TRC Global Rankings – Crawford Racing surging upwards

Brett Crawford – fastest moving trainer in the World Rankings

Mark van Deventer

An excellent website www.thoroughbredracing.com puts together the TRC Global World rankings, compiled by the studious, James Willoughby. He uses proper statistical analysis to rate racing performances across all categories. Based on the algorithms used by TRC, Brett Crawford is the biggest mover in the 2017 trainer log, moving from 193 up to 48th in the world, a gain of 145 places.

This is a fantastic achievement by Crawford Racing, on the back of six Grade 1 wins in the period under review, and the team can be proud to gain such high profile international recognition. Sean Tarry has also done great over the last year with seven top level victories moving him from 88 up to 34th on the Global Log.

Amongst the jockeys, Jim Crowley has made a bold leap forward, vindicating his appointment as stable choice to top owner, Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum. A former jumps jockey, Crowley is best known for his successful association with Ulysses and has ridden 15 Group winners this year to now occupy 32nd spot.

Rankings are bound to generate controversy – that is the nature of any attempt at categorising achievements across different racing jurisdictions, which may sometimes defy rigid mathematical analysis. But TRC go about this difficult job with rigour and due diligence, so their rankings are worth taking seriously.

Amongst the sires’ list, Frankel is unsurprisingly their chosen shooting star, together with Scat Daddy, Poet’s Voice and Quality Road. South African bloodstock aficionado’s will note that Silvano has just made it into the Top 100 stallions in the world – a big thumbs up to breeders, Maine Chance Farms.