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Havana Grey Tops Profitability Index Calculated By Weatherbys

Havana Grey (GB) was the most profitable British- and Irish-based yearling sire of 2023 according to the newly-published Weatherbys Bloodstock Sales Review.

Havana Grey topped the standings with a profitability index of 10.75, comfortably ahead of the next best stallion, Sioux Nation, on 6.61. Those figures were calculated by dividing each sire's 2023 yearling average by their covering fee of 2021, when the offspring in question were conceived.

It was another hugely successful year on the racecourse for the progeny of Havana Grey, with the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. winner Vandeek (GB) emerging as the star of his second crop of two-year-olds. The sire's burgeoning reputation was later reflected at the sales where his 65 yearlings sold for an average of 90,951gns/€107,914, a significant return on their investment for any breeders who sent mares to him in 2021 when his fee was just £6,000. His fee has been increased to £55,000 (from £18,500 in 2023) for his sixth season at Whitsbury Manor Stud in 2024.

Sioux Nation has also been given a fee increase by Coolmore (from €17,500 to €27,500) having built on the success of his juveniles in 2022 when he was second only to Havana Grey among that year's first-season sires. Several members of that crop became Group winners in 2023, headed by G2 Challenge S. heroine Matilda Picotte (Ire), and those who invested in one of his 30 yearlings to sell last year will be hoping for more of the same. They made an average of 55,676gns/€66,060 having been conceived at a fee of just €10,000.

Cotai Glory (GB) and Twilight Son (GB) both operated at basement fees in 2021–€5,000 and £5,000 respectively–and there was certainly value to be had for those breeders who took advantage. Tally Ho Stud resident Cotai Glory had a 2023 yearling average of 25,914gns/€30,747 from 54 lots, giving him a profitability index of 6.15, while Cheveley Park Stud's Twilight Son wasn't far behind on 6.00 having seen his 25 yearlings make an average of 28,595gns/€33,928.

The top five was completed by Sergei Prokofiev (Can), who joined Havana Grey at Whitsbury Manor at a fee of £6,500 in 2021 and will be represented by his first runners in 2024. Those two-year-olds shouldn't be underestimated if the way they performed at the sales last year is anything to go by, making an average of 34,624gns/€41,081 from 84 lots sold.

With a profitability index of 5.59, Sergei Prokofiev was one of only two first-season sires to make the top ten along with Ghaiyyath (Ire) on 4.68, the multiple Group 1 winner who stood at the much higher fee of €30,000 when covering his first mares at Kildangan Stud in 2021. Big things are expected from his first runners in 2024 after his 65 lots caught the eye in a big way at the yearling sales, fetching an average of 118,457gns/€140,549.

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The Jockey Club, Aston Martin Extend Partnership

Aston Martin has extended its relationship as the official High-Performance Partner of The Jockey Club, the luxury-car manufacturer announced Tuesday. The British brand, which marked its debut with The Jockey Club as High-Performance partner of The Derby Festival at Epsom Downs in 2023, will extend its presence to include The Cheltenham Festival, the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree, Newmarket's QIPCO Guineas Festival as well as the Betfred Derby Festival.

Aston Martin will continue to proudly sponsor the Aston Martin Dash at Epsom Downs, with the Heritage H. taking place on Derby Day.

At The Cheltenham Festival in March, Aston Martin will unveil its DBX707 and DB12 models, in addition to displaying other iconic models. Supporting all of The Jockey Club's major events, Aston Martin's DBX707 will transport racegoers, owners and VIP guests from helipad terminals into the racecourses.

“Having become High-Performance Partner of The Derby Festival last summer, we are delighted to now extend our partnership with The Jockey Club,” said Oliver Turner, Regional President of Aston Martin in the UK and South Africa. “We look forward to working with The Jockey Club to tell our story, commencing with the Cheltenham Festival in March, through to the Epsom Derby Festival in June, where we are delighted to return as the title sponsor of the Aston Martin Dash, the world's fastest horse race over five furlongs.”

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Justify’s City Of Troy Tops 2YO Classification

Aidan O'Brien hailed City Of Troy as the most exciting two-year-old he's trained as the son of Justify was named Europe's champion juvenile for 2023 when the classification was released on Tuesday. He becomes the 13th European champion two-year-old to have been trained by O'Brien, with only Johannesburg (126) achieving a higher rating among the previous 12.

