Racelab Reveals the Top 10 Horse Racing Performances of the Season Worldwide

Racelab’s Matt Collum has taken a close look at the top performances across the globe using their ratings system.

To learn more about Racelab, please click here.

RACELAB Performance Ratings standardise horse performances across the world. The Performance Rating reflects actual horse performance and typically may be more volatile than official handicap ratings. The RACELAB rating scale has origins in the HKJC race classification system.

The comparative RACELAB ratings range is outlined below. The below performance racing guide gives an indication as to the rating required to reach each benchmark:

Top 10 Horse Racing Performances of the 2026 Season by Racelab Ratings

#1
Ka Ying Rising Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (Hong Kong)
Racelab Rating: 114.3
Produced the highest-rated Group 1 performance of the 2025/26 season with a breathtaking display of sustained speed and acceleration. Travelling comfortably throughout before putting the race beyond doubt in the closing stages, he defeated Hong Kong’s best sprinters with authority and further strengthened his position as the world’s premier sprint performer.

#2
Ka Ying Rising Centenary Sprint Cup (Hong Kong)
Racelab Rating: 114.0
Completed a clean sweep of Hong Kong’s premier sprint races with another commanding performance against elite international opposition. His ability to sustain such an exceptional level across an entire campaign highlighted his remarkable consistency and cemented his reputation as one of the finest sprinters of the modern era.

#3
Ka Ying Rising Chairman’s Sprint Prize (Hong Kong)
Racelab Rating: 113.8
Ka Ying Rising produced another extraordinary performance to stamp himself as the world’s leading sprinter, cruising behind the leaders before exploding clear over the final 300 metres to defeat Japan’s champion sprinter Satono Reve by 4¼ lengths. Despite being eased down late, he lowered his own 1200-metre course record to 1:07.10 in one of the highest-rated sprint performances of the 2025/26 season.

#4
Daryz Prix Ganay (France)
Racelab Rating: 113.5
Produced a dominant on-speed performance in France’s first major all-aged Group 1 of the season, settling handy before quickening clear when challenged. His victory over a high-class international field marked him as one of Europe’s leading middle-distance horses and provided a significant ratings benchmark for the season.

#5
Ombudsman Prince of Wales’s Stakes (United Kingdom)
Racelab Rating: 113.5
Delivered a career-defining performance at Royal Ascot, overcoming a genuinely run race before unleashing an explosive finishing sprint to defeat an outstanding international field. The strength of the opposition and the authority of his victory established him among the world’s elite 2000-metre performers.

#6
Bay City Roller Coronation Cup (United Kingdom)
Racelab Rating: 113.4
Confirmed his emergence as a genuine world-class middle-distance horse with a commanding victory in the Coronation Cup at Epsom. Producing a sustained finishing effort against proven Group 1 performers, he demonstrated both stamina and acceleration to record one of the highest-rated staying performances of the international season.

#7
Romantic Warrior Hong Kong Gold Cup (Hong Kong)
Racelab Rating: 113.2
Added another elite performance to an already outstanding career with a trademark display in the Hong Kong Gold Cup. Travelling strongly throughout before quickening decisively at the top of the straight, he comfortably accounted for quality opposition and once again showcased his remarkable consistency at the highest level over 2000 metres.

#8
Sir Delius Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Australia)
Racelab Rating: 112.7

This was a proper weight-for-age “power horse” performance, and one of the most complete G1 wins of the Australian season so far. Sir Delius didn’t win it by sitting cold and sprinting past them, he won it by surviving a brutally run 2000m and still finishing best of the race when it mattered.

#9
Bow Echo 2000 Guineas (United Kingdom)
Racelab Rating: 112.6
Announced himself as Europe’s outstanding three-year-old miler with an exceptional victory in the 2000 Guineas. Displaying tactical versatility, balance and a powerful finishing burst, he defeated a deep Classic field in a performance that suggested significant improvement still lay ahead.

#10
Nysos Metropolitan Handicap (United States)
Racelab Rating: 112.5
Returned to his brilliant best with a dominant display in one of North America’s premier dirt mile events. Travelling powerfully throughout before asserting in the straight, he defeated a quality field to record one of the strongest dirt performances of the season and reaffirm his standing among America’s elite older horses.

The next 10 best performances of the 2026 Season

#1 Opera Ballo – Jebel Hatta (Dubai)

Racelab Rating: 112.2
Opera Ballo showcased his international quality with an impressive victory in the Jebel Hatta, travelling smoothly throughout before quickening clear in the straight. His performance marked him as an emerging force among the world’s leading turf middle-distance horses.

#2 Calandagan – Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (France)

Racelab Rating: 111.9
Calandagan produced one of Europe’s standout staying performances of the season when successfully defending his Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud crown. Settling towards the rear before unleashing a powerful finishing burst, he swept past a quality field to become the first gelding to win the race twice, stamping him as one of the world’s premier 2400-metre performers.

#3 Forever Young – Saudi Cup (Saudi Arabia)

Racelab Rating: 111.6
Forever Young delivered an elite international dirt performance in the Saudi Cup, overcoming a high-pressure race against a world-class field before finishing strongly to prevail. The victory showed why he’s one of the world’s premier dirt horses.

#4 Autumn Glow – George Ryder Stakes (Australia)

Racelab Rating: 111.5
Autumn Glow maintained her unbeaten record with an outstanding weight-for-age victory in the George Ryder Stakes. Travelling comfortably throughout before accelerating decisively in the straight, she defeated an elite field of older horses and further enhanced her reputation as one of Australia’s leading middle-distance performers.

#5 I Am Maximus – Grand National (United Kingdom)

Racelab Rating: 111.4
I Am Maximus delivered a remarkable staying performance to claim a second Grand National, carrying a significant weight over Aintree’s demanding course. His ability to absorb relentless pressure throughout the race before proving strongest in the closing stages highlighted both his toughness and exceptional stamina.

#6 Scandinavia – Gold Cup (Royal Ascot, United Kingdom)

Racelab Rating: 111.3
Scandinavia announced himself as Europe’s leading stayer with a commanding victory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. He wore down the defending champion over the marathon distance and stayed on relentlessly to secure one of the season’s most impressive staying performances.

#7 True Love – 1000 Guineas (United Kingdom)

Racelab Rating: 111.2
True Love produced a high-class Classic-winning display in the 1000 Guineas, overcoming a large and talented field with a sustained finishing run. Her performance demonstrated both class and versatility, establishing her among the best three-year-old fillies of the European season.

#8 White Abarrio – Oaklawn Handicap (United States)

Racelab Rating: 111.1
White Abarrio returned to his best with an authoritative victory in the Oaklawn Handicap, overcoming a strong pace before finishing powerfully against quality older opposition. The performance confirmed his place among North America’s leading dirt performers.

#9 Aeliana – Tancred Stakes (Australia)

Racelab Rating: 111.0
Aeliana produced a career-best performance in the Tancred Stakes, displaying outstanding stamina to defeat a quality weight-for-age field over 2400 metres. She sustained a long finishing run to claim her first major staying success and establish herself among Australia’s leading stayers.

#10 Joliestar – Canterbury Stakes (Australia)

Racelab Rating: 111.0
Joliestar produced a brilliant effort in the Canterbury Stakes, settling comfortably before displaying an explosive turn of foot to defeat a quality sprinting field. Her acceleration and dominance against proven Group 1 performers made it one of Australia’s standout sprint performances of the season.