Anyone who has taken the time to check out my Unofficial Harness Racing Power Rankings (my completely unofficial name for the best horses in the game) will know I love a list.

I mean, who doesn’t!?!

Usually the power rankings are reserved for the best of the best - the open class stars who win a Miracle Mile or a Hunter Cup or a New Zealand Cup, but I’m changing tact for this list and - due largely to a pair of needy twins - the list has been cut back from 10 to an elite five.

This bunch of standardbreds are the ‘it’ horses of today. Those who are in the midst of their stardom and will own the headlines for the next 12 months.

Basically, we’ve lined up every horse in Australasia and picked out the top five … just like we did when picking our school footy team for lunch time at primary school.

Prestige and prize money are the overriding factors, as well as picking my mark and capitalising on some of the juvenile riches. 

Here are the five horses - of any age or sex - who I’d most like to own for the upcoming 12 months

KING OF SWING: Belinda McCarthy, New South Wales

Given the ability to turn back time, there’s no doubt whatsoever that King of Swing would be the No. 1 go-to horse, even over Lochinvar Art for the past 12 months. Arty has beaten 'The King’ but the McCarthy entire has won almost $700,000 in just five runs this season. Add that to the $1.1 million  he won the season before and we are talking serious turkey.

He's peeled off back-to-back Miracle Miles and you can throw in a Hunter Cup and Blacks A Fake and you’ll understand why the dollars earned are sky high.

For those who are not driven by earning big cheques but more so by winning prestigious races, King Of Swing has won Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland’s biggest races, so he has that aspect covered, and due to COVID has not had the chance to take a swing at an Inter Dominion. Hopefully his chance will come this December.

Moving forward, there’s no reason why the strapping son of Rocknroll Hanover cannot continue on his winning ways. Wolf Stride, Mach Shard, Self Assured, Spankem and hopefully Lochinvar Art may stand as road blocks but - soundness aside - everything is again there for the taking for King of Swing.

King of Swing may not race as much as some others you can take home for a year but every time he steps onto a race track his owners are competing for a piece of Group glory with a big old cheque attached for the winner!

TOUGH TILLY: Emma Stewart, Victoria

Make no mistake, last season I was all aboard the Ladies In Red train and I still believe she’s the superior filly, but injury has struck that brilliant youngster while Tough Tilly continues to race and perform just as her name suggests.

There are plenty of horses who will win bigger races than what Tilly may in the upcoming 12 months but as a three-year-old filly she has a smorgasbord of riches ahead of her including the Victorian and NSW Oaks, Vicbred Super Series and Breeders Crown. She’s also likely to be hot favourite for the upcoming APG Final.

Tough Tilly races for a magnificent cause, adding to the story and making each and every win that much more special.

EXPENSIVE EGO: Belinda McCarthy, New South Wales

After seeing him live at Tabcorp Park Melton for the 4YO Bonanza, I was far from sold on this fella. Even as others (namely The Forum’s very own Adam Hamilton) declared him a moral for the Chariots Of Fire, I still had the sketchy Bonanza performance ringing in my ears.

But, as gun horses do, Expensive Ego strolled up outside Zeuss Bromac and outclassed him to be crowned Chariots Of Fire champ. Expensive Ego rubber-stamped that effort with a second-placing to stable mate King of Swing in the Miracle Mile as a four-year-old. He’s a demon on the big track at Menangle and is much improved on smaller circuits.

Moving forward, the son of Rocknroll Heaven will likely play second fiddle whenever he meets King of Swing but you’d have to think that gap is closing quick. The McCarthy team brought Ego down for some track work at Melton, which just happened to be the $210,000 Pacing Gold Final for four-year-olds. He absolutely jogged around Melton - allaying any fears about smaller tracks than Menangle for gooses like me - in a sizzling 1:52.1.

His upcoming targets would be The Rising Sun, among others, during the warm Queensland winter carnival. Expensive Ego is the all-in favourite for that race and is among the top picks for the Blacks A Fake and ID21. He’s entering the sweet spot of his racing career.

BAD TO THE BONE: Barry Pardon and Scott Phelan, New Zealand

A somewhat left-field selection as he’s yet to win a really big race but the talent is undeniable and he’s been handled superbly by Barry Pardon and Scott Phelan as well as a successful stint in Sydney with the Fitzpatrick stable.

After acclimatising to Menangle’s unique style of racing, the four-year-old peeled off four from five in scintillating fashion. He looks a remarkable staying type but that trip to Menangle added some real speed to his arsenal.

Upon returning home to NZ, Bad To The Bone ran back-to-back second placings to Copy That despite sitting parked on both occasions, with both races being Group 1s.

Having already travelled, we know the horse will cop racing on either side of the Tasman, which is a crucial asset for horses looking to cash in on the big races. Beating Copy That in the upcoming Jewels will be a tall task and perhaps Copy That is the horse who could be on this list, but I love the upside I see when I look at Bad To The Bone.

There are so many options for this gelding. He’s entering the prime of his career as a four-year-old, has tasted the elite competition but is still 87 on the national rating system so, worst case, he’s a horse who could earn plenty winning race after race on the Victorian Country Cup scene, but I think there are much much bigger things in store - perhaps even a New Zealand Cup in early November.

JUMPINGJACKMAC: Gary Hall Sr, Western Australia

There are a handful of supremely talented horses over in the west but Jumpingjackmac may be the one with the most upside. Magnificent Storm took my eye, but injury has him sidelined, so there’s no point selecting a horse when it’s immediate racing future is uncertain.

Jumpingjackmac was a gallant runner-up in the recent WA Derby, running on well despite copping plenty of pressure from Lavra Joe in the breeze.

It’s unlikely we’ll see him east anytime soon, however there is more than enough worth winning over in the west. A Golden Nugget campaign with the likelihood of tackling the WA and Fremantle Cups could be an aim as a four-year-old with so much untapped ability.

Honourable mentions:

Copy That: Arguably the next horse in with so much ahead. Can he overcome the might of the Hayden Cullen runners in NZ’s major races?

Wolf Stride: A genuine heir to the throne currently being claimed by King of Swing and Lochinvar Art when healthy.

Bettor Twist: A brutal filly who has everything of her age and sex on her racquet.

General Dodge: Only injury holds him out. But, until we see them tested against the elite, you just never know.

Western Sonador: Anointed way too soon but has clear and obvious Group 1 potential. Could peel off some of the major country cups next season.

True Fantasy: Seemingly New Zealand’s premier two-year-old filly with many many riches ahead across the next two racing seasons.

And, finally, my unnamed yearling from the recent APG sales, who is a champion until he proves otherwise!

 

The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.