Galileo’s son Frankel is officially world champion

Frankel (5h Galileo-Kind, by Danehill) has officially been crowned the world’s best racehorse for over 35 years by a panel of international handicappers, with a rating of 140.

The unbeaten Frankel’s efforts helped secure Galileo a fourth sires’ championship in 2012 and the Juddmonte home-bred is the best horse since the World Thoroughbred Rankings began in 1977. After adjustments of past ratings, Frankel’s 140 mark puts him ahead of Dancing Brave on 138 with Peintre Celebre the third best horse in that era with a mark of 137.

Timeform accorded Frankel’s efforts even greater merit, making him the best horse to race in the company’s 60-plus year history on a mark of 147. Frankel has been Timeform’s champion as a two, three and four-year-old.

The Galileo G1-winning siblings Nathaniel (5h Galileo-Magnificient Style, by Silver Hawk) and Great Heavens (4f Galileo-Magnificient Style, by Silver Hawk) also starred. Nathaniel was the European champion in the long-distance category on a mark of 126 while Great Heavens jointly topped the same division for three-year-old fillies with a rating of 117.

Runaway G1 1,000 Guineas heroine Homecoming Queen (4f Holy Roman Emperor-Lagrion, by Diesis) was jointly European champion three-year-old medium-distance filly on a mark of 116 for Holy Roman Emperor while Rock Of Gibraltar was responsible for the joint European champion sprinter, Society Rock (6h Rock Of Gibraltar-High Society by Key Of Luck).

The late Montjeu also made his mark with Camelot (4c Montjeu-Tarfah, by Kingmambo), winner of the G1 2,000 Guineas and G1 Derby, Europe’s best three-year-old of 2012 on a mark of 124. Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon (6h Montjeu-Green Noon, by Green Tune) was jointly the world’s leading stayer.