Weekend Hussler 成為澳洲最高國際評分的馬匹
Weekend Hussler is set to become the highest-rated Australian horse since three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva after he was named the world's top three-year-old in the latest international rankings.
Compiled by the ANZ World Classifications Committee, the rankings were released following last weekend's Dubai World Cup meeting and relate to the best individual performances between October 1 last year and March 31.
Weekend Hussler, with a rating of 122, was ranked equal eighth best horse in the world alongside 10 others including Cox Plate winner El Segundo, Godolphin superstar Ramonti, Hong Kong's champion middle-distance performer Viva Pataca and 2006 Emirates Melbourne Cup runner-up Pop Rock.
Only Hong Kong champion Sacred Kingdom (123) was rated a better sprinter than Weekend Hussler in the last six months.
ANZ Classifications Committee chairman and Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter recommended Weekend Hussler's lofty rating after his win over international sprinter Magnus in the Group One Newmarket Hcp (1200m) at Flemington on March 8.
Weekend Hussler has won eight of his 10 starts and the Newmarket was one of his five Group One victories, with his most recent last Saturday's Randwick Guineas (1600m).
He also won the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) in February, the Ascot Vale Stakes (1200m) in November and the Caulfield Guineas (1600m) in October.
"He is a very serious horse on the international stage and a rating of 122 is an outstanding result," Carpenter said.
He said the prospect of an upgrade for Weekend Hussler in the next round of rankings was very real with the Hussonet gelding earmarked for Group One missions in the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) and the Doncaster Hcp (1600m) in the next month.
"It is very exciting from my point of view looking forward into the autumn and the spring of 2008," Carpenter said.
"The way he is emerging, the opportunity is there that he may well progress right to the top of international rankings or certainly be in the higher level of Australian-performed horses in the last decade."
Predictably, outstanding Dubai World Cup (2000m) winner Curlin is the world's best horse with a rating of 130, five points clear of the recently-retired Dylan Thomas and American star English Channel.
Makybe Diva is one of Australia's benchmark horses of recent times with a rating of 124 at her peak which she shares along with Caulfield Cup and dual Cox Plate winner Northerly and Starcraft, who achieved overseas success.
Trainer Ross McDonald said the high rating for Weekend Hussler was a credit to the horse.
"In his first year of racing he has done a big job," said McDonald who is planning the Cox Plate as his premier goal in the spring.
Weekend Hussler and El Segundo are among eight Australian horses ranked in the top 55 in the world.
The others are Melbourne Cup winner Efficient (equal 22nd), Sirmione (equal 28th), Maldivian (equal 39th), Miss Andretti (equal 39th), Takeover Target (equal 39th) and Wonderful World (equal 39th).
"This is a great result for Australian racing," Carpenter said.
"These ratings underline the recognition that Australia's horses and their performances are now getting on the international stage."
122 =.=
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