Handicappers hoping for dream clash
Hurricane Run was rated the world's best racehorse of 2005 having been accorded a mark of 130 in the World Thoroughbred Rankings revealed yesterday, mainly through his stunning victory against older horses in Paris.
Bought by Coolmore and Michael Tabor shortly before winning the Irish Derby, the Andre Fabre-trained colt was beaten only once, when failing by a neck to catch Shamardal in the French Derby over a mile and a quarter, the first time the Classic had been run over a shorter trip.
He stays in training and is the horse racing's officials are eagerly awaiting to see in action again.
"He achieved his rating with a two-length victory in the Arc de Triomphe. He emulated the top-rated horse of 2004 in Ghostzapper, who was put on 128 (in 2005) following an injury-interrupted campaign," said BHB senior handicapper Nigel Gray.
"Hurricane Run was only beaten once, by Shamardal in the Prix du Jockey Club and picked up two Group Ones and Group Twos throughout the year."
Garry O'Gorman, the Irish Turf Club's senior handicapper, cannot wait for Hurricane Run and Deep Impact to take each other on.
He said: "Deep Impact and Hurricane Run meeting in the Arc would be a race to savour."
His French counterpart Gerald Sauque picked out Hurricane Run as the horse he could not wait to see again next season.
"He was the best horse last year and I believe he will be the best horse again in 2006," he said.
As Hurricane Run did not achieve his best rating on a British track, he failed to qualify for the British Horseracing Board 2005 Flat Racing Awards.
As a result the honour of being Horse Of The Year, as well as leading three-year-old colt, went to Motivator, who received a rating of 125 thanks to his runaway success in the Vodafone Derby.
He never scaled those heights again and was fifth to Hurricane Run in the Arc on his final start before being retired to stud.
He carried the colours of the Royal Ascot Racing Club, whose manager Harry Herbert collected the two awards on behalf of the 230 members.
He said: "This is a dream for everybody and it has proven at last the Derby can be won and celebrated by a greater many more people than just two or three at the very top of the racing tree.
"This gives hope to us all."
George Washington was the highest-rated two-year-old on 124 due to Group One victories in the Phoenix and National Stakes but, like Hurricane Run, did not figure among the BHB award winners.
That distinction went to the unbeaten Dewhurst Stakes scorer Sir Percy (121) trained by Marcus Tregoning.
"There is a possibility George Washington is exactly what his trainer Aidan O'Brien says he is," said the BHB's two-year-old handicapper Matthew Tester.
"Garry (O'Gorman) told us he was the best two-year-old he had ever seen when he won the Phoenix Stakes. I would have loved him to have put his reputation on the line in the Dewhurst."
O'Gorman added: "He pulverised the opposition in the Phoenix Stakes when he had a rail to run against.
"He did not live up to that in the National Stakes but he had to race in the centre of the course and run around a bit which could account for him not being as impressive."
Motivator was not the only horse to pick up two BHB awards as that distinction also went to Azamour.
The John Oxx-trained four-year-old was named champion older male horse and top middle-distance performer with a mark of 126.
The experts gave their horses to follow for 2006 with Tester plumping for the Mark Johnston-trained three-year-old colt Nakheel, Gray naming Imperial Stride, a Godolphin acquisition from the Michael Stoute stable, Gardiner-Hill going for Proclamation, who has also joined Godolphin, Deep Impact getting O'Gorman's vote and Sauque siding with Hurricane Run.
Hurricane Run 130 Andre Fabre (France)
Motivator 125 Michael Bell
Shamardal 125 Saeed Bin Suroor
Afleet Alex 124 Tim Ritchey (USA)
Deep Impact 124 Yasuo Ikee (Japan)
David Junior 123 Brian Meehan
Dubawi 123 Saeed Bin Suroor
Oratorio 123 Aidan O'Brien (Ire)
Divine Proportions 122 Pascal Bary (France)
Flower Alley 122 Todd Pletcher (USA)
Proclamation 122 Jeremy Noseda
Shawanda 121 Alain de Royer-Dupre (France)
Bellamy Road 120 Nick Zito (USA)
Cesario 120 Katsuhiko Sumii (Japan)
Giacomo 120 John Shireffs (USA)
Scorpion 120 Aidan O'Brien (Ire)
Closing Argument 119 Kiaran McLaughlin (USA)
Lost in the Fog 119 Greg Gilchrist (USA)
Silver Train 119 Rick Dutrow (US)
Pinson 118 Jean-Claude Rouget (Fra)
Ghostzapper 128 Bobby Frankel (USA)
Azamour 126 John Oxx (Ireland)
Westerner 126 Elie Lellouche (France)
Saint Liam 125 Rick Dutrow (USA)
Shirocco 125 Andre Fabre (France)
Bago 124 Jonathan Pease (France)
Leroidesanimaux 124 Bobby Frankel (USA)
Starcraft 124 Luca Cumani
Alkaased 123 Luca Cumani
Silent Witness 123 Tony Cruz (Hong Kong)
Roses In May 123 Dale Romans (USA)
Ace 122 Aidan O'Brien (Ireland)
Borrego 122 Beau Greely (USA)
Grey Swallow 122 Dermot Weld (Ireland)
Heart's Cry 122 Kojiro Hashiguchi (Japan)
Norse Dancer 122 David Elsworth
Relaxed Gesture 122 Cristophe Clement (USA)
Rock Hard Ten 122 Richard Mandella (USA)
Artie Schiller 121 Jimmy Jerkins (US); Electrocutionist 121 Valfredo Valiani (Italy)
Valixir 121 Andre Fabre (France)
TOP TWO-YEAR-OLDS
George Washington 124 Aidan O'Brien (Ireland)
Sir Percy 121 Marcus Tregoning
Amadeus Wolf 120 Kevin Ryan
Horatio Nelson 120 Aidan O'Brien (Ireland)
Opera Cape 117 Sylvester Kirk
Red Clubs 117 Barry Hills
Carlotamix 116 Andre Fabre (Fr)
Rumplestiltskin 116 Aidan O'Brien (Ireland)
Flashy Wings 115 Mick Channon
Silca's Sister 115 Mick Channon
Donna Blini 114 Brian Meehan
New Girlfriend 114 Robert Collet (France)
Always Hopeful 113 Eoghan O'Neill
Close To You 113 Terry Mills
Ivan Denisovich 113 Aidan O'Brien (Ireland)
La Chunga 113 Jeremy Noseda
Nannina 113 John Gosden
Quiet Royal 113 Criquette Head-Maarek (France)
Silent Times 113 Eoghan O'Neill
Wake Up Maggie 113 Chris Wall.
