The Longines World Best Racehorse rankings for March are out, and Private Eye goes into the $3m TJ Smith Stakes of 1200m at weight-for-age as the World’s Champion Sprinter.
With Private Eye being rated 120 as the early-season Sprint Champion, it was the Australian hero Nature Strip who was the Longines World Best Racehorse in 2022 on 126, and 2021 on 124.
Oddly, Private Eye was ranked 120 after finishing second by a head to Imperatriz, on 119, in the Black Caviar Lightning of 1000m who had been second in the Newmarket Handicap of 1200m.
Actually Private Eye has not won in his last three starts since returning from a 12 week lay-off, while Imperatriz is a two time Group 1 winner, and once Group 1 second in her last three starts.
A previous winner of the Epsom Handicap and Queensland Guineas, both over 1600m, Private Eye won The Shorts in October and placed in The Everest, Stradbroke Handicap and Canterbury Guineas.
Priced over the odds at $15 with Ladbrokes in having draw badly in Gate 14 of 15 runners he’ll again be ridden by Sam Clipperton wearing the lime green and black silks of Proven Thoroughbreds.
Now the winner of 11 races and $9.5m, he was a $62,500 buy for Proven Thoroughbreds at the 2019 MM Adelaide Yearling Sales, with his Shalaa half-sister selling at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Sired by the Australian Guineas winner Al Maher, he’s a half-brother to Royal Witness being from the Shamardal mare Confidential Queen, the family of champion sire Snitzel and Hinchinbrook.
However, it’s Imperatriz who’s the $3 race favourite with betting apps having last won the William Reid Stakes, and is equal 7th on a 117 as the World’s Best Racehorse, also in the ‘S Turf’ class of 1000m to 1300m.
In drawing favourably in Barrier 6 with Opie Bossom and for trainer Mark Walker, she has now won 13 races with 10 Group 1 events including the William Reid twice and was Champion NZ 3YO.
Bred by Raffles Dancers and bought by NZ based Te Akau Racing for $360,000 at the 2020 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, she by the highly respected I Am Invincible from Gr2 placed winner Berimbua.
With her half-brother by Capitalist selling for $200,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast, her dam Berimbau actually sold for $1.8m at the 2023 Inglis Chairman’s Sale to Chatsworth Farm.
As with the $4 second-pick I Wish I Win looking for back-to-back TJ Smith Stakes victories, and starting from 4 with James McDonald, it’s Sunshine in Paris who’s at $7 with Jason Collett in Gate 9.
Also ranked equal 7th on 119 in the M Turf division is the B, W and JD Hayes trained Mr Brightside who is $5.50 for the $5m Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Craig Williams, and Via Sistina at $2.20.
However, with the retirement of the Kerry Parker trained Think It Over and the side-lining of Fangirl for the Autumn, it certainly shifted minor betting markets for this time honoured event.
With Think It Over rated 117 as equal 13th, and Fangirl equal 15th on 116, in the World’s Leading Racehorse rankings M Turf division, it was Think It Over looking for a second Queen Elizabeth.
However, it was National Treasure defeating Senor Buscador by a neck in the Pegasus World Cup in January that had both horses rated the highest 121 as the Longines World’s Best Racehorse.
Following that, both competed in the Saudi Cup with Senor Buscador rallying to defeat Ushba Tesoro, 120 by a head with Saudi Crown, 119, in third and back to National Treasure in fourth.
In Hong Kong Romantic Warrior, 120, started the year with victory in the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup over Voyage Bubble, 119, while in Qatar Rebel’s Romance,120, took out the HH The Amir Trophy.
