Consolation of sorts for Enable as Arc is named world's best race again

Enable may have been unplaced in the race to be named the world's best racehorse but the race she has made her own in the last two years was on Wednesday anointed superior to all others in 2018.

Underlining its position as arguably the most prestigious horserace on the planet, the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was named officially the leading contest in the world last year.

It was the third time in four years the Arc has been honoured by Longines at a lunch celebrating last year's champions of the Flat.

The rankings, compiled by averaging the official end-of-year rating of each race's first four finishers, put the Arc in front on a figure of 125.

WHERE THE WORLD'S BEST RACES WERE RUN IN 2018

Nation/races in 2018/races in 2017

Australia 31 (22)
Great Britain 19 (24)
USA 14 (15)
Hong Kong 11 (9)
Japan 10 (12)
France 6 (6)
Germany 3 (2)
South Africa 3 (3)
UAE 3 (3)
Ireland 2 (4)
New Zealand 1 (0)

Taking second spot on 123.75, and helped considerably by the triumph of 2018's joint highest-rated racehorse Winx, was Randwick's Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Third on 123.25 was Royal Ascot's Prince of Wales's Stakes, in which Cracksman – officially the equal of Winx on 130 – was trumped by Poet's Word.

York's Juddmonte International, won by Roaring Lion, was Britain's second best race and took a share of fourth overall alongside the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Roaring Lion was also successful in the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes, which took the honours of being Ireland's top race but appears in the main list only as co-21st.

Indeed, Britain and Ireland were this year both lagging behind Australia, which, again thrust forward by the mighty Winx, had 31 of the world's top 103 races in 2018, having had 22 of the top 101 in 2017.

Britain was unable to match its previous total, being responsible for 19 of the races, down on 24. Also down to two races (just one more than New Zealand) was Ireland, which had double that figure in 2017.

The only other Irish event in the list is the Coolmore Matron Stakes (joint-40th), with the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby not featuring anywhere in the standings having been joint-tenth last year. Latrobe was successful at the Curragh in June.

Winx was not only the world's joint-top horse in 2018, she was also named in the top races table thanks to the Winx Stakes (co-17th), won not surprisingly by Winx.

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