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A look at the horses who returned the highest-rating performances for 2022
With the curtain coming down on 2022, it's time to look back on the year that was and recognise the star performers of the year that was.
In the first of a number of articles recapping the year, we look at 2022's top-rating Group 1 winners and the sires that produced them.
Despite defeats at his final two starts for the year, it will come as no surprise that Nature Strip, a son of Widden Stud's Nicconi, returned the highest Timeform rating by an Australian-trained racehorse in 2022.
That peak rating of 131 came in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot but this list is dealing with performances on Australian tracks and the Chris Waller-trained star still comes out on top.
That's thanks to his T J Smith Stakes (1200m) romp at Randwick, which earned him a Timeform rating of 130.
That figure was four pounds higher than the next-highest number recorded by an Australian-trained horse in a Group 1 win, with Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) and Anamoe (Street Boss) sharing second placing on 126.
Home Affairs' rating was returned in the Black Caviar Lightning (1000m), in which he narrowly defeated Nature Strip, while Anamoe's 126 was recorded in the Cox Plate.
That was one of five Group 1 wins in 2022 for the James Cummings-trained Anamoe, the most by any Australian horse for the year, and he also rated 125 in both the Rosehill Guineas (2000m), Winx Stakes (1400m) and The Might And Power (2000m) and 122 in the George Main Stakes (1600m).
Gold Trip (Outstrip) was the only other horse to go to 125 to win a Group 1 race in 2022, achieving that in the Melbourne Cup (3200m).
I'm Thunderstruck (Shocking) and Think It Over (So You Think) went 124 in their Group 1 wins, the best of Alligator Blood's (All Too Hard) two Group 1 wins was his Underwood Stakes (1800m) success in 123, the same mark recorded by Converge (Frankel) in the Randwick Guineas (1600m).
Montefilia (Kermadec), Mazu (Maurice) and Cascadian (New Approach) all went 122 to win Group 1 races, meaning the top-rating 11 individual Group 1 winners were all by different sires.
I Am Invincible also had Marabi, who was one of three who returned a 121 peak winning Group 1 figure, and the Yarraman Park stallion had more individual Group 1 winners than any other sire.
In addition to Home Affairs and Marabi, I Am Invincible also had In Secret (120 in Coolmore Stud Stakes) and Lombardo (117 in The Goodwood).
So You Think was the next most prolific with three, freakishly coming on the same day, Day 2 of The Championships at Randwick when Think It Over won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Knights Order won the Sydney Cup in 117 and Nimalee went 114 to win the Queen Of The Turf.
All Too Hard, Kermadec, Maurice, Shamus Award and Tarzino the others who had multiple Group 1 winners in 2022.
TOP-RATING GROUP 1 WINNERS FOR 2022
130 NATURE STRIP (Nicconi x Strikeline) – T J Smith Stakes
126 ANAMOE (Street Boss x Anamato) – Cox Plate
HOME AFFAIRS (I Am Invincible x Miss Interiors) – Black Caviar Lightning
125 GOLD TRIP (Outstrip x Sarvana) – Melbourne Cup
124 I'M THUNDERSTRUCK (Shocking x Primadonna Girl) – Makybe Diva Stakes
THINK IT OVER (So You Think x Personal Service) – Queen Elizabeth Stakes
123 CONVERGE (Frankel x Conversely) – Randwick Guineas
ALLIGATOR BLOOD (All Too Hard x Lake Superior) – Underwood Stakes
122 CASCADIAN (New Approach x Falls Of Lora) – All Aged Stakes
MAZU (Maurice x Chatelaine) – Doomben 10,000
MONTEFILIA (Kermadec x Bana Wu) – Ranvet Stakes
121 MARABI (I Am Invincible x Nakaaya) – Oakleigh Plate
PAULELE (Dawn Approach v Chatoyant) – Winterbottom Stakes
ZAAKI (Leroidesanimaux x Kesara) – Champions Stakes
120 BELLA NIPOTINA (Pride Of Dubai x Bella Orfana) – Manikato Stakes
DUAIS (Shamus Award x Meerlust) – Tancred Stakes
HITOTSU (Maurice x Love Is Fickle) – Australian Guineas
IN SECRET (I Am Invincible x Eloping) – Coolmore Stud Stakes
JACQUINOT (Rubick x Ponterro) – Golden Rose
TOP RANKED (Dark Angel x Countess Ferrama) – Epsom Handicap
