Viva Beauty Generation
Moore's champion shares world's best miler ranking with Australian wonder mare Winx
Sunday's Group 1 Stewards' Cup winner Beauty Generation is the equal "world's best miler" alongside Australian super-mare Winx and is confirmed as Hong Kong's joint top-rated horse of all-time with a mark of 127 in the 2018 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings released on Wednesday.
Beauty Generation's high rating makes him one of the world's six best racehorses, ranking co-fourth with US star Gun Runner and Europe's Horse of the Year, Roaring Lion.
Trainer John Moore said: "That's quite something, to match Winx as the best of the world's milers. He's the pride of Hong Kong and he's the pride of our stable.
"Anything near Winx is something special because she is the greatest mare racing on the planet, and to be ranked around her rating is remarkable."
Moore thinks it is fair that Beauty Generation is rated the same as Able Friend because he too was very good and it's great for Hong Kong racing and the fans here that we have another horse of that stature.
"Able Friend had a terrific turn-of-foot, whereas this fellow comes off a high speed and grinds the opposition," he said.
"If he was racing anywhere in the world, he'd be a force to be reckoned with in the top races."
Hong Kong's champion, fresh from an imperious win in the Stewards' Cup over 1,600m at Sha Tin on Sunday, earned his peak rating for an outstanding display in the December 2018 Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Mile at his home track.
Beauty Generation's figure matches the rating of Able Friend, who achieved his standout mark for a brilliant win in the 2014 Longines Hong Kong Mile.
Hong Kong Jockey Club chief executive officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said Beauty Generation has further improved and has established himself firmly as the joint global Champion Miler and ranks in the world's top five with his outstanding performances in 2018.
"It is especially pleasing, though, to see that this year's World's Best Racehorse Rankings list includes 25 Hong Kong-trained horses." he added.
"That figure is three more than we achieved in 2017, which, as we highlighted at the time, was a transitional year due to the retirements of some of our mature stars.
"It is remarkable to think that Hong Kong has a racehorse population of fewer than 1,300, and yet the best 25 account for 7.5 per centof the world's horses rated 115 and above.
"It is also pleasing that last year we saw the depth return to our elite level. The future looks bright, with Hong Kong owners choosing to invest in high quality young horses, encouraged by rewarding prize money levels."
Winx and British hero Cracksman top the world's rankings, each having earned a rating of 130. Winx shares with Beauty Generation the "top miler" accolade, thanks to a 127 rating earned when winning the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes over 1,600m. - HKJC
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