THE GLOBAL TOP 30 1 SEA THE STARS J M Oxx, Ireland 140 2 RIP VAN WINKLE A P O'Brien, Ireland 134 3 FAME AND GLORY A P O'Brien, Ireland 133 4 GOLDIKOVA F Head, France 132 5 ZENYATTA J A Shirreffs, USA a131 6= CAVALRYMAN A Fabre, France 130 6= CONDUIT Sir Michael Stoute, GB 130 6= GIO PONTI C Clement, USA 130 6= SACRED KINGDOM P F Yiu, Hong Kong 130 6= YOUMZAIN M R Channon, GB 130 11= MASTERCRAFTSMAN A P O'Brien, Ireland 129 11= OKEN BRUCE LEE H Otonashi, Japan 129 11= PACO BOY R Hannon, GB 129 11= RACHEL ALEXANDRA S Asmussen, USA a129 15= DELEGATOR Saeed bin Suroor, GB 128 15= SCENIC BLAST D Morton, Australia 128 15= TAKEOVER TARGET J Janiak, Australia 128 18= AQLAAM W J Haggas, GB 127 18= BIG CITY MAN J Mullins, USA a127 18= GETAWAY J Hirschberger, Germany 127 18= HEART OF DREAMS M Price, Australia 127 18= PREDATORY PRICER P Murray, Australia 127 18= PRESVIS L Cumani, GB 127 18= TWICE OVER H R A Cecil, GB 127 18= VISION D'ETAT E Libaud, France 127 18= WHOBEGOTYOU M Kavanagh, Australia 127 18= ZACINTO Sir Michael Stoute, GB 127 28 ST NICHOLAS ABBEY A P O'Brien, Ireland 126p 29= APACHE CAT G Eurell, Australia 126 29= ARCHIPENKO M F de Kock, South Africa 126 29= ASK Sir Michael Stoute, GB 126 29= OVERDOSE S Ribarszki, Hungary 126 29= SUMMER BIRD T A Ice, USA a126 29= TARTAN BEARER Sir Michael Stoute, GB 126 29= YEATS A P O'Brien, Ireland 126

NUMBER 1 BY NATION Joint Number 1 in Australia SCENIC BLAST D Morton TAKEOVER TARGET J Janiak 128 Number 1 in Canada CARELESS JEWEL J Carroll a122 Number 1 in France GOLDIKOVA F Head 132 Number 1 in Germany GETAWAY J Hirschberger 127 Joint Number 1 in GB CONDUIT Sir Michael Stoute YOUMZAIN M R Channon 130 Number 1 in Hong Kong SACRED KINGDOM P F Yiu 130 Number 1 in Ireland SEA THE STARS J Oxx 140 Number 1 in Italy TURATI G Pucciatti 120 Number 1 in Japan OKEN BRUCE LEE H Otonashi 129 Joint Number 1 in NZ MUFHASA S McKee TAVISTOCK A Campbell 118 Number 1 in the UAE TWO STEP SALSA S bin Suroor 124 Number 1 in the USA ZENYATTA J E Shirreffs a131

The prefix 'a' indicates that the horse has shown its best form on dirt or an artificial surface. '§' is the 'Timeform squiggle', indicating that the horse is unreliable (for temperamental or other reasons).

About Timeform Global Rankings

Timeform Global Rankings are launched each year with the publication of the definitive 'Racehorses' annual in early March. Updates to the list are released several times a year around major international Flat meetings. Please note that current ratings may reflect form evidence since the latest issue, so any advertising statements based on Timeform Global Rankings should refer to the issue number and year.

2009 Issues and publication dates Click for pdf downloads

1. Racehorses Mar 9
2. Before the Dubai World Cup Mar 26
3. Following the Dubai World Cup Mar 31
4. Following the Newmarket Guineas and Kentucky Derby May 5
5. Following the Preakness Stakes and Lockinge May 20
6. Following the Irish Guineas May 26
7. Following the Derby, Prix du Jockey Club and Belmont Stakes Jun 10
8. Following Royal Ascot Jun 24
9. Following the Irish Derby Jul 2
10. Following the Coral-Eclipse Jul 9
11. Before the King George and Glorious Goodwood Jul 22
12. Following the King George, Glorious Goodwood and the Haskell Stakes Aug 4
13. Following the York Ebor meeting Aug 26
14. Following the Irish Champion Stakes Sep 10
15. Following the St Leger and Irish St Leger Sep 16
16. Following the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Oct 9
17. Following the Breeders' Cup Nov 17
18. Following the Japan Cup Nov 30

About Timeform Ratings

Timeform ratings on the Flat stretch right back to the first Racehorses annual, which came out in 1948. More recently they have included all the best horses in the world, not just those that have raced in Britain.

Timeform ratings express in terms of pounds the level of form a horse has shown. On the Flat they range from below 30 for bad performers to over 130 for the real top-notchers.

Great care is taken to keep the level of Timeform ratings consistent from one season to the next (after due allowance has been made for various factors that might alter the overall picture), so that comparisons between different generations can be made.

The following are the highest Timeform ratings awarded on the Flat.