Three-way tie: Enable, Waldgeist and Crystal Ocean share world's best honour

Enable has been joined by her Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe conqueror Waldgeist and the now retired Crystal Ocean at the top of the world's best racehorse rankings for 2019.

The trio are tied on a rating of 128 – 1lb higher than Hong Kong superstar Beauty Generation – following the dramatic climax to the Arc at Longchamp on Sunday.

Enable appeared on course for a historic third Arc victory before being overhauled by Waldgeist in the closing stages, a performance that has resulted in a rating increase from 124 to 128 for the Andre Fabre-trained star.

Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings

1 Crystal Ocean 128 GB
1 Enable 128 GB
1 Waldgeist 128 FR
4 Beauty Generation 127 HK
5 Ghaiyyath 126 GB
6 Battaash 125 GB
6 Benbatl 125 GB
6 City Of Light 125 USA
6 Winx 125 AUS

Crystal Ocean, who was retired after suffering a gallops injury last month, joined the pair at the summit due to his win in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and close second to Enable in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, races in which Waldgeist finished third.

In finishing third in the Arc, Sottsass had his rating upgraded to 123 from 120.

Beauty Generation improved his rating to 127 from 125 after an impressive weight-carrying success when winning the Celebration Cup in a track record time on his comeback.

Benbatl was issued a rating of 125 after returning from an even greater absence – 335 days – with a five-length victory in the Joel Stakes.

The rankings cover three-year-olds and upwards who have raced between January 1 and October 6. The next update will be published on November 14.

How Waldgeist joined Enable and Crystal Ocean at the top of the pile

Waldgeist's rating of 128 was awarded by one of the French handicappers and collectively they publish a blog on the France Galop website. Here is what they had to say about Sunday's race.

With the tracking data we can see that Waldgeist took four lengths out of Enable and Sottsass in the final 200 metres [furlong]. Japan, who was fastest between the 400m and 200m mark, weakened slightly at the finish.

The distances between the first four horses were a length and three quarters, a length and three quarters and half a length, which we translated to 3lb, 2lb and 1lb. Over 2,400m on very soft ground we cut the distances down with the exception of the winner, taking account of the way he finished his race.

In taking 122 for Japan around which to rate the race, we arrived at 123 for Sottsass, 122 for Enable and 128 for Waldgeist.

The French handicappers rated the race around Japan (purple silks)Credit: Alan Crowhurst

Japan served as the marker around which to rate the race, with his 122 earned at York in winning the Juddmonte International Stakes, where he was up against older horses with clearly established form, while Japan had already won over course and distance.

Sottsass, whose form had not previously been calibrated against older horses, progressed by 3lb, which should not be a surprise given the ease of his recent successes. On 123 he is the best three-year-old of this generation in Europe.

Enable returned a rating of 122 which is at the lower end of her usual ratings. Had she run to the same level as earlier in the season at Ascot or York, she would have won. The very soft ground is without doubt not the sole reason for her “underperformance” since she had twice won the King George at Ascot in really heavy going.

Waldgeist improved his rating by 4lb with 128. His sparkling victory on seasonal return in the Prix Ganay was a good omen for the season to follow. He confirmed that with his 124 when third at Ascot in the King George, a career-high mark.

A runner with little reputation as a lover of soft ground before the race, more than anything he benefited from the very strong pace to dominate his rivals. He is now the joint-best horse in the world along with Enable [and Crystal Ocean] on 128.

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