The Ladbrokes Cox Plate has been adjudged Australia's Best Race again
With its history, honour roll, and consistency of rating performance, the Ladbrokes Cox Plate is regarded as Australia’s Best Race, and that title was reaffirmed this week with the unveiling of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) annual list of the Top 100 Group 1 races.
For a third straight year, the Ladbrokes Cox Plate has been rated by IFHA as Australia’s top Group 1, this year sharing the gong with the Champions Mile at Flemington.
The 2023 World’s Top 100 Group 1 races were unveiled at the Longines World Racing Awards in London, with the list compiled using the annual race ratings, and calculated based on the first four finishers in each race.
Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior claimed a thrilling victory in the 2023 Ladbrokes Cox Plate, narrowly defeating Mr Brightside and Alligator Blood, with Duais in fourth place.
The 2023 Ladbrokes Cox Plate attracted an outstanding field, with the likes of Gold Trip, Zaaki, Fangirl, and exciting three-year-old Militarize, finishing outside the top four.
The race received a rating of 119.75 by the IFHA, placing it equal-24th on the list.
Mr Brightside and Alligator Blood went on to place again in the Champions Mile a fortnight later behind Pride Of Jenni.
Romantic Warrior followed up his success in the 2023 Ladbrokes Cox Plate with victory in the Longines Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin in December, defeating the Aidan O’Brien trained Luxembourg.
Trained by Danny Shum, Romantic Warrior solidified his position as one of the world’s best middle-distance horses in 2023, ranking 15th in the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings with a rating of 123.
Mr Brightside ranked =37th with a rating of 120, with Alligator Blood =53rd with a rating of 119.
The Ladbrokes Cox Plate was one of two Group 1 races at The Valley to feature in the top 40, with the 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes ranked =38th, placing it seventh in Australia.
Star Kiwi Imperatriz took out the 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes in the autumn, ahead of Bella Nipotina, Roch ‘N’ Horse, and September Run.
Imperatriz enjoyed a stellar 2023 and received a rating of 118, placing the Mark Walker mare =69th.
She went undefeated in four runs at The Valley in 2023, including three at Group 1 level.
Imperatriz is set to defend her 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes crown in March.