In the fifth edition of our awards series, James Willoughby begins by casting an eye at a mega success for Sir Delius.
In this fifth edition of the Global Rankings Weekly Awards, where we will pick out a competitor from each of five categories whose accomplishment during the last week particularly impressed us for one reason or another, we start by discussing the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick.
Horse of the Week
Sir Delius (#12 from #47)
What a moment.
A horse long considered to have world-class talent, a #28 training partnership combining Gai Waterhouse’s legendary knowledge with Adrian Bott’s ever-increasing skill and purpose, and a perfect ride from Craig Williams (#23 from #26).
While #5 Autumn Glow failed to see out the 2000m of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick, Sir Delius certainly did and assumes a position in our hierarchy he fully deserves with his second TRC 124 performance rating.
Runner-up: Star Anise (#21 from #180)
Jockey of the Week
Flavien Prat (#2 from #3)
Irad Ortiz (#6) may be the deadliest jockey in the USA, #12 John Velazquez is probably the savviest, but Flavien Prat may be the best to watch.
A Grade 1 double at Keeneland last week saw Prat widely praised for his theft of the Maker’s Mark Mile on Zulu Kingdom, but his most underrated performance was forcing a dead-heat on Segesta in the Jenny Wiley Stakes.
The Chad Brown-trained filly looked likely to bolt up turning for home, but she patently looked short of peak fitness in the closing stages.
Plenty of jockeys would’ve made her plight worse by flailing away, but Prat held her together and encouraged her forward well enough to grab a share of the spoils.
For good measure, the Frenchman added the Grade 2 Giant’s Causeway at the same track on In Our Time.
Runner-up: Craig Williams (#23 from #26)
Trainer of the Week
Saffie Joseph Jr (#19 from #22)
Nobody in America is better than Joseph at placing a good horse with acumen and imagination.
Not only does the Barbados-born conditioner mine lucrative options slightly away from prime time, but he seems to know exactly when to roll the big dice – witness the exploits of White Abarrio and Skippylongstocking, to name but two.
Now, Joseph has another smart type to exploit in the shape of Grade 1 Apple Blossom winner Claret Beret.
Though unfancied for the Oaklawn feature, she was always going well and stormed clear to win impressively.
Joseph also saddled the Grade 2 Giant’s Causeway winner In Our Time.
Runner-up: Chad Brown (#3 from #4)
Turf Sire of the Week
Frankel (#1)
Deposed as the world #1 sire in the Sires Overall category by Into Mischief after a lengthy period at the top, the imperious Frankel remains the top spot in the Turf-only category and bolstered his lead over #2 Dubawi by means of supplying the horse who put up the best performance of the week by TRC Performance Ratings, Sir Delius in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.
Runner-up: Danon Premium (#193)
Dirt Sire of the Week
Not This Time (#5)
An odd way to win Dirt Sire of the Week title for Not This Time, in that one of his winners came on turf.
Nevertheless, hot on the heels of getting the Dubai World Cup winner Magnitude at Meydan, the Taylor Made prodigy was again responsible for a top-flight winner on dirt in the Apple Blossom heroine Claret Beret at Oaklawn.
Not This Time’s other winner which counts towards the rankings this week was In Our Time, who won on the grass at Keeneland in the Grade 2 Giant’s Causeway – a fitting winner as the race is named after his own sire.
Runner-up: Modernist (#85)
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