Crystal Ocean, Enable, Waldgeist Joint World’s Best

[Wandering Eyes]

LONDON, UK—The Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2019 delivered a three-way tie for top honours between Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Announced in London’s Landmark Hotel on Wednesday afternoon, the ratings, assessing horses from 17 racing nations, are derived from individual performances.

Look back to the replay of the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. from last July and you will find the trio finishing in the order above, and it was for this race that the runner-up, Crystal Ocean, was given his year-high mark of 128 when giving three pounds to Enable and finishing just a neck behind her in a bravely-fought finish. Enable’s matching mark was achieved in her next race, the G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks, the final race in Britain for the mare last year before she took her seasonal bow in the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. And from this Paris showdown, her conqueror Waldgeist was also awarded 128, the trio having been judged to be a pound clear of the performance of the Hong Kong-trained Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock {Aus}) in the G3 Celebration Cup.

All foaled in Britain, the leading trio each raced for their breeders: Enable represents Prince Khalid Abdullah’s powerful Juddmonte operation, while Crystal Ocean, bred at Southcourt Stud, carried the colours of Sir Evelyn de Rothschild to victory on eight occasions, including in last season’s G1 Prince of Wales’s S. He was trained by Sir Michael Stoute just metres along the road from where Enable is stabled at John Gosden’s Clarehaven. Meanwhile, Waldgeist, now resident at Ballylinch Stud in Ireland ahead of the start of the covering season, was bred by the Waldlerche Partnership which consists of Gestut Ammerland, Newsells Park Stud and Coolmore. The latter relinquished their ownership in Waldgeist in 2017, after which he continued to race for the other two partners.

Coolmore still has a link to one of the top trio, however, as Crystal Ocean has recently taken up residence on its National Hunt roster at Beeches Stud.

The phenomenally consistent 7-year-old Beauty Generation, trained by John Moore, flew the flag for the southern hemisphere-breds on 127, while an international quartet was awarded a mark of 126. These were the highest-rated sprinter, Shadwell’s Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who achieved this rating for his record-breaking G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. victory; Godolphin’s wide-margin G1 Longines Grosser Preis Von Baden winner Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}); Japan’s Horse of the Year Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) for her GI Arima Kinen win, and GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso (Curlin), who was deemed the world’s top-rated dirt horse.

Also tied on 125 were Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the five-length winner of the G2 Shadwell Joel S., G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase hero Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), and Australia’s darling Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}), who bowed out permanently from racing on April 13 last year with an extraordinary 25 Group 1 victories to her name.

The GI Tenno Sho victrix Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), dual Royal Ascot winner Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal), City Of Light (Quality Road), for his Pegasus World Cup victory, and G1 TJ Smith S.-winning sprinter Santa Ana Lane (Aus) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) were all level on 124.

Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was king of the staying division having been awarded a mark of 122 for his runs in both the G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup and G2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup. A total of 296 horses across the world were rated 115 or higher.

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