Victorian-bred champion Black Caviar and France’s Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve share top billing on the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ (IFHA) rankings for 2013.

The now-retired Black Caviar achieved a 130 rating twice last year, first going 1000m in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington on February 16 and again in her final outing in Randwick’s T J Smith Stakes on April 13.

Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) was born at Rick Jamieson’s Nagambie based Gilgai Farm on August 18 in 2006.  She is now in foal to Exceed and Excel.

The then three-year-old filly Treve, winner of the French Oaks earlier in the season, was assigned a 130 rating for her runaway five-length Arc score for owner Sheikh Joaan al Thani and trainer Criquette Head-Maarek.

It marks the first time since the commencement of the International Classifications in 1977 that the top two-rated horses in the world have both been female, and the first time a southern hemisphere-based horse has topped the rankings.

Reigning American Horse of the Year Wise Dan’s repeat victory in the Woodbine Mile tied with former Japanese Horse of the Year Orfevre’s 8 length decimation of the Arima Kinen as the second-best performances in the world last year at a rating of 129.

It was another dead-heat for third, with Lord Kanaloa’s authoritative repeat victory in the Hong Kong Sprint deemed the equal of Novellist’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth II Stakes victory at 128.

Five performances were ranked 125 – Animal Kingdom (Dubai World Cup); Mucho Macho Man (Breeders’ Cup Classic); Toronado (Sussex Stakes) and Olympic Glory (Queen Elizabeth II Stakes).

“The global nature of our sport is mirrored directly in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings,” IFHA co-chairman Garry O’Gorman said.  “For 2013, no less than 20 countries are represented, and the Top 10 racehorses in the world are equally diverse, being comprised of four horses trained in Europe, three in North America, two horses in Asia and one in Australia.”