Galileo rated inferior to Sinndar

Dual Derby winner Galileo has been rated inferior to his predecessor as Europen Champion three-year-old, Sinndar.

Both horses claimed victory in the Vodafone and Budweiser Irish Derbys, but Sinndar also added the Prix de l`Arc de Triomphe to his haul.

Galileo has been given a rating of 129 in the International Classifications announced today. And that is 3lb less than the Aga Khan`s champion three-year-old colt of 2000.

But Galileo, trained by the remarkable Aidan O`Brien, did prove himself to be something special last summer by winning his two Derbys at Epsom and the Curragh before outgunning Fantastic Light by two lengths in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July.

Those victories were enough to make him king among Europe`s three-year-olds.

Galileo is not the highest-rated three-year-old colt of 2001. That distinction goes to the American star Point Given, who has been handed a rating of 130.

Bob Baffert`s charge listed two legs of the American Triple Crown - the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes - among his six successes last term until a leg injury forced his premature retirement.

O`Brien has two other horses in the three-year-old top 10, Milan and Mozart, who are both given a rating of 125.

Milan earned star treatment by winning the Rothmans Royals St Leger and then running Fantastic Light to three-quarters of a length in the Breeders` Cup Turf.

Mozart proved himself champion sprinter in Europe with Group One victories in the Darley July Cup and the Victor Chandler Nunthorpe Stakes.

Godolphin`s Sakhee is the undisputed champion among the older horses with a rating of 133 - 4lb more than his stable companion Fantastic Light.

Sakhee, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, had finished runner-up to Sinndar in the 2000 Vodafone Derby before an injury cut short his season.

However, he made a sensational return to action with brilliant victories in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York by seven lengths fromGrandera and the Prix de l`Arc de Triomphe-Lucien Barriere at Longchamp, by six lengths from Aquarelliste.

And he even enhanced his reputation in the Breeders` Cup Classic despite being beaten a nose by the American ace Tiznow in his first race on dirt.

Tiznow, who had overcome Giant`s Causeway in the same race 12 months earlier, is rated 128 - 1lb more than in 2000.

Fantastic Light comes out 1lb ahead of Tiznow thanks to a rating of 129, 5lb better than his 2000 figure.

The five-year-old enjoyed yet another remarkable campaign which culminated in his victory in the Breeders` Cup Turf and saw him being crowned Emirates World Series champion for the second successive year.

130
Point Given - Bob Baffert (USA)

129
Galileo - Aidan O`Brien (Ireland)

128
Squirtle Squirt - Bobby Frankel (USA)

125
Kurofune - Kunihide Matsuda (Japan)
Milan - Aidan O`Brien (Ireland)
Monarchos - John Ward (USA)
Mozart - Aidan O`Brien (Ireland)

124
Storming Home - Barry Hills (England)

123
Banks Hill - Andre Fabre (France)
Congaree - Bob Baffert (USA)
Jungle Pocket - Sakae Watanabe (Japan)
Noverre - Saeed bin Suroor (Dubai)

133
Sakhee - Saeed bin Suroor (Dubai)

129
Fantastic Light - Saeed bin Suroor (Dubai)

128
Tiznow - Jay Robbins (USA)

127
Delaware Township - Benjamin Perkins (USA)
Kona Gold - Bruce Headley (USA)

125
Albert The Great - Nick Zito (USA)
Slickly - Saeed bin Suroor (Dubai)

124
Aptitude - Bobby Frankel (USA)
Bienamado - Paco Gonzalez (USA)
Caller One - James Chapman (USA)
Hightori - Philippe Demercastel (France)
Lido Palace - Bobby Frankel (USA)
Val Royal - Julio Canani (USA)