Private Eye noses out Imperatriz

Private Eye, not Imperatriz, is Australia’s leading thoroughbred for the first quarter of 2024, according to the latest edition of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.

The Joe Pride-trained sprinter rated a 120 for his narrow first-up Black Caviar Lightning Stakes defeat by Imperatriz as, under the weight-for-age scale of that race, the winner carried 56.5kg, two fewer than Private Eye (58.5kg).

Indeed, Imperatriz rated just 117 for her Lightning win, but gained her 119 mark, which was equal to her best in 2023, for carrying 58kg to second place in the subsequent Newmarket Handicap.

Private Eye shared the second line of the rankings at 120 with three others, including Cox Plate champion Romantic Warrior, who earned his score via his Hong Kong Gold Cup win when ridden by James McDonald last month.

The co-leaders of the rankings are the Pegasus horses from the US, National Treasure (121) and Senor Buscador.

Other Australian horses in the top 20 are equal seventh-placed Orr and Futurity Stakes winner Mr Brightside (119), as well as equal 13th-placed Think It Over (118) and the recently injured Fangirl (117), who is equal 16th.

Imperatriz will race next in Saturday week’s G1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at The Valley, where it is considered unlikely she will again clash with Private Eye, who is favoured to stay in Sydney to prepare for the G1 T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 6.

Copy: Racing.com