A Coolmore homebred out of the G1 Fillies' Mile winner Together Forever (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), City Of Troy went unbeaten in three starts as a two-year-old, culminating with a dominant display when winning the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket by three and a half lengths. It was that effort which earned him his rating of 125, five pounds clear of the next best juvenile, G1 Phoenix S. winner Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}).

“We've probably never had a horse as exciting as City Of Troy as a two-year-old,” said O'Brien. “I suppose from the first time he ran he looked like he was something different. What makes him different is the tempo he's able to go in a race and then he just kicks into another gear at halfway.”

Noting the differences between City Of Troy and Johannesburg, O'Brien added, “Johannesburg was more of a two-year-old. He was a small horse, but City Of Troy is a bigger horse with a massive, long stride. He looks like he'll have no problem going up in distance and he's a horse who should go forward from two to three.”

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) handicapper Mark Bird said of the champion juvenile, “City Of Troy proved himself the cream of the two-year-old crop in Europe with three impressive performances between July and October. His rating of 125 places him alongside high-class horses such as Zafonic and Fasliyev at the same stage of their careers and behind only four-time Group 1-winning juvenile Johannesburg (126) among his own stable's illustrious roll call of European champion two-year-olds.”

Two of the top four colts were trained at Ballydoyle by O'Brien. Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was just behind Adrian Murray's Bucanero Fuerte with a rating of 119 having emulated City Of Troy by winning each of his three starts as a two-year-old, including an impressive five-length victory in the G1 National S. at the Curragh. He looks another leading Classic contender for his stable as a three-year-old, with a trip to France reportedly first on the agenda.

O'Brien said, “Obviously it can all change, but we're thinking of starting City Of Troy at Newmarket [in the G1 2000 Guineas] and we're thinking of maybe starting Henry Longfellow in France [in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains].”

G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. winner Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) was ranked joint-third with Henry Longfellow. He also emerged as the best of the British-based two-year-olds ahead of three other top-level winners, namely Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), who earned a rating of 117 for his victory in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp; Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), rated 116 after her win in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. at the Curragh; and Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was awarded a rating of 115 after his wins in the G3 Autumn S. at Newmarket and G1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.

Fallen Angel was rated highest of all juvenile fillies trained in Britain, but she had to settle for the runner-up spot in Europe behind the 118-rated Opera Singer (Justify), the emphatic winner of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on whom O'Brien also issued a positive bulletin ahead of her three-year-old campaign.

“Opera Singer was a filly who improved with every run as the year went on and she got better as she went up in trip,” said O'Brien. “We were very happy with her last two runs and we haven't seen the best of her at all. She's done well physically and we're thinking she'll probably start in the G1 1000 Guineas.”

The 114-rated Ramatuelle, another daughter of Justify, was the standout two-year-old of either sex in France having won three of her first four starts for Christopher Head, including the G2 Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly by four lengths, before being narrowly beaten by Vandeek when stepping up to the top level in the Prix Morny at Deauville. The 113-rated Vespertilio (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), runner-up to Fallen Angel in the Moyglare, and G1 Fillies' Mile winner Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}), rated 112, were the pick of the other juvenile fillies in Europe.

The Breeders' Cup was a happy hunting ground for the European raiders, with Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett) and Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point) both achieving notable ratings in winning the G1 Juvenile Turf and G1 Juvenile Turf Sprint respectively. With a rating of 114, Unquestionable shares joint-ninth with Dewhurst runner-up Alyanaabi (Ire) (Too Darn Hot) and Ramatuelle, while Big Evs sits just outside the top ten on 113, together with G2 Champagne S. winner Iberian (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), G1 Criterium International hero Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) and Vespertilio.

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Equinox Crowned Longines World’s Best Racehorse

LONDON, UK — Japan stole the show at the Longines World Racing Awards in London, with Silk Racing's Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) named the Longines World's Best Racehorse for 2023 while the G1 Japan Cup claimed the title of Longines World's Best Horse Race. The top-rated three-year-old filly in the world was Japan's Triple Tiara winner Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}).

Equinox's top rating of 135 – the highest ever awarded to a Japanese horse – was achieved in his four-length romp in the Japan Cup, his final appearance on a racecourse in which he had Liberty Island and her fellow Classic winners Stars On Earth (Jpn) and Do Deuce (Jpn) behind him. Such a strong first four meant that the 2023 running of the Japan Cup was awarded a rating of 126.75.

