The flat is well and truly back. It’s Classic weekend in England and the USA. Before we get into it, let’s remind ourselves what happened in 2024 in the 300 Grade 1/Group 1s that were run globally.
Welcome to the Pattern Racing World Championships 2024
Championship Structure
In 2024, 300 Group 1 or Grade 1 races were run worldwide. Here is a list of countries included and the number of races for each jurisdiction.
| Country | Group/Grade 1 Races Run |
|---|---|
| Australia | 75 |
| Canada | 4 |
| England | 36 |
| France | 27 |
| Germany | 7 |
| Hong Kong | 12 |
| Ireland | 13 |
| Japan | 25 |
| Saudi Arabia | 1 |
| UAE | 7 |
| USA | 93 |
| Total | 300 |
For these championships, each race is allocated 22 points.
1st. 10 points
2nd. 7 points
3rd. 5 points
Points scored in each of these 300 races are then accumulated and presented in championship format over 6 categories.
Here Are the 6 Categories
1. Horses 2. Sires 3. Trainers 4. Jockeys 5. Owners 6. Breeders
Each category is presented in a table format. The tables allow users to drill down for detailed records. Click on a name and you can drill down into the achievements of each participant and you can also click on the pattern race name to look at the result of the race. This format provides an excellent resource for fans, analysts, and industry participants to track and evaluate the performance of horses, sires and connections at top level globally.
Purpose
Horse racing is a truly international sport, growing ever more global. An increasing number of trainers and owners are competing across borders in pursuit of victory. These championships seek to link the world’s top Group and Grade 1 races throughout the year, providing a unified stage for all participants. The results reflect the sport’s global reach, spanning the 300 most elite races run across 11 countries.
Highlights
This is a summary of the 2024 World Horse Racing Championship results. Here are some key takeaways:
- The Dominant Forces:
- Horses: Mr. Brightside (Australia) retained the title, while Via Sistina (Australia) and Thorpedo Anna (USA) shared second place.
- Sires: Dubawi (Godolphin) led the way, followed by Pride of Dubai (Coolmore) and Lope de Vega (Ballylinch Stud).
- Trainers: Aidan O’Brien (Ireland) remained at the top, with Chris Waller (Australia) and Charlie Appleby (England) behind.
- Jockeys: Ryan Moore (England) secured first place, followed by James McDonald (Australia) and Frenchman, Flavien Prat (USA).
- Owners: Godolphin continued its dominance, with the Coolmore Syndicate and Juddmonte in second and third, respectively.
- Breeders: Godolphin also topped the breeder standings, followed by Northern Farm (Japan) and Coolmore.
Observations
- The two powerhouses in the game, Godolphin and Coolmore, fought out a great finish, each winning 27 G1’s. Godolphin edged it with their 2nd and 3rd placings.
- Ireland continues to shine with Aidan O’Brien the best trainer in the world with the Ballydoyle retained, Ryan Moore the leading jockey.
- Australia showcased strong performances, particularly with Ben, Will & JD Hayes gelding, Mr Brightside, leading the horse category (as he did in 2023), and trainers like Chris Waller contributing significantly.
- Japan continues to look internationally with horses placed in Dubai, Hong Kong, and the USA. Yoshito Yahagi’s Forever Young was placed 3rd in the Kentucky Derby and 3rd in the Breeders’ Cup Classic before winning the final Grade 1 of the year, the Tokyo Daishoten.
- In the USA Thorpedo Anna was the star for trainer Kenneth McPeek winning 5 Grade 1’s. She won the Kentucky Oaks, the Acorn Stakes, the American Oaks, the Cotillion Stakes, and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff plus she was a head 2nd in the Travers Stakes.
1. Horse Championship 2024
| Horse Position | Horse Name | Horse Points Won | Horse G1 Pattern Race Placings | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Age | Trained By | Where Trained |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mr Brightside | 59 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6yo | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Australia |
| 2 | Via Sistina | 57 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6yo | Chris Waller | Australia |
| 2 | Thorpedo Anna | 57 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3yo | Kenneth McPeek | USA |
| 3 | Bella Nipotina | 56 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6yo | Ciaron Maher | Australia |
Click here for the full horse table where you can also click on the horse’s name to see their performance.
