Sea The Stars 態況評分 131
He is the 2,000 Guineas winner, the Derby winner, the Coral-Eclipse winner and now Sea The Stars can be called the best racehorse in the world after Racing Post handicapper Paul Curtis sent Saturday's Sandown superstar to the top of the sport's rankings.
In defeating Rip Van Winkle for a third time, the John Oxx-trained colossus attained a Racing Post Rating of 131, the best achieved in the Group 1 contest since 1989 champion Nashwan, whose 2,000 Guineas-Derby-Eclipse hat-trick Sea The Stars emulated in memorable fashion on Saturday.
His 131 mark - 2lb more than those boasted by Rip Van Winkle and the previous world best Gladiatorus - is now set to be tested in the Juddmonte International, which was on Sunday nominated by Oxx in preference to the Betfair-sponsored King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes as the likely next target for the son of Cape Cross and Arc heroine Urban Sea.
Curtis, who had given Sea The Stars a mark of 124 at Newmarket and Epsom, said: "I can't honestly see how any handicapper could have him as anything other than the best horse in the world.
"Saturday's performance was fantastic and it was an outstanding piece of form. It is rare to get a result that can in no way be quibbled, but this was a solid, strong run, the time was good and the field was strung out."
Announcing the latest thoughts on future plans, Oxx said: "We intend aiming him at the Irish Champion Stakes on September 5 and he will probably have just one race before then.
"We will see how he is in a few days time, but the initial feeling is that the Juddmonte International, rather than the King George, might be his next race. York gives us that bit more time whereas the King George is less than three weeks away."
|
