Events / Joe Dyer / 30 September 2009 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet View Market

Outstanding colt is rated 7lb ahead of Arc field...

The comment for Sea The Stars which will appear in the Timeform Race Card for Longchamp on Sunday concludes with "an outstanding colt, one of the best of all time" and the Halifax organisation are confident that John Oxx's dual Classic winner can live up to that billing in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Sea The Stars is rated 7lb ahead of Fame And Glory, who chased him home at Leopardstown, and a further 3lb ahead of the pick of the older brigade, King George winner Conduit.

Kieran Packman, Timeform's spokesman, commented: "We are well aware that we've taken a bold view of Sea The Stars' merit with his current master rating of 140, which puts him on the same level as greats such as Dancing Brave and Shergar.

"We are confident, though, that the depth of his form and his performances on the clock warrant that accolade at this stage of his career. We, like all racing fans, are hoping he can put up a performance on Sunday that confirms he deserves his place amongst such exalted names.

"On ratings, it certainly looks his race to lose and, though the prospect of a big field potentially complicates matters, Sea The Stars has a most relaxed disposition and has proved tactically versatile to date. He should prove extremely hard to beat.

"An impressive success would throw up the exciting possibility that his rating would not only be confirmed at 140, but could be even higher, taking him into the realms of Brigadier Gerard (144), our highest-rated horse since 1970, and Sea Bird II (145), Timeform's leading Flat horse since our ratings were established over 60 years ago."

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - Timeform Ratings (weight-adjusted)

SEA THE STARS 149
FAME AND GLORY 142
CONDUIT 139
VISION D'ETAT 137
GETAWAY 136
SARISKA 135
STACELITA 135
DAR RE MI 131
ALPINE ROSE 131
YOUMZAIN 130
CAVALRYMAN 128
MAGADAN 127
HOT SIX 126
GRAND DUCAL 125
BEHESHTAM 124
LA BOUM 123
THE BOGBERRY 122
JOHANN ZOFFANY 120
TANGASPEED 120
STEELE TANGO 118
SET SAIL 113
TULLAMORE 112

Highest Timeform Ratings since 1970

BRIGADIER GERARD 144
MILL REEF 141
DUBAI MILLENNIUM 140
DANCING BRAVE 140
SEA THE STARS 140
SHERGAR 140

Highest Timeform Ratings of all-time

SEA BIRD II 145
BRIGADIER GERARD, TUDOR MINSTREL 144
ABERNANT, RIBOT, WINDY CITY 142
MILL REEF 141
DANCING BRAVE, DUBAI MILLENIUM, SEA THE STARS, SHERGAR VAGUELY NOBLE 140

Tags: Dancing Brave, Fame And Glory, Kieran Packman, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Sea The Stars, Shergar