International Classifications 2008

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MANDURO ON TOP OF THE WORLD

The mighty Manduro claimed the title of best horse on the planet following the unveiling of the World Thoroughbred Rankings at a ceremony in London.

Andre Fabre's now-retired six-year-old enjoyed a flawless 2007, during which he was unbeaten in five starts, three of them in Group One company over distances between one mile and 10 furlongs.

Victory in the Prix Foy on Arc trials day at Longchamp in September saw him rocket to favouritism for the main event itself as he proved his stamina over a mile and a half.

But it soon transpired he had suffered a career-ending injury and he is now part of Sheikh Mohammed's Darley breeding operation.

He has been allotted a ranking of 131, some 2lb above Peter Chapple-Hyam's Derby hero Authorized, who is rated on a par with Breeders' Cup Classic winner Curlin, Dylan Thomas and Invasor.

Belmont Stakes heroine Rags To Riches was rated the best filly or mare, being given a mark of 123.

In the two-year-old division, Jim Bolger's unbeaten New Approach came out best on 126, although interestingly that mark puts him just 1lb in front of Fast Company.

The pair clashed in the Dewhurst at Newmarket, with New Approach taking the spoils by half a length.

Then trained by Brian Meehan, Fast Company will run in the Godolphin blue next season. It is perhaps also worth noting New Approach's rating is 3lb superior to that handed to Bolger's Teofilo 12 months ago.

Tommy Stack's Myboycharlie is on 122, 2lb in front of Raven's Pass and Rio De La Plata.
 
Do you know what Peeping Fawn got at all Gal?

I've been arguing the merits of PF vs. Rags To Riches with an American of late, wondering if he'll change his mind on the view that "the International Ratings are worthless".
 
EUROPEAN RANKINGS TOP TWO-YEAR-OLDS

New Approach 126 Jim Bolger (Ireland)

Fast Company 125 Brian Meehan (Now Saeed Bin Suroor)

Myboycharlie 122 Tommy Stack (Ireland)

Raven's Pass 120 John Gosden

Rio De La Plata 120 Saeed Bin Suroor

Zarkava 119 Alain De Royer-Dupre (France)

Kingsgate Native 118 John Best

Natagora 118 Pascal Bary (France)

Thewayyouare 118 Andre Fabre (France)

Fleeting Spirit 117 Jeremy Noseda

Hello Morning 117 Criquette Head-Maarek (France)

Ibn Khaldun 117 Saeed Bin Suroor

Listen 117 Aidan O'Brien (Ireland)
 
HANDICAPPERS TAKE CAUTIOUS APPROACH

By Tom Peacock, PA Sport

New Approach has been rated 3lb higher than his former stablemate and last year's top European two-year-old Teofilo on account of his victory in a better-quality renewal of the Dewhurst Stakes.

Trainer Jim Bolger's remarkable achievement of producing the leading juvenile in consecutive seasons has slightly eased the blow of Teofilo never making a Classic campaign because of injury.

New Approach has been awarded a rating of 126 in the official European rankings but is still only 1lb ahead of Dewhurst runner-up Fast Company, who made up a vast amount of ground at Newmarket and has subsequently moved from Brian Meehan to Godolphin.

"The last European two-year-old to be rated higher than New Approach was Xaar (1997) following a rating he got from beating Tamarisk by seven lengths in the Dewhurst," said the British two-year-old handicapper Matthew Tester.

"Fast Company was just half a length behind. But to compare with last year's Dewhurst, Teofilo and Holy Roman Emperor were two-and-a-half lengths clear of Strategic Prince and Haatef.

"This year, there were two-and-a-half lengths back to Raven's Pass and Rio De La Plata.

"No disrespect to Strategic Prince and Haatef, but there is no doubt they are not as good as Raven's Pass and Rio De La Plata, which is why New Approach is rated 3lb higher."

Senior Irish Flat handicapper Garry O'Gorman went as far as describing Teofilo as "a monster" at the London press conference to announce the rankings last year, but decided to be a little more restrained this time.

"New Approach and Teofilo have the same trainer and sire (Galileo) and ran in the same five races," he said.

"It is not to say one is better than the other, it is a reflection of the calibre of the opponents.

"New Approach achieved higher ratings than Teofilo in the Futurity Stakes, the National and the Dewhurst as he seemed to be beating slightly better horses.

"I was very bullish about Teofilo last year. I am not going to use the 'm' word again this year but I must say most progeny on the dam's side are better at three, so it was still unusual to see New Approach being so precocious and he should get better."

Tester did however issue a note of caution.

"New Approach has been a great credit to his trainer as he is clearly not a straightforward horse and in lesser hands he would not have achieved what he has already.

"There might be a day where it does not work out, and Mr Bolger is going to need all of his skills.

"John Gosden is convinced Raven's Pass will be better on better ground and Fast Company only has a 10th of a second to find with New Approach so you can either take the view New Approach will continue to improve or you can take another view at three times the odds for the 2000 Guineas."

Tommy Stack's Myboycharlie is on 122, 2lb in front of Raven's Pass and Rio De La Plata.

The top two-year-old filly is Alain de Royer-Dupre's Zarkava (119), who was so impressive in winning the Prix Marcel Boussac.

Tester added: "It is important to remember how badly hampered she was in the Boussac before she got up to win by two and a half lengths. She's a very worthy champion filly."
 
Originally posted by Gareth Flynn@Jan 15 2008, 02:41 PM
Septimus was champion stayer, by the way.
Click to expand...
10/1 for the Gold Cup 1/4 1,2,3. Yeats is 9/4. hmm.

I am a massive fan of the latter, but he is a 7yo now.
 
Good spot.

Question is will they run him if they think Yeats is capable of running to his best and bagging a famous hat trick?
 
If anything that looks like a threat emerges during the season then I think they will have to run him. If Geordieland is still looking like the biggest danger then there is a possibly not.

I would say it is more likely that he races than not.

(I'm aware that the above statement makes it something like a 5/1 shot :P )
 
The 2 y o`s seem a little high, Myboycharlie 122???

I can`t have Manduro 2lbs higher than DT. He was 3lbs superior in the POW, but O`Brien`s animal was better over 12f. I`d have them on the same rating.

Peeping Fawn is too low on 122. Ramonti too high on 123.
 
I have Dylan Thomas higher than Manduro.


New Approach, very god horse but not as good as Teofilo was last year.
 
LOL!

Justice for Manduro, of a kind... He was still improving when injured and imo would have confirmed his superiority over DT - who is of course a magnificent horse, consistent as was Manduro over a variety of distances.

Along with Teofilo's injury, the premature end to the duel between DT and Manduro was my big regret this last flat season as I would have loved to seen it put beyond doubt. So frustrating in both cases 'not to know'!
 
Indeed, Headstrong. Would have been fantastic to see them clash in the Arc. FWIW, I would have them both on 130/1.
 
Originally posted by Headstrong@Jan 17 2008, 09:10 PM
He was still improving when injured and imo would have confirmed his superiority over DT - who is of course a magnificent horse, consistent as was Manduro over a variety of distances.

Click to expand...
In the Arc? Very doubtful he would have stayed 12f unless the ground had been fast - which it wasn`t.
 
If he'd have raced prominently, as was Pasquier's normal way with him, he'd have been in big trouble.
 
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