Good Ba Ba rated world's best miler
Schutz-trained superstar puts his nose in front of the legendary Silent Witness
Good Ba Ba was last night declared the leading older turf miler in the world, eclipsing the great Silent Witness as the highest-rated Hong Kong horse of all time.
The dual Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile hero was elevated to a rating of 124, two pounds higher than his assessment last year. It was an historic reassessment by the handicappers of the world, beating the 123 benchmark of Silent Witness, the world's champion sprinter for three successive years (2003-05). Sacred Kingdom was accorded the honour of being ranked the equal of Silent Witness after his Hong Kong Sprint win in 2007.
Hong Kong also boasts a record 13 horses in the World Thoroughbred Rankings, which for the first time graded all horses from around the world on their performances in 2008.
Nigel Gray, co-chairman of the panel of handicappers that works under the umbrella of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, said Hong Kong should be proud of the achievement.
'To have 13 horses from one racing centre like this, on a world list, is quite remarkable,' Gray said. 'But to have a horse like Good Ba Ba, agreed and acknowledged by all the handicappers as the best older turf miler in the world, makes it a very special day.
'This shows once again how prominent Hong Kong racing has become in global terms.'
Trainer Andreas Schutz said last night he was delighted with the recognition for a horse he took over shortly after arriving in Hong Kong in 2006 after a stellar career in his native Germany.
'To be training a horse who has been recognised as superior to Silent Witness and Sacred Kingdom is something I could never have imagined when I came to Hong Kong and first took over the horse,' Schutz said.
'This is a great honour, it makes me very proud and I'm sure it will make the owner [John Yuen Se-kit] proud as well. He's become a great flagship horse for all of Hong Kong.
'Good Ba Ba has had a wonderful year or more and hopefully it will continue. I hope there will be a lot more to come from him at the top level,' Schutz added.
The seven-year-old is scheduled to race again on Sunday week in the HK$8 million Group One Citi Stewards' Cup (1,600m) at Sha Tin, a race he won last year.
Good Ba Ba was the first horse to make a clean sweep of the Jockey Club's Group One mile races in the 2007-08 season, a performance which made him a clear choice as Horse of the Year. The International Sale graduate returned in December to defend his Hong Kong Mile title with Belgian riding ace Christophe Soumillon in the saddle.
Although missing for the second half of the year with injury, Sacred Kingdom's form in early 2008 was sufficient to see him retain his 2007 rating of 123.
This year, however, he must share his 'world champion sprinter' title with Midnight Lute, who completed back-to-back Breeders' Cup Sprint wins on dirt at Santa Anita in October.
Viva Pataca remains at his former mark of 122, with a horror transit in his target race, the Hong Kong Cup, giving the handicappers no ammunition to argue for his elevation.
Upset Hong Kong Sprint winner Inspiration has been placed on a mark of 117.
The rankings seek to quantify the performances of the best racehorses, seamlessly crossing international boundaries.
The equal-best horses in the world were deemed to be US racer Curlin, runaway hero of the US$6 million Dubai World Cup by a record margin of 71/2 lengths, and sensational Epsom Derby winner New Approach, sharing a mark of 130.
Hong Kong horses to make world rankings
Good Ba Ba 124
Sacred Kingdom 123
Viva Pataca 122
Armada 118
Able One 118
Absolute Champion 117
Inspiration 117
Egyptian Ra 116
Green Birdie 116
Packing Winner 116
Bullish Luck 115
Floral Pegasus 115
Sanziro 115
