City Of Troy shares top spot in the Longines World Ranking of the Best Racehorses for 2024 with Dubai World Cup winner Laurel River.
Aidan O'Brien has hailed the son of Justify as the best he has ever trained after wins in the Betfred Derby, Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International.
After leading to classic success at Epsom, he was more workmanlike at Sandown but then dominated the York event, doing his best to see off Calandagan to earn a 128 rating.
Speaking at The Savoy in London, regular jockey Ryan Moore said: “The Derby is always special and it was a great day, it's what he was bred for and it's what Aidan always believed he would do and everyone always thought he could.
“But when he won the Juddmonte it was probably the best performance I've ever been involved with on a racehorse, he was very good that day, it was an outstanding performance and I was a bit bummed we didn't get to see him again (in Europe) , but he couldn't have been better that day.
City Of Troy was the star of the show at Juddmonte International in York
“He was different from the first day I rode him at the Curragh. Obviously, we had a knock in the Guineas, but other than that he always gave me that feeling. Once he got into his rhythm, he was very hard to stop – he was a relentless and brilliant racehorse.”
For the first time since 2019, when Crystal Ocean, Enable and Waldgeist were co-winners, there was a tie at the top of the table.
While City Of Troy reigned supreme on the turf before disappointing on dirt in the Breeders' Cup Classic, Laurel River left his mark on the artificial surface in Meydan in the first three months of the year.
Trained by Bhupat Seemar and owned by Juddmonte, he followed up a couple of Group 3 wins with a spectacular triumph in the Dubai World Cup, with Japan's Ushba Tesoro and American ace Senor Buscador taking more than eight lengths.
Despite not being seen again after that brilliant display at the end of March, the son of Into Mischief has done enough to stay on top.
Juddmonte chief executive Douglas Erskine Crum said: “The most important thing about this horse is that he is one of the last domestic horses that Prince Khalid (Abdullah) decided to breed, so that is particularly important to us.”
Via Sistina fared best of the fillies and mares in third on 127, largely thanks to a wide margin win in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
It was one of five Group One hits for Chris Waller's charge during the calendar year, with other elite-level results in the Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill, Randwick's Winx Stakes and Turnbull Stakes and the TAB-sponsored Champions Stakes, both at Flemington.
Stunning 25/1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco record defeat to subsequent Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Blue Stockings and multiple Group 1 winner Rebel's Romance see Goliath finished fourth at 126.
CalandaganBreeders' Cup classic star Sierra Leonefellow American ace Fiercenessthe hero of the Japan Cup To the Deuce and the Hong Kong star Romantic Warrior all were tied for fifth at 125, while Roger Varian is the champion miler Charyn finished top 10 at 124.
Frankel, a two-time top scorer in 2011 and 2012, and the 2022 Flightline leader remain the highest-ranked winners of the award, having both achieved a high score of 140 at the peak of their powers.
The Juddmonte International is named Longines the best horse in the world for the second time.
Having previously topped the list in 2020, he is back on top after recent triumphs for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the Breeders' Classic Cup and the Japan Cup.
York chief executive and track official William Derby said: “It is a great honor that our flagship race, the Group 1 Juddmonte International, has been awarded the Longines Best Horse Race in the World 2024.
“It's the ultimate recognition of the vision, commitment and investment by York Race Committee and Juddmonte over the past four decades. So many people play a part in keeping fantastic horse racing like this at the global elite level; it's a credit to them all.
“Of course, it wouldn't be possible without the support of the horses themselves – we are incredibly grateful to the owners of 13 fantastic thoroughbreds, as well as the trainers, jockeys and racing staff who contributed to the unforgettable spectacle. like everyone who supports racing in York.
“Winning it for the second time, thus joining a small cohort of the world's iconic races, only reinforces the commitment of everyone at York to the ultimate sporting performance.”