In the second instalment of our Global Rankings Weekly Awards, James Willoughby focuses on America and Australia.
In this second edition of the Global Rankings Weekly Awards, we’ll once again pick out a competitor from each of five categories (Horse, Jockey, Trainer, Turf Sire and Dirt Sire) whose accomplishment during the last week particularly impressed us for one reason or another.
Some winners won’t be the absolute best in terms of merit, but more those who’ve captured the imagination.
We expect the two to overlap quite a lot, however.
Having described the significance of the winning performance in each category, we’ll also nominate a runner-up.
Horse of the Week
Skippylongstocking (#13 from #39)
There were better performances this week in terms of merit, but Skippylongstocking’s impressive win in the Grade 3 Essex Handicap demanded the most flowers.
Not everyone believed that his victory in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park was everything it appeared, but his critics were nowhere to be found after this five-length romp.
The seven-year-old looked the winner every step of the way and didn’t need to reproduce his very best Computer Race Rating of 119 to prevail easily.
All power to you, Skippy.
Runner-up:Autumn Glow (#5 from #6)
Jockey of the Week
Zac Lloyd (#46)
It can’t be James McDonald every week, right?
One day, 22-year-old Zac Lloyd could have a similar status to the brilliant Kiwi.
The talent is there alright.
Lloyd is already one of Australia’s most successful riders and moves from #60 to #46 thanks to a double at Rosehill which included the Group 1 Golden Slipper on Guest House.
Runner-up:James McDonald (#1)
Trainer of the Week
Mark Newnham (#51 from #70)
The Australian conditioner is already well established in Hong Kong, and no wonder.
Blessed with a sharp intellect and the patience of Job, Newnham is one of those trainers who can always be relied on to deliver a horse in top shape when it matters most – no wonder given that he learned his trade from Bart Cummings and Gai Waterhouse.
The Hong Kong Derby (which we count as a Group 2) win of Invincible Ibis was another piece of top work from a trainer bound to rank higher than his present #51.
Runner-up:Chris Waller (#3 from #4)
Turf Sire of the Week
The Autumn Sun (#33 from #54)
A triple Guineas winner on the track, The Autumn Sun is on his way to becoming an even better sire.
Autumn Boy’s win in the Rosehill Guineas was special, but Autumn Glow’s latest tour de force in the George Ryder Stakes managed to eclipse it, making it a Group 1 double to remember for their sire.
Surely the highly popular The Autumn Sun is heading for the top ten in due course.
Runner-up:Kizuna (#13 from #16)
Dirt Sire of the Week
Candy Ride (#8 from #10)
What a horse. What a sire.
These awards honour achievement but should be honoured themselves by the inclusion of the great Candy Ride.
Is that a speck of dust in the writer’s eye?
A special talent on the track whose defeat of Medaglia D’Oro in the 2003 Grade 1 Pacific Classic will never be forgotten, he has since become a breed-shaper off it.
Even as a 23-year-old, the sire of Gun Runner managed to produce last week’s Grade 1 Louisiana Derby winner Emerging Market, who could yet given him another Classic winner.
Runner-up:Gun Runner (#2)
The Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale begins on Sunday
James Burn looked at Mauritius in the latest edition of Every Corner Covered
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