Each week, Daniel O’Sullivan delivers a comprehensive analysis of the top performers from The Rating Bureau’s Weight-For-Age (WFA) Performance Ratings across various categories. This week, the spotlight is on Tempted, who has announced herself as one of Australia’s premier sprinters with a commanding 104 rating win in the Group 2 Run To The Rose.
Tempted’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. Raging Force set a brisk pace early on, but it was Tempted’s ability to accelerate between the 400m and 100m marks that truly showcased her exceptional talent. The competitors ahead of her lacked the class to maintain their speed, and those trailing couldn’t match Tempted’s explosive turn of foot.
Contextualizing Tempted’s Performance
To place Tempted’s achievement in context, only Joliestar’s 105 in the Newmarket has rated higher among open-age sprinters in 2025. Other notable performances include Briasa’s 103.8 in the G1 TJ Smith and Private Harry’s 102.3 in the G1 Galaxy.
“Tempted’s 104 rating in the G2 Run To The Rose is among the highest for sprinters this year, second only to Joliestar’s 105 in the Newmarket.”
This development follows a series of impressive performances across the board. Autumn Boy, for instance, improved upon his previous 97.4 peak to achieve a 100.4 rating, finishing second to his stablemate Sixties in the G3 Ming Dynasty. Importantly, he gave 3.5kg to the winner, underscoring his superior weight-adjusted rating.
Rising Stars and Established Champions
Meanwhile, Autumn Glow continues to build her reputation as a future Group 1 star. Her 104 rating win in the G2 Theo Marks Stakes, characterized by fast overall times and strong closing sectionals, positions her well for the G1 Epsom Handicap. Her potential remains untapped, making her journey exciting to watch.
Manaal, despite a below-par autumn, rebounded with a 98.5 rating in the G2 Sheraco Stakes, matching her career peak from her G1 Sires’ Produce win as a two-year-old.
In another noteworthy performance, Mr Brightside controlled the G1 Makybe Diva Stakes at a slow tempo before sprinting home in a remarkable last 600m to secure his 10th Group 1 win. The race, run at a near barrier-trial tempo, posed challenges in assessment due to the extreme slow pace.
“Mr Brightside ran +11.1L above standard for his final 600m, aligning with his best autumn figure of 101.9.”
Assessing the Competition
Those chasing Mr Brightside, including Aeliana, Via Sistina, and Antino, were similarly limited by the slow tempo. Despite this, Antino’s +11.9 carried significant merit, suggesting potential for future races.
Juja Kibo, better positioned this time, produced a strong sprint to achieve a new peak rating of 97, a significant improvement from his previous best of 91.3.
Revelare secured his Melbourne Cup spot with a win in the G3 Archer Stakes, lifting his peak from 95 to 96.2. As an Australian-bred, owned, and trained horse, Revelare represents the type of competitor many hope to see excel in the Cup. Although his current ratings are below the typical threshold for competitiveness, his potential is evident.
“Revelare’s last five starts have lacked early pace, turning into sprints, conditions that don’t favor true stayers.”
Looking Ahead
Revelare’s future performances, particularly in genuinely run races at 2400m or longer, will provide a clearer indication of his Melbourne Cup credentials. His consistent winning streak—seven out of his last eight—suggests untapped potential.
As the racing season progresses, the performances of these horses will be closely monitored. The WFA Performance Ratings provide a valuable tool for understanding and comparing these performances across different contexts.
Understanding WFA Performance Ratings
WFA Performance Ratings (WPRs) are a standardized measure of a horse’s performance, adjusted for weight-for-age to allow direct comparison regardless of age, sex, distance, or time of year. They consider race times, sectional times, margin spread, previous ratings, and weights carried, excluding subjective factors like bad luck or track advantages.
“The point scale per length varies slightly with distance, but generally, two points equate to one length.”
As the racing world continues to evolve, these ratings will remain a crucial aspect of evaluating and predicting the success of racehorses in Australia and beyond.
