2021 Timeform Global Rankings

By Timeform — published 25th January 2022

Check out Timeform's global rankings for 2021 which highlights the 50 highest-rated horses in the world.

1	Flightline	John Sadler, USA	133p
Wide-margin winner of all 3 of his races, including the Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita by 11½ lengths
2	St Mark's Basillica	Aidan O'Brien, IRE	132
Successful on all 4 of his starts in 2021, the French Guineas and Derby, the Eclipse Stakes and the Irish Champion; now at Coolmore Stud, Ireland
3=	Adayar	Charlie Appleby, GB	131
The first to complete the Derby/King George double since 2001
3=	Mishriff	John & Thady Gosden, GB	131
Landed two valuable races early in the year, the Saudi Cup and the Dubai Sheema Classic, and later added York's International Stakes
5=	Baaeed	William Haggas, GB	130
Progressed well and completed a 6-race unbeaten year with victories in the Prix du Moulin and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
5=	Knicks Go	Brad Cox, USA	130
Won 5 of his 7 races, including the Pegasus World Cup, the Whitney Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Classic; standing at Taylor Made Farm, Kentucky
5=	Subjectivist	Mark Johnston, GB	130
Ran only twice in 2021, but was successful in the Dubai Gold Cup and the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, both by at least 5 lengths
5=	Torquator Tasso	Marcel Weiss, Germany	130
Beat the German Derby winner in the Grosser Preis von Baden but topped that with a 68/1 surprise success in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
9=	Charlatan	Bob Baffert, USA	129
Good second to Mishriff in the Saudi Cup on his only outing in 2021; now at stud
9=	Golden Sixty	Francis Lui, Hong Kong	129
Continued his winning run, successful on all 5 of his starts in 2021, including the Hong Kong Gold Cup, the Champions Mile and the Hong Kong Mile (for a second time)
9=	Incentivise	Peter Moody, Australia	129
Won 9 races in a row in 2021, including 3 Group 1s, among them the Caulfield Cup, but had to settle for second in the Melbourne Cup over a longer trip
9=	Life Is Good	Todd Pletcher, USA	129
Has suffered only one defeat in 6 starts, and, after being forced to miss the triple crown, finished off the season with a good win in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile
9=	Nature Strip	Chris Waller, Australia	129
Has plenty of high-class efforts to his name and won the Lightning, the T. J. Smith, the hugely valuable Everest and the Sprint Classic
9=	Palace Pier	John & Thady Gosden, GB	129
Gained successive Group 1 wins in the Lockinge, Queen Anne and Jacques le Marois before suffering only his second career defeat when beaten a neck by Baaeed in the Queen Elizabeth II; now at Dalham Hall Stud
15=	Gamine (f)	Bob Baffert, USA	128
Beaten only twice in 11 starts and won the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff and the Ballerina Stakes, sandwiched either side of a 10-length success in the Grade 2 Great Lady M Stakes; retired to stud
15=	Hurricane Lane	Charlie Appleby, GB	128
Improved to win the Irish Derby, the Grand Prix de Paris and St Leger before finishing third in the Arc
15=	Jackie's Warrior	Steve Asmussen, USA	128
Gained a narrow win over the otherwise unbeaten Life Is Good in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, but suffered defeat when hot favourite for the Breeders' Cup Sprint
18=	Efforia	Yuichi Shikato, Japan	127
Missed out narrowly in the Japanese Derby but otherwise unbeaten, including in the Japanese Guineas, the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and the Arima Kinen
18=	Mystic Guide	Michael Stidham, USA	127
Posted a career-best effort when winning the Dubai World Cup, but seen out only once after and reportedly underwent knee surgery in July
18=	Poetic Flare	Jim Bolger, IRE	127
Won the 2000 Guineas and the St James's Palace Stakes, and placed in 4 other Group 1s, including behind Palace Pier in the Jacques le Marois and St Mark's Basilica in the Irish Champion; now standing at Shadai Stallion Station, Japan
18=	Sealiway	Cedric Rossi, FRA	127
Second in the French Derby and fifth in the Arc before putting up his best effort in winning the Champion Stakes
18=	Verry Elleegant (f)	Chris Waller, AUS	127
Gained her tenth Group 1 success in the Melbourne Cup, in which she beat the short-priced favourite Incentivise
23=	Contrail	Yoshito Yahagi, Japan	126
23=	Deep Bond	Ryuji Okubo, Japan	126
23=	Dr. Schivel	Mark Glatt, USA	126
23=	Eduardo	Joseph Pride, Australia	126
23=	Golden Pal	Wesley Ward, USA	126
23=	Medina Spirit	Bob Baffert, USA	126
23=	More Than This	Danny Shum, Hong Kong	126
23=	Trueshan	Alan King, GB	126
23=	Waikuku	John Size, Hong Kong	126
23=	Yibir	Charlie Appleby, GB	126
23=	Zaaki	Annabel Neasham, Australia	126
34=	Addeybb	William Haggas, GB	125
34=	Dubai Honour	William Haggas, GB	125
34=	Essential Quality	Brad Cox, USA	125
34=	Glory Vase	Tomohito Ozeki, Japan	125
34=	Gran Alegria (f)	Kazuo Fujisawa, Japan	125
34=	Home Affairs	Chris Waller, Australia	125
34=	Letruska (f)	Fausto Gutierrez, USA	125
34=	Lord North	John & Thady Gosden, GB	125
34=	Masked Crusader	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes, Australia	125
34=	Monomoy Girl (f)	Brad Cox, USA	125
34=	Pixie Knight	Hidetaka Otonashi, Japan	125
34=	Southern Legend	Caspar Fownes, Hong Kong	125
34=	Starman	Ed Walker, GB	125
34=	Suesa (f)	Francois Rohaut, France	125
34=	Tarnawa (f)	Dermot Weld, Ireland	125
34=	T O Keynes	Daisuke Takayanagi, Japan	125
34=	Zenden	Carlos David, USA	125