Sinndar rated the best

The double Derby and Arc winner Sinndar is officially the best horse trained in Ireland in almost a decade.

The International Classifications for 2000 released yesterday had Irish-trained horses rated tops in a remarkable five categories including the champion two-year-old Minardi.

However, it is the 132 rating handed to Sinndar that makes him the world's top three-year-old and the highest-rated Irish racehorse since St Jovite (135) won the Irish Derby and King George in 1992.

Sinndar's trainer, John Oxx, also had the champion sprinter in the Prix de l'Abbaye winner Namid (127) which crowned a memorable year for the Curragh trainer.

"Sinndar was the best I've trained, particularly at the time he won the Arc. Towards the end he was a machine, almost unbeatable. I think in October he would have won a top race at any distance," Oxx said yesterday.

"We always felt Namid had it in him to be a champion sprinter but as a three-year-old things did not go right for him. This year everything went well and he turned into a smashing horse. It was great that on one day in a Group One race he showed what he could do. In fact he won easing up because Johnny (Murtagh) told me afterwards he mistook the winning post!" Oxx added.

Officially the best horse who raced in the world last year was Dubai Millenium (134) but although Giant's Causeway (127) is rated 5lb inferior to Sinndar, if equal to the Breeders' Cup winner Tiznow and the Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, Aidan O'Brien still rates the five-times Group One winner the best he has trained.

"There's no doubt Giant's Causeway was the best I've had. He had everything. What did he lack? He might not have won by far but if he had, he wouldn't have been able to run as many times in the top races," O'Brien said. "Handicap ratings are just a matter of opinion." The 2000 international classifications confirm what has been possibly the most successful racing year ever enjoyed by horses trained in this country. Not since 1977 when Vincent O'Brien trained Alleged and The Minstrel has Ireland had such an international profile and as regards the upcoming classic season, the indications are again promising.

The double Group One winner Minardi is the highest rated two-year-old of last season, his 123 putting him 2lb ahead of the Frenchtrained Okawango with the Dewhurst winner, Tobougg, on 120 and the 2,000 Guineas and Derby ante-post favourite, Nayef, on 119.

O'Brien, who again dominated the home juvenile scene with every one of the top 10-rated Irish two-year-olds trained from Ballydoyle, said yesterday: "When a horse has as much speed as Minardi has you can never be certain he will stay but he settles well and I'm hopeful he will get a mile. I'm not sure if he will have a race before the Guineas. It will depend on how he and the others thrive over the next couple of months."

However, the omens are less than hopeful for the horse classed as the top two-year-old as 11 of the last 19 have not scored at Group One level the following year.

O'Brien also had the top juvenile last year in Fasliyev who couldn't race at three because of injury.