For the second time since the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse award was created in 2013, there was a tie at the top. Equally rated at 130, Cracksman (GB) [130] and the Australian mare Winx (AUS) [130] shared the title of LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse for 2018.
In the award’s inaugural year, France’s Treve and Australia’s Black Caviar were joint winners.
The champion Winx has been in the Top 10 of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings since 2015 and has been the highest rated filly/mare in the world since 2016. In 2018, she claimed overall top honours during a season that culminated in her becoming the only horse in history to win the Ladbrokes Cox Plate four times.
Winx is currently in the midst of a 29-race winning streak. In 2018, she won all seven of her starts, including the Ladbrokes Cox Plate (G1), which makes her the only horse in history to win the acclaimed race four times. Winx earned her highest rating of the year in the LONGINES Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1).
Cracksman earned his rating by winning the QIPCO Champion Stakes (G1) for the second consecutive year. He pulled away from his competition on British Champions Day to win by six lengths over Crystal Ocean (GB) [125]. Cracksman’s other victories on the year came in the Investec Coronation Cup (G1) and Prix Ganay - Prix de l'Inauguration de ParisLongchamp (G1).
The third spot belongs to Accelerate (USA) [128], making him the highest rated dirt horse in the world for 2018. Accelerate put in a tour de force in the $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1), which he won by 12 ½ lengths, to earn his rating. He finished his season with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) in November and will race for the final time in Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1).
There are three horses who share the fourth position, including Gun Runner (USA) [127], who won the 2018 Pegasus in his final career start.
Hong Kong’s Beauty Generation (NZ) [127] improved throughout the year and earned his rating in December’s LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (G1), while in Europe, Roaring Lion (USA) [127] defeated his elders in the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1), making him the highest rated 3-year-old in the world for 2018.
Overall, 332 horses, trained in 17 different countries, were rated 115 or higher. The full list and further information on the LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings are available on the IFHA website.
2018 LONGINES World’s Best Horse Race
The 2018 LONGINES World’s Best Horse Race award was given to the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for the third time.
ARF members Australia and Japan were prominent in the remaining top ten rated races of the LONGINES Queen Elizabeth Stakes (123.75), Prince of Wales's Stakes (123.25), Juddmonte International Stakes (123.00), LONGINES Dubai Sheema Classic (123.00), Breeders' Cup Classic (122.75), Japan Cup in association with LONGINES (122.50), Ladbrokes Cox Plate (122.50), The Agency George Ryder Stakes (122.25), Colgate Optic White Stakes (122.25), and Prix Ganay - Prix de l'Inauguration de ParisLongchamp (122.25).
The top rated races in the five respective distance categories are the Darley T.J. Smith Stakes (121.00-Sprint); jointly The Agency George Ryder Stakes (122.25-Mile) and Colgate Optic White Stakes (122.25-Mile); LONGINES Queen Elizabeth Stakes (123.75-Intermediate); Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (125.00-Long); and jointly the Gold Cup (118.00-Extended) and Tenno Sho (Spring) (118.00-Extended).
The highest rated race for fillies and mares is the Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes (118.75), while the top 3-year-old race in the world is the Investec Derby (121.75).
Eleven countries comprise this year's list, representing the foremost racing events throughout the world across 36 different racecourses.
Australia leads all countries with 31 total races, followed by Great Britain (19), United States (14), Hong Kong (11), Japan (10), France (6), Germany (3), South Africa (3), United Arab Emirates (3), Ireland (2) and New Zealand (1). Because of a seven-way tie for the 97th spot on the list of Top 100 G1 races, the 2018 edition consists of 103 races.
In the context of their partnership, LONGINES and the IFHA have created a set of prizes rewarding racehorses, jockeys and prominent women and men of the equestrian world. The LONGINES World's Best Horse Race was created to complete this collection of awards by rewarding the top race in the world. The Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won in 2017 and was the inaugural winner in 2015, while the Breeders’ Cup Classic won in 2016.
The top 100 Group 1 and Grade 1 races also serve as the base of an annual competition to recognize top jockeys throughout the world. The jockey who outperforms his or her peers in these races is honoured with the LONGINES World's Best Jockey Award. Frankie Dettori was the 2018 Longines World’s Best Jockey, and he previously was honoured in 2015. Hugh Bowman won the title in 2017, while Ryan Moore took the inaugural contest in 2014 as well as the 2016 edition.
The 2019 LONGINES World's Best Jockey Award will be based upon performances in these 100 highest-rated Group 1 and Grade 1 races from 1 December 2018 until 30 November 2019. Jockeys accrue 12 points for a win, 6 points for placing second, and 4 points for placing third.
