The official listing of the top horses in the world
(covering the period 1st January to 26th June 2011)
Unbeaten duo BLACK CAVIAR (AUS) [130] and FRANKEL (GB) [130] continue to lead the way in the 2011 World Thoroughbred Rankings, but some smart performances in the past month have seen the chasing pack edge closer.
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World Thoroughbred Rankings Leading Horses 1st January to 26th June 2011 |
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Rank |
Horse |
Rating |
Trained |
1 |
Black Caviar (AUS) |
130 |
AUS |
1 |
Frankel (GB) |
130 |
GB |
3 |
Canford Cliffs (IRE) |
127 |
GB |
3 |
Rewilding (GB) |
127 |
GB |
5 |
So You Think (NZ) |
126 |
IRE |
6 |
Rocket Man (AUS) |
125 |
SIN |
6 |
Workforce (GB) |
125 |
GB |
8 |
Dick Turpin (IRE) |
124 |
GB |
8 |
Goldikova (IRE) |
124 |
FR |
While Black Caviar was taking a well earned rest, Frankel was in action at Royal Ascot, where he maintained his unblemished record with victory over ZOFFANY (IRE) [120] in the St James's Palace Stakes (G1), his third victory in the highest grade.
Frankel did not need to run to his best to take the spoils, but the two horses who now share third place in the Rankings both produced peak performances, with CANFORD CLIFFS (IRE) [127] equaling his previous best when fending off defending champion GOLDIKOVA (IRE) [124] in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1), and REWILDING (GB) [127] establishing a new personal best when wearing down SO YOU THINK (NZ) [126] in the closing stages of the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1).
The pick of the other performances at Royal Ascot came from the Aidan O'Brien pair AWAIT THE DAWN (USA) [121] and FAME AND GLORY (GB) [121]. Await The Dawn confirmed the highly favourable impression he had made in taking the Kilternan Stakes (G3) at Leopardstown last September and the Betfair Huxley Stakes (G3) at Chester in May with a three length victory in the Hardwicke Stakes (G2), the race which the mighty HARBINGER (GB) [135] won by just half a length further last year.
FAME AND GLORY (GB) [121] registered his seventh win in his last eight starts with a three length success in the Ascot Gold Cup (G1), in the process proving that he is highly effective over a wide range of distances.
Away from Ascot, former top two-year-old ST NICHOLAS ABBEY (IRE) [122] proved that his career is very much back on track with victory in the Investec Coronation Cup (G1) at Epsom, while 2010 Investec Derby (G1) and Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner WORKFORCE (GB) [125] gave the promise of plenty more to come when making a successful seasonal debut under top weight in the Piper Heidsieck Champagne Brigadier Gerard Stakes (G3) at Sandown, in the process putting up a performance only 3lb short of his best.
Further afield, EARNESTLY (JPN) [121] gained the first Group 1 success of his career and showed he is still on the upgrade at the age of six when giving weight and a length and a half beating to BUENA VISTA (JPN) in the Takarazuka Kinen (G1) at Hanshin.
Frankel is clearly the best three-year-old in the current World Rankings, but his contemporaries racing over longer distances are now starting to come into their own. The second highest rated three-year-old is currently POUR MOI (IRE) [122], who came with a strong late run to snatch the Investec Derby (G1) by a head from TREASURE BEACH (GB) [121], with CARLTON HOUSE (USA) [120] close behind in third. Treasure Beach franked the form with victory in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1) three weeks later, when he held off SEVILLE (GER) [119] by three-quarters of a length.
RELIABLE MAN (GB) [121] also put himself in contention with the winners of the other two major European Derbies when stepping up in class to take the Prix du Jockey Club (G1) decisively by almost a length from BUBBLE CHIC (FR) [119]. Not to be outdone, ORFEVRE (JPN) [120] also showed he is a force to be reckoned with when completing a double in the first two legs of the Japanese Triple Crown. Having already won the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) (G1) by three lengths, Orfevre followed up with a length and three-quarter success in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1), in the process showing that he is equally at home on both soft and firm ground.
Etihad Airways Irish 1000 Guineas (G1) heroine MISTY FOR ME (IRE) [120] achieved the highest rating by a three-year-old filly in 2011 to date with an emphatic six length victory over a below par MIDDAY (GB) [119] in the Stobart Ireland Pretty Polly Stakes (G1) at the Curragh.
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 4th August 2011.