The first edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2019 features three well-known names inluding two from Asian racing Federation countries, at the top. Hong Kong's Beauty Generation (NZ) [125], USA's City Of Light (USA) [125] and Australia's Winx (AUS) [125] are equally rated for their efforts at the beginning of the year.
Winx, the co-2018 Longines World’s Best Racehorse, has continued her winning ways. Her victories in 2019 include the TAB Chipping Norton Stakes (G1) and The Star Apollo Stakes (G2), and she has now won 31 consecutive races overall.
Beauty Generation has remained dominant in Hong Kong, taking The Stewards’ Cup (G1) in January and The Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (G1) in February. City of Light, meanwhile, finished his career by winning the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) and has retired to stud.
Several other runners have also already reached the 120 mark early into the year. Happy Clapper (AUS) [123] sits in the fourth spot just behind the leaders after finishing second to Winx in both of their meetings in 2019.
Five horses are ranked joint fifth. In Hong Kong, Beat The Clock (AUS) [120] won The Centenary Sprint Cup (G1) before finishing second to Beauty Generation in The Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup, while Exultant (IRE) [120] was victorious in The Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1) and Centenary Vase (G3). In Australia, Trapeze Artist (AUS) [120] took the Canterbury League Club Stakes (G1), and Santa Ana Lane (AUS) [120] was fifth in the Seppelt Wines Newmarket Handicap (G1). In the United States, ROY H (USA) [120] won the Palos Verdes Stakes (G2).
Trapeze Artist will retire to stud after completing his autumn racing in Sydney with the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 6th and the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) on April 20th, both at Randwick, the four-year-old Snitzel entire's last two races.
Winx has two more races of her autumn campaign, the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday, March 23rd, adn the Group 1 LONGINES Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 13th after which it is expected that her connections will confirm the seven-year-old Street Cry mare's retirement.
