A sire's time rating is worked out by averaging all it's progeny's New Zealand runs over the distance in Good to Soft 5 conditions since October 1997. Times run at distances within close proximity are also included. The 1200 metre ratings, for example, include times run at distances between 1000 metres and 1299 metres, with the times rounded up or down to their 1200m equivalent.

1400 metre rating - includes races in the 1300 to 1499 metre range.
1600 metre rating - includes races in the 1500 to 1799 metre range.
2000 metre rating - includes races in the 1800 to 2200 metre range.

All runs where a horse finished more than 15 lengths from the winner are discarded, thus eliminating occasions where a horse is injured or is not ridden out, for whatever reason.

Where a horse wins, the race winning time is used. Where a horse finished 2nd or worse (within 15 lengths of the winner), it's time is calculated from the winning time plus 0.16 seconds per length.

Criteria for a sire to achieve a rating includes :
1) At least 15 individual horses raced in New Zealand over the past 2 years.
2) At least 50 runs over the distance in Good to Soft 5 conditions.

The first Top 50 list for each distance includes all times of all runs. The second list includes only winning runs (instances where a sires progeny has won).

If a sire does not appear on a list, it either does not qualify under the criteria for inclusion as outlined above, or is not one of the top 50 rated. There are over 500 sires that have had progeny racing in NZ over the last 2 years, so to appear anywhere on any of the lists is an achievement in itself.

RaceBase, or anybody associated with the management of RaceBase, has no connection or financial interest in any sire.