Australian Mare Makybe Diva Tops IFHA Rankings

Australian super mare Makybe Diva topped the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities official end of season assessment of those horse which had either raced in or been trained in countries whose season ran from Aug. 1 2005 to July 31, 2006 (July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006 in South America).

Makybe Diva, who was weighted at 124 pounds, in her final season, won four of her five starts including the Australian group I Cox Plate over 2040meters (1 1/4 miles) and then carrying top weight achieved a record breaking third successive victory in the Emirates Melbourne Cup over 3200meters (two miles).

The Dubai World Cup Meeting provided the three joint second ranked horses on 123, Electrocutionist, David Junior, and Heart's Cry.
Electrocutionist won the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) over 2000m (1 1/4 miles) on dirt, a performance which also made him the top ranked performer on Dirt. He is joined by David Junior who won the Dubai Duty Free (1777meters / 1 1/8 miles) and the Japanese-trained Heart's Cry who won the Nakheel Dubai Sheema Classic over 2400 meters (1 1/2 miles).

A trio of Hong Kong-trained horses come next in the rankings. Vergeance of Rain (122 pounds) (formerly Subscribe) who won the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup (HK-I) over 2000m (1 1/4 miles), Silent Witness (121) who by virtue of his success in the Sprinters Stakes (Jpn-I) over 1,200m (six furlongs) in Japan was ranked the top sprinter and Bullish Luck (120) (formerly Al Moughazel) who won the Hong Kong group I Champions Mile and the Yasuda Kinen (Jpn-I) in Japan, both over 1600m (a mile). In so doing he won the US $1 million bonus awarded to a horse that wins two legs of the Asian Mile Challenge.

In joint eighth position in the rankings are three horses. Australian-trained Eremein (119) who won three group I races including the BMW Tancred Stakes over 2,400m (1 1/2 miles) The leading Australian sprinter Takeover Target who won at the top level in Australia, the Lightning Stakes over 1000m (five furlongs) and Newmarket Handicap over 1200m (six furlongs) as well as the English group I King's Stand Stakes over 1000m (five furlongs) at Royal Ascot. The third horse on 119 is Maraahel who ran third behind Vengeance of Rain in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup (HK-I) over 2000m (1 1/4 miles).

The World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are published twice each year, and comprise those horses, which have been rated at 115 pounds or above by the WTRR Conferences. The January publication will include horses aged 3-years-old and upwards which have either raced in, or been trained in, countries whose racing season runs from Jan. 1 to December 31, while the August edition will include those horses which have raced in or been trained in countries who race from Aug. 1 to July 31.

The divisional leaders include:
Makybe Diva, 124 pounds, top-ranked performer and top-ranked filly or mare turf, and top-ranked extended distance performer
Electrocutionist, 123 pounds, top-ranked horse dirt and top-ranked intermediate-distance performer;
Silent Witness, 121 pounds, top-ranked sprinter;
Proud Tower Too, 115, top-ranked sprinter dirt;
David Junior, 123 pounds, top-ranked miler on turf;
Discreet Cat, 118 pounds, top-ranked miler on dirt;
Vengeance of Rain, 122 pounds, top-ranked intermediate distance turf
Heart's Cry, 123 pounds, top-ranked long-distance performer