El Segundo, Hussler fly the flag

El Segundo has shaded Weekend Hussler as Australia's highest-rated galloper in the latest release of the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings.

El Segundo was rated at 123 for his victory in last year's Cox Plate, one point ahead of Weekend Hussler, who earned his score based on his wins in the Newmarket Handicap and weight-for-age George Ryder Stakes.

El Segundo's rating was the highest by an Australian-trained galloper since the great Makybe Diva scored 124 in 2005-06.

The Colin Little-trained six-year-old, which has been denied a chance to defend his Cox Plate crown due to injury, was the second highest rated galloper in the world along with Ramonti and the Australian-bred Sacred Kingdom.

The latter two achieved their rating for their wins in Hong Kong's international meeting last December.

Curlin was a clear No.1 on the list - which was compiled by the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings Conference - with 130 for his Dubai World Cup victory in March.

Other Australian-trained gallopers to feature in the top 10 were star sprinter Apache Cat, eighth on 121 for his T.J Smith and Doomben 10,000 double, and Efficient (120 - Melbourne Cup) and Haradasun (120 - Queen Anne Stakes), who were among a host of gallopers on 10th position.

Marasco, Racing To Win, Sirmione and Wonderful World were equal 17th on 119, just ahead of Maldivian and Miss Andretti on 118.

There was a record 33 Australian-trained gallopers in the list compared with 26, 19 and nine in the previous three seasons.

Rankings
Rank Rating Surface Horse Age Sex Trainer
1 130 Dirt Curlin (USA) 4 C S.M. Asmussen
2 123 Turf El Segundo (NZ) 6 G C. Little
2 123 Turf Ramonti (FR) 6 H S. bin Suroor
2 123 Turf Sacred Kingdom (AUS) 4 G P.F. Yiu
5 122 Turf Good Ba Ba (USA) 6 G A. Schutz
5 122 Turf Viva Pataca (GB) ex Comic Strip 6 G J. Moore
5 122 Turf Weekend Hussler (AUS) 3 G R. McDonald
8 121 Turf Apache Cat (AUS) 5 G G. Eurell
8 121 Turf Pocket Power (SAF) 5 G M.W. Bass
10 120 Turf Archipenko (USA) 4 C M.F. de Kock
10 120 Turf Efficient (NZ) 4 G G. Rogerson
10 120 Turf Haradasun (AUS) 4 C T.Vasil/A.P. O'Brien
10 120 Dirt Honour Devil (ARG) 3 C M.F. De Kock
10 120 Turf Jay Peg (SAF) 4 C H.J. Brown
10 120 Turf J J The Jet Plane (SAF) 3 G M.N. Houdalakis
10 120 Turf Sun Classique (AUS) 4 F M.F. De Kock
Also:
17 119 Turf Marasco (AUS) 5 G F. Kersley
17 119 Turf Racing To Win (AUS) 5 G J. O'Shea
17 119 Turf Sirmione (AUS) 4 G J.B. Cummings
17 119 Turf Wonderful World (AUS) 4 C J.B. Cummings
25 118 Turf Maldivian (NZ) 5 G M. Kavanagh
25 118 Turf Miss Andretti (AUS) 6 M L. Freedman
25 118 Turf Sushisan (AUS) 5 G H.J. Brown