Roger Varian has 'a big concern' about British racing as Japan reigns supreme at World's Best Racehorse awards

Roger Varian has said he is "very worried" British racing is falling behind on the global stage and that the structure of the sport is preventing it from responding to Japan's rising status.

The multiple Group 1-winning trainer was speaking at the World Racehorse Awards in London on Tuesday, when Equinox was named the best horse in the world after being handed a rating of 135.

He achieved it in winning the Japan Cup, which was named the world’s greatest race for the first time, while his presence also helped elevate four Japanese Grade 1s into the top ten, with the Takarazuka Kinen in fifth, the Tenno Sho joint sixth and the Arima Kinen eighth alongside the Irish Champion Stakes. Japan also overtook Britain to be second to the US in terms of the overall number of horses in the list with 57, up from 48 the previous year.