Rock of Gibraltal emerged yesterday as top rated in the international classifications, earning the unofficial title of world's best racehorse of 2002. The rankings, released in London yesterday, put the Alex Ferguson-owned colt top of the list at a rating of 128.
It's a 2lb better rating than Rock Of Gibraltar's stable companion High Chaparral (126) who won the Epsom and Curragh Derbys last year, as well as the Breeders' Cup Turf.
That still wasn't enough to edge out the now retired Rock Of Gibraltar who won five Group One races in a row and thus stretched his Group One winning run to a record seven in succession.
An unlucky defeat in the Breeders' Cup Mile upset his perfect season but the French colt who beat him in Chicago, Domedriver, is rated 4lb inferior overall on 124.
Nearest to Rock Of Gibraltar in the ratings is the Arc winner Marienbard who is the champion older horse. The Godolphin-owned triple Group One winner is rated on 127, a pound clear of stable mate Grandera, the King George winner Golan and the Lockinge scorer Keltos.
Aidan O'Brien yesterday described the colt he also bred as a "remarkable racehorse" and confirmed High Chaparral and the rest of the powerful Ballydoyle string are slowly getting back to work for the 2003 season.
"They're obviously not doing much and only starting to get going again after being off. We will see what the spring brings but there are lots of options for High Chaparral.
"It's too early to say yet which races the horse will go for but clearly the Arc is an option," O'Brien said.
Rock Of Gibraltar's rating tops the 2002 lists but falls short of the 132 ranking given to the double Derby and Arc de Triomphe winner Sinndar in 2000.
However, he does edge out his illustrious former stable mate Giant's Causeway who wound up his career on 127. O'Brien's 1997 Irish Derby winner, Desert King, was also rated on 128.
Europe's top two-year-old is judged to be the Middle Park winner Oasis Dream (123) who is rated 1lb ahead of the Dewhurst victor Tout Seul.
The top Irish juvenile of last season is O'Brien's Tomahawk (119) who was runner-up in both the Middle Park and the Dewhurst.
The Grand Criterium winner Hold That Tiger (117) finished ahead of Tomahawk in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and both remain possible contenders for the Kentucky Derby on dirt.
"There is nothing definite with either of the two. Kentucky is possible but they also have the 2,000 Guineas option," O'Brien said yesterday.
Punchestown announced yesterday that the festival which runs from April 29th to May 2nd this year will have a prizefund of over €1.5 million.
The top prize will be the €160,000 on offer for the Heineken Cup while the €135,000 Emo Oil Champion Hurdle will be the richest Grade One hurdle in Ireland this year.
