It’s getting tight at the top of the TRC Global Sires’ Rankings. Galileo’s lead over Dubawi ahead of what could be a key weekend is just four points, and current #3, Deep Impact, closed to within eight of Dubawi after his son Wagnerian (out of a King Kamehameha mare) won the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) in a blanket finish from Orfevre’s Epoca d’Oro on Sunday.
It was no surprise that a son of Deep Impact took the spoils, but it had been widely expected to be a different colt - the 11/10 favourite Danon Premium, who was a possibly unlucky-in-running sixth, beaten barely a length (see video below).
The battle at the top of the table centres around Epsom and Chantilly this weekend. Deep Impact has Epsom Derby favourite Saxon Warrior and highly touted Prix du Jockey Club contender Study Of Man on his side, while Dubawi is represented by Epsom Oaks favourite Wild Illusion tomorrow. Galileo, of course, is likely to have a number of runners in all three classics.
Each of the top three had just one winner last week, but there were two for American Post (+8pts, #55 from #80), Holy Roman Emperor (+8pts, #99 from #141), Lookin At Lucky (+9pts, #51 from #70) and Mastercraftsman (+7pts, #39 from #49). American Post and Lookin At Lucky registered personal bests.
It’s so close between Joao and Zac
Joao Moreira and Zac Purton continue their enthralling struggle for the Hong Kong Jockeys’ Premiership, with Moreira leading by two (111 to 109). This is neatly reflected by TRC Global Rankings with #11 Moreira leading #13 Purton by seven points. Purton gained five points this week for his G3 Sha Tin Vase win on Winner’s Way.
Twelve meetings remain before the end of the Hong Kong season.
Shock Guineas winner lifts Condon into the top 200
The Irish 2000 Guineas fell to trainer Ken Condon with 25/1 scorer Romanised, a son of #99 Holy Roman Emperor, who once ranked as high as #13. Condon also handles Success Days, successful most recently in the G2 York Stakes last July, and is now inside the world’s top 200 trainers.
World #1 Aidan O'Brien could not win either classic at the Curragh, but landed the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup on the track with last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile second, Lancaster Bomber, who made all. Lancaster Bomber is a son of #16 War Front, who has been a regular in TRC’s top 10 global stallions.
Four riders won two Group or Graded races last week. Corey Brown (+5pts, #48 from #57), Olivier Peslier (+7pts, #57 from #69), Ryan Moore (+1 pt, stays #1) and Shane Foley (+11pts, #111 from #151). Foley won the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and the G3 Gallinule Stakes, both at the Curragh.
Five trainers won two Group or Graded races in the latest rankings window. Aidan O’Brien (+1 pt, stays #1), Tony Cruz (+10pts, #15 from #19), Carlos Laffon-Parias (+8pts, #73 from #93), Chris Waller (+1 pt, stays #7) and James Cummings (+5pts, #22 from #26). Cruz and Cummings have reached new career highs.
Owner of the week
That honour goes to Sarl Darpat France, a stud company based in Normandy, which teamed with Olivier Peslier and trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias to win the G1 Prix d’Ispahan at ParisLongchamp and the G3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud. That adds up to a gain of six points, and a rise of 137 places to world #124.
Spectacular Cruz
Hong Kong trainer Tony Cruz saddled Winner’s Way to take the G3 Sha Tin Vase, but the bulk of the new world #15’s ten-point gain came via the 1-2-3 in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup, the inimitable Pakistan Star, Exultant and Gold Mount. Three of the trainer’s last seven runners in Group races have won.
Cummings keeps on climbing
Former TRC Emerging Talent James Cummings is now world #22 after his two Group winners, notably Impending in the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup at Doomben. The Godolphin Australian trainer first entered the top 500 in February 2016, reaching the top 100 in September of that year and the top 50 in November 2017.
Click here for a list of all last week’s biggest TRC Global Rankings points gainers.
Click here for a list of all the week’s Group and Graded winners.