Snow Pilot has had his merit rating raised from 109 to 116 after winning the Hollywoodbets Gr 1 Cape Guineas over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday 16 December 2023.
Snow Pilot’s merit rating goes from 109 to 116 (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The Handicappers were unanimous in their view that HLUHLUWE made for the most suitable line horse here, leaving him unchanged on a rating of 111.
The only filly in the race RED PALACE, who tried to use her sex allowance of 2.5kg to good effect by pinching a break early in the straight, was adjusted from 93 to 108 after looking like a possible winner until very late in the race.
GREEN WITH ENVY was increased by 2 pounds, from 108 to 110 having got closer to HLUHLUWE and is now rated a pound lower than that rival here.
HAT’S PRIDE, who was rated to run last and showed marked improvement in this Gr1 event by running 5th and ZOOMIE were both increased to a rating of 106 from 90 and 101, respectively.
This makes both HAT’S PRIDE and ZOOMIE equal to the 106 rated TAIL OF THE COMET, who they beat at level weights in this event.
Only one horse received a drop in ratings here, JERUSALEMA RAIN was dropped by 1 pound from 107 to 106.
- Ridgemont Peninsula Handicap (Gr3)
MASTER REDOUTE had his rating elevated to 102 from 99 after winning the closely contested Ridgemont Peninsula Handicap (Gr3) over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
Master Redoute had his rating elevated to 102 (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
SUGAR MOUNTAIN was considered to be the appropriate line horse here in what was a rough race. FUTURE SWING and the unlucky PACAYA were both increased by one pound each from 98 to 99 and 110 to 111, respectively.
A number of horses were given drops in ratings. OTTO LUYKEN and BARATHEON were both dropped by a pound each from 100 to 99.
GEM KING and MONEY HEIST were dropped by two pounds each, from 105 to 103 and 106 to 104 respectively and finally ROCKPOOL was given a drop from 109 to 108.
- SplashOut Victress Stakes (Gr3)
SAARTJIE saw her rating increased marginally from 109 to 110 following her win in the SplashOut Victress Stakes (Gr3) at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth over 1800m on Saturday.
Winner of the SplashOut Gr3 Victress Stakes – Saartjie moves to 110 (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
HAPPY CHANCE was considered to be the most suitable line horse in this slowly run affair, she remains on a rating of 109.
HOLD MY HAND was given a reassessment after failing to confirm her Gr1 performance in the 2023 Woolavington on three subsequent occasions and was dropped from 112 to 108.
GOLD POKER GAME was increased to 107 from 102 as she was only beaten by 0.10 by, the now 108 rated HOLD MY HAND, at level weights here.
LOVE IS A ROSE was only increased to her previous best figure of 99 despite running to higher here. ROYAL INVITATION was increased from 85 to 95 to make her equal to SILVER LINKS who is rated 95 and who she beat at level weights here.
The only horse to receive a rating’s drop was VIRGINIA SWEET, who was dropped by one pound from 97 to 96.
- Mike De Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge (Gr2)
GIMME A NOTHER had her rating adjusted from 100 to 120 after impressively winning the Mike De Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge (Gr2) over 1600m at Turffontein on Sunday.
Gimme A Nother has had her increased to 120 (Pic – JC Photos)
Her official pre-rating of 100 (which appeared on the race card) for the Ipi Tombe was misleading and based on an arbitrary cap and not on merit.
She actually ran to considerably higher in the Fillies Mile but had to be capped to a rating of 100 due to the specific race conditions that prohibited the Handicappers from adjusting her to her actual achieved figure, this was pointed out by the Handicappers in the Press Release following her win in the Fillies Mile.
The 100 Merit Rating she was given after the Fillies Mile meant that she was rated to run 2nd last in the Ipi Tombe (Gr2).
The Handicappers opted to use MARIGOLD HOTEL’S previous best performance of 107 which she achieved in the 2023 Empress Club (Gr1), 2023 Poinsettia (Gr3), 2023 Tibouchina (Gr2) and the recent Joburg Spring Challenge (Gr2).
The Handicappers felt that MARIGOLD HOTEL did not run worse than her recent best of 107 nor did she run better than that here. Accordingly, MARIGOLD HOTEL was restored to the figure of 107 after returning to her best form on Sunday.
MY SOUL MATE, who appeared to have been caught flat footed off a slow early tempo, finished her race off very well. Accordingly, she was adjusted to 105 from 98.
The only horse to receive a drop in ratings here was HUMDINGER, who failed to confirm her performance behind PRINCESS CALLA in the Garden Province (Gr1) on four subsequent occasions. She was dropped from 119 to 116.
- Media release by NHRA on 19 December 2023
