Although the third edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2026 features a number of changes to the Top 5, Hong Kong’s KA YING RISING (NZ) [130] has once again improved his rating and continues to hold the highest ranking.
LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings
Leading Horses
click here for complete rankings
|
| Rank |
Horse |
Rating |
Trained |
| 1 |
KA YING RISING (NZ) |
130 |
HK |
| 2 |
BOW ECHO (IRE) |
126 |
GB |
| 2 |
DARYZ (FR) |
126 |
FR |
| 2 |
ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE) |
126 |
HK |
| 5 |
OPERA BALLO (IRE) |
124 |
GB |
| 5 |
WHITE ABARRIO (USA) |
124 |
USA |
Ka Ying Rising added victories in the Sprint Cup (G2) and Chairman’s Sprint Prize (G1) to push his winning tally to 20 consecutive races. He broke his own track record again in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, and his rating has increased to 130 from 128.
Three horses sit in the co-second position. ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE) [126] raised his rating to 126 from 124 when he won the FWD QEII Cup (G1) over MASQUERADE BALL (JPN) [122], SOSIE (IRE) [121], and ROYAL CHAMPION (IRE) [122]. His previous victories this year include the Stewards’ Cup (G1) and Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1).
Joining Romantic Warrior on a rating of 126 are BOW ECHO (GB) [126] and DARYZ (FR) [126]. In their seasonal debuts, Bow Echo won the Betfred 2000 Guineas Stakes (G1) over GSTAAD (GB) [120], while Daryz dominated in the Prix Ganay (G1).
Two horses currently share the fifth position. OPERA BALLO (IRE) [124] improved his rating to 124 from 119 when he took the bet365 Mile (G2) by three lengths over Field of Gold. In January, Opera Ballo won the Jebel Hatta Presented by Longines (G1). WHITE ABARRIO (USA) [124] joins him on a rating of 124 after winning the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) over SOVEREIGNTY (USA) [122].
Other newcomers to the rankings include DAMYSUS (GB) [120], TEAO (CHI) [120], and T O ELVIS (USA) [120]. Damysus won the Betway Earl of Sefton Stakes (G3); Teao took the Gran Premio Latinoamericano (G1); and T O ELVIS proved victorious in the Churchill Downs Stakes Presented by Ford (G1).
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The LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings are compiled by the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee and published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).
For further details on the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, please contact:
Greg Carpenter, co-chairman, LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee
Head of Racing Product, The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Telephone +852 2966 5901
Email greg.carpenter@hkjc.org.hk
Dominic Gardiner-Hill, co-chairman, LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee
Head of Handicapping, British Horseracing Authority
E-mail dgardinerhill@britishhorseracing.com
Tom Robbins, chairman, North American Ratings Committee
Executive Vice President, Racing & Industry Relations, Racing Secretary, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
Telephone +1 858 792 4230
Email tomr@dmtc.com
* * * * * *
The full list and further information on the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings are available on the IFHA website http://www.ifhaonline.org.
The next edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings will be
published on Thursday 11th June 2026.
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