DON Cossack has been confirmed as the highest rated jumps horse of the 2014/15 season in the Anglo-Irish Jump Classifications, published this week by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and the Irish Turf Club.

The Gordon Elliott-trained chaser achieved a rating of 175 in both the three-mile-plus chasing division for his impressive success in the Punchestown Gold Cup, and the two and a half-mile chasing division for his rout of the field in the Melling Chase at Aintree. His rating of 175 puts him level with the likes of Best Mate and Kicking King in the pantheon of great chasers since the commencement of the Classifications, and marginally ahead of See More Business and last year’s champion Silviniaco Conti, who both achieved a rating of 174. However, despite this impressive achievement, 2014/15 may be better remembered for the exploits of the novice chasing division, where the previous record rating was smashed not once but twice in the space of two days at the Cheltenham Festival.

First, the Willie Mullins-trained Vautour’s visually impressive demolition of the JLT Novices’ Chase field earned him a mark of 171 in the two and a half-mile novice chase division, surpassing the previous record novice rating achieved by Sprinter Sacre (169) in the two-mile division in 2011/’12.

Then, the very next day Coneygree became the first novice to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup for 41 years, and in doing so earned a rating of 172, making him champion three-mile-plus novice chaser and surpassing Vautour’s new and short-lived record.

These were not the only impressive novice chase performances however, as earlier in a memorable Cheltenham Festival another Willie Mullins-trained chaser had earned a mark which would see him top a novice chasing division, this time in the two-mile chasing category. Un De Sceaux’s scintillating Arkle success earned him a rating of 168, only 1lb behind Sprinter Sacre’s old record, making him at that time the second-highest rated novice chaser of all time, until the exploits of Vautour and Coneygree knocked him down that pecking order.

A further Mullins-trained superstar in the form of Faugheen comfortably topped the Hurdle Classifications with the 174 rating he achieved via his eight-length destruction of the two-mile Hurdle Classification runner-up Arctic Fire (169) in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle. His mark of 174 puts him behind only Istabraq (176) and Hurricane Fly (175) since the introduction of the Classifications, but there may yet be more to come from the 11-time winner considering he is only seven years of age and as yet unbeaten.

Douvan tops

There were more impressive novice performances in the Hurdling category, with yet another Mullins-trained and Rich Ricci-owned star Douvan topping the two-mile division with a rating of 161 achieved in the Champion Novice Hurdle (two miles) at Punchestown. This is the joint-highest mark for a two-mile novice hurdler since the Classifications began, an honour he shares with none other than Faugheen – as well as Jezki and Our Conor – in what is surely a golden age for novice hurdlers coming out of Ireland, and in particular the Mullins yard.

The two and a half-mile-plus Novice Hurdlers were also topped by a Mullins-trained star in the form of Nichols Canyon whose seven-length success in the Champion Novice Hurdle (two and a half miles) at Punchestown earned him a mark of 155.

The Irish domination of the hurdling division was completed by Jezki who earned a mark for 169 for his successful switch up in trip as he overcame old rival Hurricane Fly in the three-mile Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle at Punchestown.

Phil Smith, Head of Handicapping for the BHA, said: “Like all racing enthusiasts, I am already looking forward to next season given the high level of performances that we recorded over the last 12 months. If Don Cossack (175), Coneygree (172), Vautour (171), Djakadam (170), Road To Riches (168) and Don Poli (163) all turn up fit and well at Cheltenham Gold Cup next March what a race it will be. Who is to say that Don Poli will not improve past them all and have become the best Anglo-Irish chaser this time next year?

“On the hurdling front the Irish are undoubtedly enjoying a purple-patch at the moment, and producing some quality prospects, especially their novices, but they may not have it all their own way next year as there are some exciting British prospects too, especially the trio trained by Nicky Henderson who filled the first three places in the Triumph Hurdle in taking fashion.”

Noel O’Brien, Senior Turf Club National Hunt Handicapper, said: “It was an exciting year with huge performances from the novices in particular. I don’t remember a time when the likes of Coneygree, Vautour, Un Des Sceaux and Don Poli all raced in the same season and there are exciting times ahead from all of these horses.

“Over hurdles, the hugely progressive Faugheen claimed his first Champion Hurdle and confirmed his class with an emphatic win at Punchestown – it is ironic that his biggest challengers next year could be in his own stable.”