Cracksman and Winx Share Honours at Longines Awards

There could be no splitting the Thoroughbred stars from either side of the equator as the 2018 Longines World's Best Racehorse award was shared between Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) and Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

The former has appeared in the classifications drawn from a gathering of international handicappers since 2015 and has been the highest-rated filly and mare on the planet for the last three years. Chris Waller's Australian icon was placed second behind Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) 12 months ago when rated 133, and this year she was tied on 130, the same mark as Cracksman achieved when joint-third in 2017.

She took her winning streak to 29 after her record-breaking fourth success in the G1 Cox Plate S, but earned her highest rating of the year in the G1 Longines Queen Elizabeth S. at Randwick back in April.
Cracksman won three times at the top level during a lighter European campaign and achieved the mark when he rounded off his career with an emphatic second consecutive success in the G1 Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Last year represented something of a dip by recent standards, with both dual winner Arrogate and predecessor American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile) achieving a rating of 134. The last time there had been a tie was when Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) and Black Caviar (Aus) (Bel Esprit {Aus}) shared a peak of 130 back in 2013.

John Sadler's Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky), who still has the chance to figure in the shake-up for 2019 when he runs for what is likely to be the final time in Saturday's Pegasus World Cup Invitational, was placed third on 128 and hence the highest-rated dirt horse. The G1 Breeders' Cup Classic S. hero hit that mark in the G1 Pacific Classic S. last April.

Last year's Pegasus winner, the now-retired Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}), tied for fourth on 127 alongside Hong Kong-based leviathan Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock {Aus}) and Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy), the highest-rated 3-year-old now retired to Tweenhills Stud after securing four straight Group 1s.

John Gosden, the trainer of Cracksman and Roaring Lion, managed to send out three of the planet's top 10 from his Clarehaven Stables in Newmarket. His glittering dual G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe S. winner Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) placing joint-eighth on 125 alongside the Triple Crown victor Justify (Scat Daddy) and Sir Michael Stoute's ultra-consistent Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).
Another “special” moment for Winx

It was clear that the accolade meant a great deal to all those closely involved with Winx, given that they jetted in from a balmy Australian summer to a chilly British winter. Waller plus a handful of her syndicate of owners from the Tighe, Kepitis and Treweeke families were all at the event hosted at Marylebone's Landmark Hotel by Longines and its long-time partner the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).

“Just being on the stage with a horse like her, as a trainer it's probably the pinnacle,” said Waller. “It's a great way to recognise racing around the world with 25 or so handicappers putting their say forward, because in racing everybody's got an opinion and it's hard to get all the right horses in the right field on the same day. It's a bit different to a World Cup in soccer or the Olympics with running. People can come together but for horses it isn't easy, so it's a very rewarding achievement.

“Winx has become a special horse every time she goes to the races. In particular since she broke the world record for the amount of Group 1 wins. It's one record after another, she's up to 22 Group 1s, 29 in a row, there have been track records and winning certain races a number of times. She has changed all of our lives.”

There was never likely to be any exclusive news as far as her future was concerned. The owners steadfastly defer to Waller in terms of decisions, and the trainer is pro-active in terms of releasing information about plans via his own channels.

As we stand, the 7-year-old has already returned in a barrier trial ahead of an intended first start back in the G2 Apollo S. at Randwick on February 16. A European finale, or some kind of dream match race with Enable now look pie-in-the-sky. The charming Debbie Kepitis, who has already appeared in the British media this week, suspects she could have roughly four more runs and has said that decisions about possible breeding plans will have to be made some time in March or April.

“We've been here three years in a row, we've been third and then second last year,” said Kepitis. “Two weeks ago we were in America, where she won a Vox Populi Award, that's based on voting mainly in America so it just shows her appeal.

“She doesn't rate highly (on figures) because she's not the kind of horse who goes off in front and wins by lengths, she just does what she has to do.”

Waller added that the the Queen Elizabeth could once again fit in the agenda, adding: “There's a four-race programme in Sydney, and then we could go back to the owners and work it all out.

“We've never set a final date, we're still taking it day by day, race by race. Her legs are good, and no-one feels that she's slowing down.”

Oppenheimer optimistic for Cracksman's next challenge

Brochures have already been published and bookings taken for Cracksman as he prepares to embark upon his first season standing at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud but the accolade of joint best horse in the world will do him no harm in that regard.

He is from the first crop of Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who was awarded this title in 2011 and 2012, and represents his crowning glory as a stallion to date.

Cracksman is standing for £25,0000 and is another feather in the cap of his owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer, whose homebred Derby and Arc champion Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), officially the highest-rated turf horse in 2015, will have his first progeny hitting the track later this year.

“He has certainly rewarded us and proved how brilliant he was in the Champion Stakes,” said Oppenheimer. “I must thank all the staff from our stud, as it would not have happened without them.”
He continued: “I'm going to send four mares to him, three I've already decided on, the fourth one I'm waiting to see what the mare produces. I'm going to send him some of my best – Group winners, that sort of thing.

“This does help tremendously, especially when you're advertising the best horse in the world. People start to think. When I put his fee at £25,000, which is low for a stallion compared to some of the others, so we could choose the best mares for him. He has already lined up more than 130 and I don't want too many. So it might close soon, even if we might still accept someone with a very good horse.”

Oppenheimer will be luckier still if he can find another champion, but he gave a good mention to another daughter of Frankel set to appear in his black and white silks.

“I've never won the Oaks, and this is what I'm after,” he said. “William Haggas has got quite a nice filly of mine, Frankellina, it's whether she's good enough. If she is, I want her to go for the Oaks, and he said he'd try his best.”

Arc on top once again

The ceremony also features the 2018 Longines World's Best Horse Race and for the third of four times since the inception of the prize, it was unveiled as being the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe S.
The decision is based upon the ratings of the top four finishers, according to an international handicapping committee, and it was hard to fault given that Enable led the decorated G1 Irish Oaks S. winner Sea Of Class (Ire) {Sea The Stars {Ire}), Cloth Of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) over the line.

France Galop president Edouard de Rothschild accepted the awards along with chief executive officer Olivier Delloye, who joked in his speech that the new ParisLongchamp would be working hard to improving bar services for thirsty British racegoers next October after some well-publicised problems when the capital's track reopened.

“I think from an organiser's point of view, the best horse of the race has won, so what else can we expect and what else can we hope,” Rothschild said. “The best mare won, the best filly was second, and following in the footsteps of Treve and Zarkava.”

Enable will now aim to better even Treve by winning an unprecedented third Arc. Although no buttons have been pushed at home, owner Prince Khalid Abdullah's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe offered some encouragement.

“So far, all good,” he said. “There is no real plan apart from the Arc de Triomphe, but you'd be looking at all of the main mile and a quarter, mile and a half races.”

Grimthorpe added that the decision to keep Enable in training at five, especially after she was sidelined by injury for much of the last campaign, had not been particularly difficult.

“It always depends on three important things. Was she safe and well, and the answer was yes. Were there targets open, and the answer was yes. And was the owner keen, and when I spoke to Prince Khalid, he said yes.”