NOT surprisingly, Ridgewood Pearl (rated 126), owned by Anne Coughlan, was the outstanding home trained performer last year as reflected in the Irish Classifications. The filly created history by winning four Group One race in four different countries in the same year.

Trained on the Curragh by champion trainer John Oxx, she gained her first Group One win in the Airlie Coolmore Irish 1,000 Guineas, ridden by Christy

Roche, John Murtagh took over riding duties for her three subsequent Group One victories Coronation Stakes (Royal Ascot), Emirates Prix du Moulin (Longchamp) and the Breeders' Cup Mile (Belmont).

In addition to being the highest rated Irish trained horse, she was the top rated turf filly in all age group sin the International Classifications which included Northern America for the first time.

However, there were a few raised eyebrows when Ridgewood Pearl was rated 3lbs inferior to Bahri (rated 129), who defeated a clearly below par filly by six lengths in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

Oxx also trained Timarida (rated 123) who won seven of her eight starts last year, including the Group Two Prix de Opera (Longhamp) and was an impressive winner of the Grade Two E P Taylor Stakes at Woodbine, Canada in October. She was the leading filly in the 9 1/2f to 10 1/2f category in the International Classifications and she was also top rated performer in Canada in 1995.

The third Irish trained international champion was Desert Style (rated 120) who was the top rated three year old sprinter in the International Classifications. Trained in Co Carlow by Jim Bolger, he won three Group Three events, including the Phoenix Sprint at Leopardstown and was narrowly defeated by the Australian trained Monopolize in the Group Two Hong Kong International Bowl in December.

The Group One of Guinness Champion Stakes winner Pentire (rated 125), trained by Geoff Wragg in England, was the top rated in his category. Budweiser Irish Derby winner Winged Love (rated 121), trained in France by Andre Fabre, was the top middle distance performer.

Oscar Schindler, by virtue of his third to Strategic Choice in the Jefferson Smurfit Memorial Irish St Leger, was the leading three year old stayer, while the highest rated three year old miler was the First National Building Society Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Spectrum (rated 120 and trained by Peter Chapple Hyam).

The leading middle distance filly was Michael Stoute's Kildangan Oaks winner Pure Grain (rated 118). The eight year old Vintage Crop, who ran a remarkable race under 9st to at Flemington in November was the leading Irish trained stayer with a rating of 119.

The leading two year old to race in this country was the Neville Callaghan trained Danehill Dancer (rated 120). He won two Group One races here, the Heinz 57 Phoenix Stakes at Leopardstown and the National Stakes at the Curragh. He later finished second to leading European two year old Alhaarth in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

The leading Irish trained colt was Almaty (rated 116), trained by Con Collins for Peter Savill. The pacey juvenile won the Group Three Curragh Stakes and the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood.

The third Irish Group One race, the Moyglare Stud Stake, went to the Jim Bolger trained Priory Belle (rated 110), who shared top spot with Dance Design.