As the eagerly anticipated L'Ormarins Queen's Plate and Sun Met rapidly approach it should be noted that the merit ratings accorded locally to South African horses are not the same as their international ratings.

Many racegoers have wondered out aloud how SA could have so many horses rated higher than the famous twice Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Enable.

Others have wondered whether SA horses' high ratings would prevent them from being competitive in big handicap races or ratings-based conditions events were they to travel overseas.

However, in reality a horse competes internationally off the international rating it is accorded by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities' (IFHA) World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee (WBRRC).

In the period from January 1 2019 to November 10 2019, Enable, Crystal Ocean and this year's Arc winner Waldgeist were all assessed by the WBRRC to have achieved a rating of 128 and shared the world's top ranking.

South Africa's highest achiever was Do It Again, who was accorded a rating of 120 and was ranked joint 28th in the world.

The South African member of the WBRRC is Lennon Maharaj, the NHRA's Senior handicapper.

All horses who have competed in Graded or Listed races are accorded an international rating.

Maharaj submits his assessed international ratings after every Graded or Listed race in South Africa and these ratings are adjusted if necessary by the WBRRC after taking in to account the assessments of the other committee members. The WBRRC comprises members from all five racing continents.

If a South African horse arrives to race in Dubai, for example, the UAE handicapper will refer to the horse's international rating as decided by the WBRRC and not to his or her South African rating.

Maharaj pointed out that South Africa is not the only country whose local ratings are generally higher than the international ratings.
In Hong Kong for example Beauty Generation is rated 134 but his international rating as accorded by the WBRRC is only 127.

Maharaj also submits ratings for overseas pattern races and these assessments are taken into account by the WBRRC when deciding the participants' official international ratings.

Gold Circle