The International Classification Committee sent shock waves through the racing world on Monday with their announcement in London of Hawk Wing as the world's highest rated horse of 2003.

NEW YORK - In today's global sporting world, national championship polls usually take on a provincial coloring.

While highlighting the best performers on dirt in a world in which at least 75 percent of the best races are run on turf, the Eclipse Awards exclude much of the cream of the world Thoroughbred crop.

The International Classifications do take into consideration horses from Europe and North America, plus those from Japan and Australia for which handicapping lines can be drawn, but the rating system of its august panel is somewhat suspect.

In the five weeks since Best Mate had finished second in the Peterborough Steeplechase at Huntingdon, his trainer, Henrietta Knight, had been wondering if the 8-year-old gelding had lost a few steps. In Sunday's three-mile Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown in Ireland she got her answer: most definitely not.

Best Mate, sent off at odds-on, took the lead on the final turn and pulled clear of the rest of the field on the final fence, winning by nine lengths over 14-1 Le Coudray, with the 2-1 second choice and defending champion Beef or Salmon third.

Best Mate was absent, but the big prize was still won by his trainer, jockey, and owner - Henrietta Knight, Jim Culloty and Jim Lewis - when Edredon Bleu sprang a 25-1 shocker in the $256,000 Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Friday.

Knight and Lewis decided to re-route Best Mate, their two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup hero and last year's King George winner, to the Ericsson Chase in Ireland on Sunday because the turf at Kempton was considered unsuitable.

Best Mate was rerouted on Monday from a Friday defense of his King George VI Chase title at Kempton Park. He will run instead in the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown in Ireland on Sunday.

In 2003, 49 of the world's 100 richest Thoroughbred flat races were run in Japan, where overall prize money is second to none. While the Dubai World Cup is the richest race on earth, Japan is host to the world's richest turf race, the Japan Cup, and the richest race for 3-year-olds, the Japanese Derby. It also takes first prize with the richest race for 3-year-old fillies, the Japanese Oaks, and the richest one-mile race on any surface, the Japanese 2000 Guineas.

HONG KONG - The shooting star that was Falbrav shone at its most brightly at Sha Tin on Sunday as America's meager hopes of victory were dashed when Denon and Mister Acpen both ran up the track.

After winning the $2.4 million Hong Kong Cup by two lengths from Rakti at 7-10, Falbrav will soon depart for Shadai Farm in Hokkaido where owner Teruya Yoshida hopes the 5-year-old son of Fairy King can replace the recently deceased Japanese champion sire Sunday Silence.

Hong Kong - Falbrav ran according to script at Sha Tin on Sunday, slamming a top class international field to take the $2.4 million Hong Kong Cup with consummate ease while establishing himself as the best ten-furlong horse in the world.

Curtain calls were in order as the 7-10 favorite charged to the lead under Frankie Dettori approaching the furlong pole and cruised to the line two lengths in front of Rakti with Dr More third and Japanese course specialist Eishin Preston fourth.

HONG KONG - Falbrav, a six-time Group 1 winner making the final start of his career, is expected to be in top form at Sha Tin on Sunday when he takes center stage as the odds-on choice in the $2.4 million Hong Kong Cup.

HONG KONG - "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," the axiom goes. But if that is the case, why is the Hong Kong Jockey Club tinkering with its supremely successful, state-of-the-art facility at Sha Tin Racecourse?

Sunday's four Hong Kong International Races, worth a total of $7,728,000 in U.S. currency, will be run with a temporary paddock installed in front of a grandstand that can comfortably accommodate 55,000 people.