WORLD RANKINGS ARE PURE B......S

​Well, actually, world rankings are just opinion based on a theory of eminence that is unverifiable and open to bucket loads of scepticism and debate.
Tell me, honestly and without any shade of prejudice – if Cracksman, Winx and Enable were to contest a race over 1-mile 2-furlongs on Good ground and run at a racecourse favourable to all three horses, who would start favourite? You see over 1-mile 4 furlongs I have no doubt that Enable would win on any kind of ground, including heavy. And at 1-mile 4-furlongs I would suggest Enable is superior to a greater extent than Winx is over a mile or mile, quarter and by a greater distance to Cracksman over either I-mile, quarter and 1-mile 4-furlongs. How a horse that can only run to its best on soft ground can be declared the joint-best horse in the world leaves me flummoxed and more greatly cynical than is my normal quota. And why must the best horse in the world always be a middle-distance horse and not a sprinter or stayer?
Of course, all debate on the matter is hypothetical as connections of great horses rarely allow them to compete against their equals or near-equals in case they should lose and spoil their value and reputation. But to suggest Cracksman is superior to Enable is laughable and brings ratings, world or domestic, into disrepute. Frankie Dettori, the man who should know best, would seem to have no doubt which of the two he would ride if they were ever to run against one another.
Winx is a different kettle of fish as she is undoubtedly a phenomenon who will go down in world history, let alone Australian turf history. But how good is she? Or how truly great is she? We’ll never know, will we? The Aussies will bring their star sprinters to Europe but never their middle-distance horses and though British and Irish handicappers are shipped in increasing numbers to Australia, our star middle distance horses stay at home. And the Americans rarely travel outside of their coast-line as U.S. trainers go giddy if it is suggested their horses must run drug-free, a reality that pours ever-greater amounts of cold water on world ratings.
Let’s face it, world ratings are an academic exercise designed with the breeding industry in mind and have very little to do with the actual sport of horse racing. The only true method, and even this is subject to the hazards of fate, clear runs, ground conditions, weather, the correct or otherwise decisions of jockeys etc, is to have horses compete against one another. Arkle was better than Mill House because he kept on beating him. My Swallow was not better than Mill Reef and Brigadier Gerard because he didn’t train on, though the official handicapper thought he was a far superior two-year-old. There are a dozen or more examples I could list if only my broken short-term memory would dredge up the facts and figures.
To indulge in fantasy for a moment. If Coolmore were to offer a free nomination to Galileo to the winner of a match between Enable and Winx, would that and a big fat purse tempt the Aussies to bring their super-mare to Europe? Seeing her in the flesh is possibly the only way anyone over here is going to truly believe that Winx is more than simply an Aussie wonder horse, though my money would still be on Enable as I believe her to be the best flat mare of my lifetime.
 
Someone tweeted the Racing Post that he thought Sea The Stars was superior to Winx because he won over differing distances. Dear God! Sea The Stars was simply the best of his generation. He never won giving weight and as impressive as he was in the Arc he was receiving weight from the older horses. He was a one-season wonder. Winx has remained unbeaten season after season, winning Group 1’s time and time again. The greatness bestowed on horses of legend has to be earned over seasons, not given to a horse that shone magic on turf’s stage for a period of time less than nine months. It is the difference between a shooting star and a star that allows sea captains to navigate their way home by.
And as for people eulogising over and awarding the classics already to Too Darn Hot, all I can say is remember Appalachie, Crown Prince, Air Force Blue, Gorytus, My Swallow and so on and so. I hope Too Darn Hot is too darn hot for his rivals as being owned by the Lloyd Webbers racing will gain coverage outside of the racing pages. But to even think of him in the same breath as Frankel is to tempt cruel fate to intervene. Anyone who has followed this sport for longer than a season should be fully aware that Two-year-old ratings should come with a health and wealth warning as it is more than likely that next season’s Derby winner has yet to see a racecourse.