1 Equinox Tetsuya Kimura, Japan 136 Announced himself on the world stage by beating Westover with plenty in hand in the Dubai Sheema Classic and then gained further wins in the Takarazuka Kinen and Tenno Sho (Autumn) before concluding his career with another easy victory in the Japan Cup, his sixth successive Group 1 win; now standing at Shadai Stallion Station in Japan 2 Ace Impact Jean-Claude Rouget, France 133 Unraced as a 2-y-o, he won all 6 of his races in 2023, including the Prix du Jockey Club and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, in which he passed most of the field in the straight, beating Westover by 1¾ lengths; now standing at Haras de Beaumont in France 3 Westover Ralph Beckett, GB 131 Gained his only success of the year in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, but was runner-up in his other 4 races, to Equinox in the Sheema Classic, Emily Upjohn in the Coronation Cup, Hukum in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (only slightly disadvantageous weight-for-age terms) and to Ace Impact in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe; now at stud in Japan 4 Hukum Owen Burrows, GB 130 Won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot (from Westover), but finished behind that rival when only ninth in the Arc; now at stud in Japan 5 Auguste Rodin Aidan O'Brien, Ireland 129 Ran poorly in the 2000 Guineas and the King George, but won all his other races, the Derby, Irish Derby, Irish Champion Stakes (beating Luxembourg) and the Breeders' Cup Turf (from Up To The Mark); stays in training 5= Big Rock Christopher Head, France 129 Second in the Prix du Jockey Club, Jacques le Marois and Moulin before making all for a 6-length success in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot 5= Cody's Wish Bill Mott, USA 129 Successful in the Churchill Downs Stakes, Metropolitan Handicap and Grade 2 Vosburgh before gaining a second successive win in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile; at stud in Kentucky. 5= Golden Sixty Francis Lui, Hong Kong 129 Showed no signs of letting up at the age of 8, winning all his 4 starts during the year, the Stewards' Cup, Hong Kong Gold Cup (both for the second time), plus the Champions Mile and Hong Kong Mile (both for the third time) 5= Mostahdaf Jean & Thady Gosden, GB 129 Won 3 times, including the Prince of Wales's at Royal Ascot (by 4 lengths from Luxembourg) and the International Stakes at York (from Nashwa and Paddington), but only eighth in the Breeders' Cup Turf; now at stud in Newmarket 10 Lucky Sweynesse Manfred Man Ka-leung, Hong Kong 128 Successful 8 times in 2023, 3 of them Group 1 events, Centenary Sprint Cup, Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup and the Hong Kong Sprint; was giving plenty of weight away to the winner on his only 2 defeats 10= Onesto Fabrice Chappet, France 128 Ran a career-best when third to Ace Impact in the Arc, but couldn't back that up when only sixth in the Breeders' Cup Turf; to stand at stud in France 10= Paddington Aidan O'Brien, Ireland 128 Progressed well to win his first 6 outings of the year, including the Irish 2000 Guineas, the St James's Palace Stakes, the Eclipse (from Emily Upjohn) and Sussex Stakes; third to Mostahdaf in the International at York but well below par in the Queen Elizabeth II on his final start; now standing at Coolmore Stud in Ireland 10= Titleholder Toru Kurita, Japan 128 Gained an 8-length win in the Group 2 Nikkei Sho on his reappearance, but failed to match that effort after, including in the Japan Cup and Arima Kinen 14 Do Deuce Yasuo Tomomichi, Japan 127 Fourth in the Japan Cup before a career-best effort in winning the Arima Kinen 14= I Wish I Win Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman, Australia 127 Put up his best efforts when winning the T. J. Smith at Randwick (from Giga Kick) and when second to Think About It in the Everest on the same track 14= Justin Palace Haruki Sugiyama, Japan 127 Won his first 2 starts of the year, including the Tenno Sho (Spring), before finishing in the frame in the Takarazuka Kinen, Tenno Sho (Autumn) and Arima Kinen 14= Romantic Warrior Danny Shum, Hong Kong 127 Gained 3 notable wins during the year, the QEII Cup, the Cox Plate and the Hong Kong Cup, the last-named by a short head from Luxembourg 14= Think About It Joseph Pride, Australia 127 Winner of 9 of his 10 starts in 2023, including the Stradboke Handicap at Eagle Farm and the Everest at Randwick (from I Wish I Win) 14= Without A Fight Anthony & Sam Freedman, Australia 127 The ex-British-trained gelding won 4 times in Australia in 2023, notably the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup 20 Anamoe James Cummings, Austalia 126 20= Emily Upjohn John & Thady Gosden, GB 126 20= Giga Kick Clayton Douglas, Australia 126 20= Gold Trip Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, Australia 126 20= Luxembourg Aidan O'Brien, Ireland 126 25 City of Troy Aidan O'Brien, Ireland 125p 26 California Spangle Tony Cruz, Hong Kong 125 26= Continuous Aidan O'Brien, Ireland 125 26= Inspiral John & Thady Gosden, GB 125 26= King of Steel Roger Varian, GB 125 26= Master of the Seas Charlie Appleby, GB 125 26= Mr Brightside Ben, Will & JD Hayes, Australia 125 26= Private Eye Joseph Pride, Australia 125 26= Up To The Mark Todd Pletcher, USA 125 26= Voyage Bubble Ricky Yiu, Hong Kong 125
Personally, I think Ace Impact has been under-rated in relation to Equinox. Ace Impact was undefeated and in his first attempt at 12f won the Arc with a scintilating finish to win (I would say) with something in hand. Good to soft ground and the time was (fast by 4.10s). Westover ran the best race of his life and was in far better shape than when beaten by Equinox on the fast ground that Equinox needed. Had Equinox ran in the Arc I suspect he would not have won. Equinox was clearly a very good horse but was lucky not to be beaten by Through Seven Seas At the very least, with that gap, I would have suffixed Ace Impact with a p or a + Just my opinion
You may be right about Ace Impact as I think he's difficult to judge. Did little wrong but the problem is what did he beat? The next two horses in the list, Westover and Hukum, were hardly world-beaters.
