Flemington named among the world's best

International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), in association with the Longines World Racing Awards, published its annual list of world’s Top 100 Group 1 and Grade 1 races. The list is compiled using the annual race ratings, which are calculated based on the first four placegetters in each race.

In what proved to be one of the races of the year down the famous Flemington straight, the 2022 Black Caviar Lightning winner, Home Affairs, finished with a rating of 120. His stablemate and previous Lightning Stakes winner Nature Strip was rated equal-third in the world with a rating of 126 alongside star Japanese colt, Equinox.

World class Flemington
Australian Group 1’s accounted for twenty of the top 100 Group 1 races, eleven of them conducted in Victoria and six of them at Flemington.

Along with the world’s best sprint race, the Group 1 Darley Champions Sprint run on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival was rated the second-best sprint race in the world.

The final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival finished strong with all three Group 1 races held on the newly imagined TAB Champions Stakes Day - the Darley Champions Sprint, Kennedy Champions Mile and the TAB Champions Stakes - all featuring in the top 100 Group 1 races.

Our Sprint Stars Shine
Australian horses have been at the head of the sprint ratings for the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings 15 of the last 19 years. Nature Strip, top again in 2022 rising to a mark of 126, after a rating of 124 the previous year. The Nature Strip phenomenon continued to reach new heights in 2022 including his world beating win at Royal Ascot in the Group 1 King Stand Stakes. He is among some of the fastest horses of the 21st century.

The undefeated American, Flightline, was rated the world’s best off the back of his stellar rise and dominant win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He retires to stud at Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky, unbeaten in six race starts by an average winning margin of almost 12 lengths amongst four Grade 1 victories.

Australia tops the world
Twelve countries comprise this year's list of races in the top 100. Australia leads all countries with 20 total races in the top 100, followed by Great Britain (18), United States (18), Japan (12), France (10), Hong Kong SAR, China (10), South Africa (5), Ireland (4), United Arab Emirates (4), Canada (1), Germany (1), and Saudi Arabia (1). Because of a five-way tie for the 100th spot on the list of Top 100 G1 races, the 2022 edition consists of 104 races.

Australian based jockey, James McDonald was named the 2022 Longines World’s Best Jockey who had another year to remember in the saddle. The multiple Group 1 winning hoop won nine of the top 100 rated races including victory in the highest rated sprint race in the world, the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes aboard the Chris Waller-trained, Home Affairs.

Ryan Moore was the inaugural winner in 2014 and also won in 2016 and 2021. Frankie Dettori has taken the competition the most, winning in 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2015, while Hugh Bowman won the title in 2017.

The Top 100 Group 1 and Grade 1 races also serve as the base of an annual competition to recognize top jockeys throughout the world. The jockey who outperforms his or her peers in these races is honoured with the Longines World's Best Jockey Award. Jockeys accrue 12 points for a win, 6 points for placing second, and 4 points for placing third.

Top rated races in each distance category

*Approximate distance

Six of Flemington’s Group 1 races, rated in the top 100 Group 1 races in the world

Main image: World’s best winning the world’s best. James McDonald wins the G1 Black Caviar Lightning aboard Home Affairs, defeating the world’s top-rated sprinter, Nature Strip. (Reg Ryan/Racing Photos)

Now that Flemington has been recognised as home of the world's best sprinting, why not come down to experience it first hand. Don't miss out on Resimax Group Rapid Racing. Fast, fun racing down the Flemington Straight on Friday afternoon .