Australia’s Mr Brightside retained his title won last year. He came out on top scoring 59 points. As last year he had 7 top 3 placings in Group/Grade 1’s. He won 4 (1 more than last year) and was second in 2 and third in 1. Another Australian, filly, Via Sistina shares second place scoring 57 points with American filly Thorpedo Anna also scoring 57 points. Australian Bella Nipotina is third on 56 points.
In all 578 horses scored points in the 300 G1’s run.
2. Sire Championship 2024
| Sire Position | Sire Name | Sire Points Won | Sire G1 Pattern Race Placings | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dubawi | 153 | 21 | 8 | 4 | 9 |
| 2 | Pride Of Dubai | 142 | 18 | 6 | 11 | 1 |
| 3 | Lope de Vega | 141 | 19 | 8 | 3 | 8 |
Click here for the full sire table, where you can also click on the sire’s name to see their performance.
Godolphin’s Dubawi is in pole position winning 153 points with his prodigy achieving 21 top 3 placings in Group/Grade 1’s. His offspring won 8 times finishing second 4 times and 9 third placed finishes. Coolmore resident, Pride Of Dubai is in second place on 142 points with Ballylynch Stud’s, Lope de Vega third with 141 points.
In all 273 stallions scored points in the 300 G1’s run.
3. Trainer Championship 2024
| Trainer Position | Trainer Name | Training In | Trainer Points Won | Trainer G1 Pattern Race Placings | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A P O’Brien | Ireland | 380 | 48 | 22 | 15 | 11 |
| 2 | Chris Waller | Australia | 307 | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 |
| 3 | Charlie Appleby | England | 267 | 35 | 14 | 11 | 10 |
Click here for the full trainer table where you can also click on the trainer’s name to see their performance.
Ireland’s Aidan O’Brien retained first place scoring 380 points with 48 top 3 placings in Group/Grade 1’s. He won 22, was second in 15, and third in 11. Australia’s Chris Waller is second scoring 305 points. England’s Charlie Appleby is third scoring 267 points.
In all 243 trainers scored points in the 300 G1’s run.
4. Jockeys Championship 2024
| Jockey Position | Jockey Name | Jockey Points Won | Jockey G1 Pattern Race Placing | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan Moore | 331 | 42 | 19 | 13 | 10 |
| 2 | James McDonald | 284 | 35 | 19 | 7 | 9 |
| 3 | Flavien Prat | 264 | 34 | 16 | 7 | 11 |
Click here for the full jockey table where you can also click on the jockey’s name to see their performance.
Ballydoyles English retained jockey Ryan Moore is ranked first scoring 331 points with 42 top 3 placings. He won 19, was second in 13, and third in 10. He was followed home by Australian, James McDonald, on 284 points with France’s. American-based jockey, Flavien Prat, on 264 points.
In all 187 jockeys scored points in the 300 G1’s run.
5. Owner Championship 2024
| Owner Position | Owner Name | Owner Points Won | Owner G1 Pattern Race Placing | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Godolphin | 505 | 66 | 27 | 20 | 19 |
| 2 | Coolmore Syndicate | 469 | 60 | 27 | 17 | 16 |
| 3 | Juddmonte | 154 | 19 | 9 | 7 | 3 |
Click here for the full owner table where you can also click on the owner’s name to see their performance.
Godolphin once again retained the title with 505 points. with 66 top 3 placings in Group/Grade 1’s. Across the world they won 27 were second in 20 and third in 19. As last year the Coolmore Syndicate filled second, just short on 469 points with Juddmonte again third on 154 points.
In all 418 owners scored points in the 300 G1’s run.
6. Breeder Championship 2024
| Breeder Position | Breeder Name | Breeder Points Won | Breeder G1 Pattern Race Placing | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Godolphin | 441 | 55 | 26 | 18 | 11 |
| 2 | Northern Farm | 228 | 31 | 8 | 17 | 6 |
| 3 | Coolmore | 156 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
Click here for the full breeder table where you can also click on the breeder’s name to see their performance.
Godolphin retained the top spot with 441 points with 55 top 3 placings. They won 26, were second in 18, and third in 11. Japan’s Northern Farm was second with 166 points and Coolmore third with 156 points.
In all 429 breeders scored points in the 300 G1’s run.
Looking forward to 2025 and another bumper year of Group/Grade 1 action worldwide.