A trio of established names has joined the Top 5 in the fourth edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2026.
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 |
NOTABLE SPEECH (GB) |
125 |
GB |
| 5 |
NYSOS (USA) |
125 |
USA |
| 5 |
OMBUDSMAN (IRE) |
125 |
GB |
NOTABLE SPEECH (GB) [125], NYSOS (USA) [125], and OMBUDSMAN (IRE) [125] are all currently ranked co-fifth. Notable Speech joins the 2026 rankings off of his two-length victory over MORE THUNDER (IRE) [120] in the BOYLE Sports Lockinge Stakes (G1), while Nysos and Ombudsman have both improved their ratings.
Nysos was elevated to 125 from 121 following his four-length score in the Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1). He had previously finished second to FOREVER YOUNG (JPN) [123] in the Saudi Cup (G1). Ombudsman improved his rating to 125 from 120 with his win in the Star Sports Brigadier Gerard Stakes (G3). Earlier this season, he won the Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (G1).
Meanwhile, in his first start of the season, ALMAQAM (GB) [122] defeated BAY CITY ROLLER (IRE) [122] by two lengths in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) to join the rankings. Bay City Roller went on to win the Coolmore Coronation Cup (G1) by 10 lengths in his next start.
KALPANA (GB) [120] also made her first start of the year a winning one by taking the Sky Sports Racing Aston Park Stakes (G3).
Other newcomers to this year’s rankings include ENGLISHMAN (USA) [120] and GOLDEN TEMPO (USA) [120]. Englishman won the Woody Stephens Stakes presented by Mohegan Sun (G1), while Golden Tempo followed up his victory in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) with a win in the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (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
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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 9th July 2026.
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