIVA (GB)
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124
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Lee Freedman
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Australia
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| Makybe Diva (GB) won four times including two G1 events, WS Cox Plate over 2040m, the premier WFA event in Australia and gained her third successive win in the Emirates Melbourne Cup over 3200m, which proved to be the final race for the exceptional mare. | |||
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The Top Ranked Horse - Dirt
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ELECTROCUTIONIST (USA)
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123
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Saeed bin Suroor
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UAE
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Electrocutionist (USA), a high-class performer went
undefeated on his two outings on Dirt. His victory in the world's most
valuable race the Dubai World Cup over 2000m earned him the top ranking
on Dirt.
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The Top Ranked Filly or Mare - Turf
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MAKYBE DIVA (GB)
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124
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Lee Freedman
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Australia
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| Makybe Diva (GB) won four times including two G1 events, WS Cox Plate over 2040m, the premier WFA event in Australia and gained her third successive win the Emirates Melbourne Cup over 3200m which proved to be the final race for the exceptional mare. | |||
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The Top Ranked Sprinter on Turf (1000m - 1300m)
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SILENT WITNESS (AUS
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121
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Tony Cruz
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Hong Kong
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| Silent Witness (AUS) became the Top Ranked Sprinter for the second consecutive season. His ranking was achieved by winning the JPN G1 Sprinters Stakes in Japan. | |||
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The Top Ranked Sprinter on Dirt (1000m - 1300m)
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PROUD TOWER TOO (USA)
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115
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S Gonzalez
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USA
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| Proud Tower Too (USA) was the Top Ranked Sprinter on Dirt on the strength of his victory in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1). | |||
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The Top Ranked Miler on Turf (1301m - 1900m)
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DAVID JUNIOR (USA)
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123
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Brian Meehan
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Great Britain
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| David Junior (USA) a G1 winner in Great Britain put up an impressive performance at the Dubai World Cup meeting, winning the Dubai Duty Free over 1777m a truly international event that contained runners from eight different countries. | |||
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The Top Ranked Miler on Dirt (1301m - 1900m)
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DISCREET CAT (USA))
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118
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Saeed bin Suroor
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UAE
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| Discreet Cat (USA) won both his starts at the Dubai Racing Carnival including a most impressive six-length victory in the S & M Al Naboodah Group UAE Derby. | |||
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The Top Ranked Intermediate-Distance Performer
- Dirt (1901m - 2100m)
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ELECTROCUTIONIST (USA)
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123
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Saeed bin Suroor
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UAE
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| Electrocutionist (USA), a high-class performer went undefeated on his two outings on Dirt. His victory in the world's most valuable race the Dubai World Cup over 2000m earned him the top ranking on Dirt. | |||
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The Top Ranked Intermediate-Distance Performer
- Turf (1901m - 2100m)
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VENGEANCE OF RAIN (NZ)
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122
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David Ferraris
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Hong Kong
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| Vengeance of Rain (NZ) gained his second international G1 victory when winning the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup. | |||
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The Top Ranked Long-Distance Performer (2101m -
2700m)
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HEART'S CRY (JPN)
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123
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K Hashiguchi
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Japan
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| Heart's Cry (JPN) is the only horse to date to defeat the Japanese Horse of the Year, Deep Impact. Like several fellow top ranked horses gained his position by winning at the Dubai World Cup meeting, where he put up an impressive performance to land the Nakheel Dubai Sheema Classic. | |||
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The Top Ranked Extended-Distance Performer (2701m+)
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MAKYBE DIVA (GB)
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124
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Lee Freedman
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Australia
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| Makybe Diva (GB) retained her top ranking in this category after gaining her third successive win the Emirates Melbourne Cup over 3200m which proved to be the final race for the exceptional mare. | |||
The World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are published twice each year, and comprise those horses, which have been rated at 115 or above by the WTRR Conferences. The January publication will include horses aged three years old and upwards which have either raced in, or been trained in, countries whose racing season runs from 1st January to 31st December, while the August edition will include those horses which have raced in or been trained in countries who race from 1st August to 31st July (1st July to 30th June in South America).
The full list and further information on the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are available on the IFHA web site www.IFHAonline.org