The latest World Thoroughbred Rankings have been released with FRANKEL rated 135 - 5lb clear of his nearest rival, BLACK CAVIAR. In the last edition FRANKEL and BLACK CAVIAR were rated jointly on 130. NATHANIEL, CANFORD CLIFFS and the ill-fated REWILDING are rated 127, with SO YOU THINK on 126 and WORKFORCE on 124. You can see the rankings in full here: http://www.horseracingintfed.com/resources/2011Rankings/2011_0804_WTR.asp
Unfortunately for Frankel he is running out of decent opposition to push up his rating. Maybe we will get a really good 3YO to challenge him next season. Depending on whether Goldikova runs he could go off around 1/10 in the QEII and win doing handsprings. It would be great if something were to lay down a real challenge to him next season.
Strong Suit has earned another chance at a mile with his last two performances over seven furlongs, so I would not be surprised to see him show up to take on Frankel. With conditions in October likely to be to Dick Turpin’s taste, he might throw his hat into the ring as well. In that respect, Richard Hannon may hold all the aces. Obviously, Frankel can still improve his rating just by his own efforts. If the second-rated horse in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes is rated 120 and he beats it by ten lengths on the bridle that ought to get handicappers reaching for the slide rule.
Really good and informative spreadsheet that as it not only gives the current rating but other useful information to boot such as career progression/regression and where the top ratings where achieved. Sir Henry’s Frankel is totally deserving of his top spot, in my opinion, and you certainly won’t hear any complaints from me re his position at the top of the tree. However, I do tend to think it slightly weighted on the side of the GB & Irish horses - only 1 French horse in the top 10 and none at all from the USA or Japan. I always pay the runners from the latter country the maximum respect and believe that after their near misses in the race in recent years and their current policy to ‘target’ the pot it only a matter of time before a Japanese horse wins the Arc. One of those listed in the lower half of the rankings table perhaps??? Frankel’s possible QE2 opponents are certainly diminishing. I still think that Cityscape is improving at a rate of knots and he may be the one to chase him home.
Somehow or other, UK racing and the rankings seem to have fallen in step. The rest of the world has to pay a price for this.
