Japanese superstar Equinox has been named Horse Of The Year in the inaugural Timeform Awards, beating Ace Impact and Auguste Rodin to the first prize.
- Click on the links for full Timeform profiles of the winners
The Tetsuya Kimura-trained son of Kitasan Black achieved a Timeform rating of 136 for his smooth success in the Japan Cup, his final start before retirement. That was the highest rating achieved by any horse this year and saw him receive the popular vote among Timeform's editorial staff.
Equinox's rating meant he also earned the Champion Of The Rest Of The World award, ahead of Golden Sixty, who equalled his highest ever rating (129) with an impressive win in this month’s Hong Kong Mile, and poignant Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Cody’s Wish (129), who finished as joint runners up.
Equinox claimed a third award in the Leading Male 3-y-o+ category, with Ace Impact and Westover finishing second and third.
Troy leading 2-y-o
Aidan O’Brien’s City Of Troy produced one of the performances of the season when winning the Dewhurst Stakes in October, and his success in the historically important classic trial for juveniles secured him the Leading 2YO award (limited to Europe only).
City Of Troy achieved a rating of 125p -– ‘p’ denotes the potential for further improvement – for his win at Newmarket, five clear of stablemate Henry Longfellow, who was rated 120p after his National Stakes win at the Curragh, with Simon & Ed Crisford’s Middle Park Stakes winner Vandeek taking third place with a rating of 119p.
Ace Impact crowned best in Europe
After running into stern opposition in Equinox in the Horse Of The Year category, Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Ace Impact (133) did manage to land an award of his own, being crowned Champion Of Europe ahead of Westover (131) and Hukum (130), who both memorably fought out the finish to this year’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
Emily Upjohn Leading Female 3-y-o+
John & Thady Gosden trained the first two home in the Leading Female 3-y-o+ category, with Emily Upjohn (126) pipping stablemate Inspiral (125) to the award.
The Cheveley Park-owned filly finished a pound ahead of Japanese fillies Through Seven Seas and Liberty Island, and New Zealand-based Imperatriz, who shared third with a rating of 124.
Leading First-season Sire and race of 2023 also recognised
Timeform’s Leading First-season Sire of 2023, based on an average Timeform master rating of a sire’s top 10 progeny in Britain and Ireland, was Too Darn Hot (99), who claimed top honours ahead of Blue Point (96) in second place, while Calyx and Ten Sovereigns tied for third place (93).
The race of 2023 was determined based on an average Timeform master rating of the first three horses. Longchamp’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe came out on top with the first three finishers – Ace Impact, Westover and Onesto – earning the race an average rating of 130, 1 lb higher than Kyoto’s Tenno Sho (Autumn) and the Dubai Sheema Classic, which finished joint-second.
'Potential to develop into an all-time great'
Timeform's Flat editor David Johnson said: "It comes as no surprise perhaps that one name dominates these awards over all others and while observers were wowed by the spring Equinox in the Dubai Sheema Classic, the autumn version was arguably even more impressive in the Japan Cup as he put up the kind of performance that sees him rated alongside the very best horses Japan has ever produced.
"Equinox’s rating of 136 was enough to see him crowned Leading Male in the 3-y-o+ category and Champion of the Rest of the World, while his exploits ensured he was also voted Horse of The Year by Timeform's editorial staff. Runner-up behind him in the two categories he was eligible for was Ace Impact who was also crowned Champion of Europe on the back of an unbeaten season that culminated in his impressive Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe success.
"Both retire to stud leaving fans wanting more, but perhaps their mantle will be taken up by City of Troy who was crowned Champion Two-Year-Old with a rating of 125p and looks as exciting a prospect as we have seen for several years. The Guineas and Derby next year already look at his mercy and he currently has the potential to develop into an all-time great."
Timeform Award winners:
Horse of the Year*
1. Equinox
2. Ace Impact
3. Auguste Rodin
*Determined by vote among Timeform editorial staff
Leading 2-y-o**
1. City of Troy – 125p
2. Henry Longfellow – 120p
3. Vandeek – 119p
**Europe only
Leading Male 3-y-o+
1. Equinox – 136
2. Ace Impact – 133
3. Westover – 131
Leading Female 3-y-o+
1. Emily Upjohn – 126
2. Inspiral – 125
3=Through Seven Seas – 124
3=Liberty Island – 124
3= Imperatriz – 124
Champion of the Rest of the World
1. Equinox – 136
2. Golden Sixty – 129
2=Cody's Wish – 129
Champion of Europe
1. Ace Impact – 133
2. Westover – 131
3. Hukum - 130
First-season sire***
1. Too Darn Hot (99)
2. Blue Point (96)
3. Calyx (93)
3= Ten Sovereigns (93)
***Based on average Timeform master rating of top 10 progeny (need to have had a minimum of ten runners in Britain or Ireland).
Race of the Year
1. Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (130)
2. Tenno Sho (Autumn) (129)
2= Dubai Sheema Classic (129)
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