Paulele's Winterbottom Stakes win not only secured his future on Sheikh Mohammed's stallion roster, it also secured the son of Dawn Approach a spot in the top thee of November's highest-rated performers.
The James Cummings-trained four-year-old earned a Timeform rating of 121 for his last-to-first victory in the 1200-metre Group 1 at Ascot, which was the equal third-highest mark returned for the month.
The only two better were Gold Trip, the son of Outstrip who went 125 to win the Melbourne Cup, and All Too Hard's Group 1 Champions Mile-winning son Alligator Blood (122).
Zaaki (Leroidesanimaux) was the only other 121-rated winner, doing so in the Group 1 Champions Stakes, while the two to be assessed at 121 in defeat were Melbourne Cup fourth placegetter Deauville Legend (Sea The Stars) and Champions Mile runner-up Tuvalu (Kermadec).
Ellsberg (Spill The Beans) was the next highest-rated winner for November, going 120 to win the inaugural running of the Five Diamonds (1800m), while Champions Stakes placegetters Mo'Unga (Savabeel) and Hezashocka (Shocking) earned that mark in defeat.
Twenty-one horses rated at least 110 in victory during November, including the month's other Group 1 winners Roch 'N' Horse (Per Incanto, 116), Trix Of The Trade (Trade Fair, 112) and She's Extreme (Extreme Choice, 111), while 79 horses ran to at least 110 in total.
Kiwi super-stallion Savabeel was the only stallion who had multiple 110-plus rated winners, Group 3 Eclipse Stakes winner Milford and Group 2 Matriarch Stakes winner Atishu, and was the only horse to have at least three rated above 110 for the month, the other being Savabeel.
NOVEMBER'S TOP-RATERS
125 GOLD TRIP (Outstrip) – 1st Melbourne Cup
122 ALLIGATOR BLOOD (All Too Hard) – 1st Champions Mile
121 PAULELE (Dawn Approach) – 1st Winterbottom Stakes
121 ZAAKI (Leroidesanimaux) – 1st Champions Stakes
121 TUVALU (Kermadec) – 2nd Champions Mile
121 DEAUVILLE LEGEND (Sea The Stars) – 4th Melbourne Cup
120 ELLSBERG (Spill The Beans) – 1st Five Diamonds
120 MO'UNGA (Savabeel) – 2nd Champions Stakes
120 HEZASHOCKA (Shocking) – 3rd Champions Stakes
119 VILANA (Hallowed Crown) – 1st The Hunter
119 NATURE STRIP (Nicconi) – 2nd Champions Sprint
119 MR BRIGHTSIDE (Bullbars) – 3rd Campions Mile
119 BALLER (High Chaparral) – 3rd Champions Sprint
TOP-RATED WINNERS
125 GOLD TRIP (Outstrip) – Melbourne Cup
122 ALLIGATOR BLOOD (All Too Hard) – Champions Mile
121 PAULELE (Dawn Approach) – Winterbottom Stakes
121 ZAAKI (Leroidesanimaux) – Champions Stakes
120 ELLSBERG (Spill The Beans) – Five Diamonds
119 VILANA (Hallowed Crown) – The Hunter
116 ROCH 'N' HORSE (Per Incanto) – Champions Sprint
115 SOULCOMBE (Frankel) – Queen's Cup
115 BANKER'S CHOICE (Mongolian Khan) – Ballarat Cup
115 MAROCCHINO (Maschino) – Scahill Cup
115 VOW AND DECLARE (Declaration Of War) – Zipping Classic
114 NUGGET (Siyouni) – Kembla Grange BM88 Hcp
114 JOYFUL FORTUNE (Nicconi) – Century Stakes