Trainers, jockeys, owners and breeders from across the racing world attended the ceremony at the Savoy to celebrate the 11th time that Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) had joined forces to celebrate the best in the sport.

The Tetsuya Kimura-trained Equinox was the second Japanese horse to receive the accolade after Just A Way (Jpn) in 2014. Ridden throughout his career by Christophe Lemaire, he was unbeaten in 2023, with his other victories coming in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, G1 Takarazuka Kinen (G1), and G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn).

“To be honest it was quite enjoyable,” said Lemaire with no little understatement of his association with Equinox as he accepted his award on Tuesday.

“Each time he ran there was a big expectation but on that horse I had such confidence. I tried to do my job as well as possible and I will miss him a lot. Like most top athletes he had a combination of physical strength and mental strength. His physical strength allowed him to run fast and use his beautiful stride. Also he was very clever, is he understood very quickly what he had to do to win. My job was just to get a good start and put him in a good position to let him express his talent.”

He added, “He was nearly the perfect racehorse and we have to congratulate the breeder for producing such a beautiful horse and the trainer for allowing him to mature and getting the best out of him.

“Equinox was something special. He had an aura. Most of the people first discovered him in Dubai but in Japan he was already a rising star.”

Masashi Yonemoto, the CEO of Equinox's 300-strong ownership group Silk Racing, was in London to collect his award along with Kimura and Lemaire. A strong Japanese contingent was bolstered by the presence of Masayoshi Yoshida, the president of the Japan Racing Association (JRA), and Masayuki Goto, the JRA's executive adviser of international affairs, who received the trophy for the world's best race, which was a first for the Japan Cup in its 43-year history.

Equinox was rated 7lbs clear of last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, the unbeaten Ace Impact (Fr) (Cracksman {GB}), who was joint-second in the ratings with the G1 Prince of Wales's S. and Juddmonte International winner Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) on 128. They were thus Europe's top-rated runners for 2023, a pound clear of G1 Queen Elizabeth S. winner Big Rock (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who were joint fourth on 127.

Hukum's runner-up at Ascot, Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and Hong Kong's champion Golden Sixty (Aus) were next on 126, while the dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) was awarded a mark of 125 for his victory in the G1 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, the same as Lucky Sweynesse (NZ), who was judged to have run to that mark on three occasions at Sha Tin and was the top-rated sprinter in the world.

There was a five-way tie for tenth place with a rating of 124 having been awarded to White Abarrio (Race Day), Cody's Wish (Curlin), Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) and Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}).

In total, 36 horses achieved a rating in excess of 120. Of these, nine were trained in Britain, seven in Japan, seven in the USA, four in Hong Kong, and three each in France, Ireland and Australia. Frankel was the sire of four of the top 15 horses in Europe – Mostahdaf, Westover, Onesto (Ire) and Triple Time (Ire) – and grandsire of the co-top-rated Ace Impact, who was also the highest-rated three-year-old in the world.

It was a particularly good year for European three-year-old colts, with Ace Impact being joined by Big Rock, Auguste Rodin, Paddington and King Of Steel among the top 20 horses globally.

Three of the four top-rated fillies or mares in the world were also trained in Europe and all hail from the Newmarket stable of John and Thady Gosden. Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was awarded a mark of 121 for her G1 Dahlbury Coronation Cup win, while Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was on 120 for her success in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, the same mark given to Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for her G1 Falmouth S. win. The aforementioned Liberty Island tied with Emily Upjohn on a mark of 121.

Also on 121 was the top-rated stayer, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who started his career with Simon and Ed Crisford in Britain before switching to the Australian stable of Anthony and Sam Freedman. With Lucky Sweynesse leading the way for the older sprinters, the top three-year-old sprinter in the world for 2023 was the G1 Commonwealth Cup and G1 July Cup winner Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) on 120.

Four of the top ten races in the world in 2023 were staged in Japan, with the Takarazuka Kinen in fifth spot, the Tenno Sho (Autumn) joint-sixth and the Arima Kinen in eighth. The Equinox factor had a firm say in the rankings of the races, with the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic ranked second with an average rating of 126.50. The Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a regular winner of this title, was third on 124.75, just ahead of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. on 124.50. The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion S was co-sixth, while the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois was ninth and the Juddmonte International tenth.

The official rankings are compiled by the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings Committee, which is co-chaired by Nigel Gray and Dominic Gardiner-Hill, and they are published by the IFHA.

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