English wonder horse Frankel has topped the World Thoroughbred Rankings for 2011 with a rating of 136 – the same mark as Sea The Stars in 2009.
Australia’s superstar sprinter Black Caviar was Frankel’s closest pursuer on the table with 132. Her ranking eclipsed the previous record for a mare of 130 held by French heroine Goldikova.
The Bel Esprit mare is the highest-ever rated sprinter and the highest-rated Australian-trained horse in history.
The WTR were unveiled on Tuesday afternoon at a press conference in London. They are put together by a team of senior international handicappers on behalf of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).
The 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain was top rated stayer on 123 ahead of Fame And Glory (Ascot Gold Cup) and Masked Marvel (English St Leger) in 121.
Frankel’s mark of 136 recognises his claims to greatness – he has duly been accorded one of the highest marks in recent seasons. Sea The Stars is the only other horse to have hit such a mark since Peintre Celebre in 1997.
Frankel stormed to awesome victories in the English 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes before posting a career-best performance in the QEII Stakes at Ascot in October.
“It is a great honour and it is a credit to Sir Henry Cecil and the Juddmonte breeding operation,” Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, said.
“We have had champions in the past notably Dancing Brave and Oasis Dream but it is still great to receive the recognition.
“Frankel is fine and he’s trotting at Warren Place and the initial plan remains the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury,” Grimthorpe added.
“I think it is very unlikely that he and Black Caviar will meet as I would be surprised if she went up to a mile (1600m) while Frankel is going to be mainly campaigned over ten furlongs (2000m).”
WTR TOP 15
136 Frankel
132 Black Caviar
128 Cirrus Des Aigles
128 Danedream
127 Canford Cliffs
127 Rewilding
126 Dream Ahead
126 Excelebration
126 Nathaniel
126 So You Think
125 Rocket Man
125 Twice Over
125 Workforce
124 Drosselmeyer
124 Goldikova