A number of South African’s feature in the latest TRC Global Rankings and with the Western Cape season in full swing there is a chance of Ingrid and Markus Jooste moving up the leading owner table along with retained jockey Anton Marcus.
The Jooste’s, who now race under the Mayfair Speculator’s banner, are currently 11th in the world rankings.
The only other South African’s to feature in the top 100 are Drakenstein Stud owned by Gaynor and Johan Rupert who are this week ranked in 87th place, up four places from 91.
Anton Marcus
Not surprisingly Ireland-based Coolmore Partners, consisting of John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor, are way ahead on that table followed by Godolphin and Al Shaqab Racing.
Coolmore partners are spearheaded bytheir trainer, Aiden O’Brien.
The master of Ballydoyle has notched an incredible 51 Group 1 winners in the period under review.
His closest rivals as far as Group 1 success are concerned are Australia’s leading trainer, Chris Waller with 34, and Americans Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher tied on 31 each. Another American, Chad C Brown is second behind O’Brien on the trainer’s log ahead of Waller and Baffert.
The only South African trainer to feature in the world’stop 100 is champion trainer Sean Tarry who, like Drakenstein Stud, has moved up from 91st to 87th on the table.
Ryan Moore, recently officially crowned the world’s best jockey, is not surprisingly at the top of the riders table followed by Hugh Bowman of Australia and Frank Dettori, the UK-based Italian.
Anton Marcus is rated 19th on the global log, up from 23rd position last week.
The only other South African rider to feature is Piere Strydom who currently sits in 87th place on the table.
With the Jooste-owned and Marcus ridden Legal Eagle out to defend his Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate title and hopefully for his connections, go one better in the Gr1 Sun Met, there is opportunity for both owners and jockey to move up the rankings.
The TRC Global rankings work in a similar fashion to the world golf and tennis rankings where points are award according to the status of races won and the tables are updated weekly.
By Andrew Harrison
