Aidan O'Brien's Mastercraftsman was rated last year's top two-year-old in Europe but his mark of 122 was considerably lower than the one achieved by 2007 champion New Approach in the European Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings.

The previous season's juveniles were generally regarded as an exceptional bunch, with Jim Bolger's subsequent Derby winner hitting the heights of 126, just ahead of Fast Company with an unprecedented five horses rated 120 or more - including the brilliant Raven's Pass.

There are three this time around from a verdict delivered by a collection of handicappers from across the continent who compile the rankings.

Mastercraftsman attained his rating from his Group One victory in the Phoenix Stakes and was ranked 3lb higher than Freddy Head's Naaqoos (119), despite a two-and-a-half-length beating in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere last October.

Senior Irish handicapper Garry O'Gorman said: "The best two-year-old performance of the year was by Mastercraftsman in the Phoenix Stakes but with a top mark of 122, the two-year-old crop in 2008 was not a vintage one."

Matthew Tester, the British Horseracing Authority's two-year-old handicapper, added: "The mark of 122 is unusually low and results from the lack of an outstanding performance over the year.

"The last time it was below 123 was in 2003 with Bago. His three-year-old career was impressive so it doesn't mean because we haven't an outstanding two-year-old that we will have a duff bunch of three-year-olds. Some will end up higher than their current ratings and we look forward to finding out which they are."

Another Irish horse was second on 121 in the shape of David Wachman's Bushranger, who landed the Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes before finishing down the field in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

The best British-trained two-year-old was Crowded House on 120, a rating awarded by virtue of his impressive win in the Racing Post Trophy.

Tester continued: "The two 'wow' races for me were the Racing Post Trophy and the way Crowded House quickened away, and also Art Connoisseur (116) in the Coventry, where he beat five horses who ended up rated 116 or more.

"I spoke to Michael Bell last weekend and he told me he found the horse had cracked a bone, which he may have been suffering from at Newbury (in the Gimcrack) and maybe in the Phoenix Stakes.

"Michael says he's thriving and will go for a Guineas trial.

"I expect Mastercraftsman to become a multiple Group One winner but you've got to respect Crowded House.

"I spoke to (trainer) Brian Meehan's wife recently. She said Brian had been of the view to go for the Dante and then the Derby, but with the turn of foot he has showed, there's a growing pressure to go for the Guineas."

Gallagher, Finjaan, Lord Shanakill, Milanais, Sayif, Shaweel and the hot 1000 Guineas favourite and first filly to make the rankings, Rainbow View were all on 118.

Tester said: "Rainbow View always looked like being the one to beat and she got her rating from winning the Fillies' Mile.

"Her trainer John Gosden has described her as 'feisty' but we said similar things about New Approach last year. I am totally confident John will do a suitable job and I expect her to have a fantastic year."

O'Brien's Rip Van Winkle, many bookmakers' favourite for the 2000 Guineas, was down the pack on 115, the same mark achieved by second best filly Proportional and Breeders' Cup hero Donativum, who is a gelding.

"Aidan's usually right," said Tester. "He says Rip Van Winkle is a top-class horse and I could believe he'd be a superstar, but he's not yet."

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