Roger Varian's Belardo named as Champion Juvenile during the 2014 Flat Season

Belardo has been named Europe's champion two-year-old of 2014 - but his mark of 119 makes him the joint-lowest since ratings began in 1978.

He shares this position with the 2011 top-rated pair of Camelot and Dabirsim and the early indications are that the class of 2014 hierarchy is far from established.

However, while there was no outstanding performer last year, there looks to be plenty of strength-in-depth with 15 horses rated at 115 or above - the highest total since 2009.

Belardo, trained by Roger Varian, earned the distinction of being officially the best when landing a surprise success in the seven-furlong Group One at Newmarket in October.

He was rated 1lb superior to the Charlie Appleby-trained Charming Thought, who pipped Richard Hannon's Ivawood (117) in the Middle Park Stakes.

Ted Voute, bloodstock advisor to Belardo's part-owner Prince Faisal, was delighted with the horse's accolade.

"It's fantastic news. He's got a tremendous burst of speed, which we've seen on the gallops," he said.

"Roger cleverly decided to put the hood on him in the Dewhurst and he illustrated the burst of speed he had shown at home. Fair play to Roger and Andrea (Atzeni). They had seen it a long way out that we had something quite decent, so we were elated.

"Sheikh Mohammed has bought a majority stake in him and he'll run in both names and in the Godolphin colours next season, and will have William Buick or James Doyle on board.

"I'm going to see the horse on Thursday and Roger said he was very pleased with him, he'd done tremendously well.

"I'm looking forward to seeing him, especially having just been announced champion two-year-old in Europe.

"I think the Guineas is the primary objective and then the Kingman route if that's how we are going to campaign him.

"You never know what's going to happen but touch wood at the moment everything's fine and we are looking forward to the year."

Matthew Tester, the British Horseracing Authority's senior handicapper responsible for two-year-olds, said: "Belardo had been twice beaten in Group races before his Dewhurst win which was on much softer ground than most of his rivals had experienced.

"His previous start saw him finish fourth to Estidhkaar who could, in turn, only finish fourth to him in the Dewhurst.

"Maybe Belardo simply needs soft ground to produce his best, but his rating reflects our caution about the race.

"If the Guineas is run on soft ground then we hope that he will impress again.

"The fact that they bet at 10/1 the field for the 2000 Guineas tells you that we have not yet had an outstanding candidate reveal themselves."

Bookmakers Sky Bet in fact offer Belardo at 14/1 to win the Newmarket colts' Classic.

The Andrew Balding-trained Elm Park, winner of the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster, was given a rating of 117.

Tester said: "Both Charming Thought and Elm Park improved with every run. Charming Thought seems to have plenty of speed and I am not certain that he will be as effective over a mile.

"Elm Park travelled much better during the race at Doncaster than he had at Newmarket. He certainly improved; but my impression was also that the flatter track at Doncaster allowed him to get more quickly into his rhythm.

"The unbeaten Limato at 115 looked very classy in winning all of his four starts. I am pretty sure that Limato will stick to sprinting and he showed an excellent cruising speed.

"With no colt yet having shown themselves to be exceptional, it means that 2015 could be the year of the dark horse."

The honour of Europe's leading two-year-old filly was shared on 117 by Aidan O'Brien's Found and Tiggy Wiggy, from the Hannon stable, each enjoying success at the highest grade in the Prix Marcel Boussac and Cheveley Park Stakes respectively.

The highest-rated Irish juvenile of 2014 overall was Found, which marked the first time in 20 years that the Irish champion juvenile was a female.

Found defeated her stablemate and subsequent Group One winner Together Forever (110) on her debut before running third to the Varian-trained Cursory Glance (112) in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.

"Tiggy Wiggy's win at Newbury in the Super Sprint was, for me, the 'wow' performance of the year," said Tester.

"She looks so speedy. It would be great if she stays a mile but that is far from certain. If that doesn't happen then she might take on Charming Thought and Limato in the new Group One sprint at Royal Ascot, the Commonwealth Cup.

"Found looked brilliant when winning the Marcel Boussac. She was stopped in her run but still quickened up again to pull clear in the finish.

"The sky is the limit for her and she is a worthy favourite for the 1000 Guineas."