The L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Festival delivered two great days of top-class horseracing. The NHA handicappers have reported back on their feature race merit ratings adjustments.
- Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate
JET DARK remains unchanged on a merit rating of 130 after he recorded a second successive win in the WFA Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate over 1600m on the summer course at Kenilworth on Saturday 8 January. It was JET DARK himself who was deemed to make for the best line horse when assessing this race, which is the reason for his unchanged rating.
Jet Dark’s connections celebrate his title defence (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
4th placed SEEKING THE STARS was raised from 121 to 124, while 5th finisher POMP AND POWER goes up from 110 to 117. In rating the race this way, POMP AND POWER actually runs to a mark of 124, but the Handicappers were reluctant to take this entirely at face value and opted to give the gelding half the achieved adjustment, with 117 being half way between his old rating of 110 and 124.
There was one further increase and this was for 6th placed PACAYA, who is up from 95 to 108 in order to make him rated two pounds higher than the 106-rated 8th finisher TRIP OF FORTUNE.
The only drop was for 3rd placed RAINBOW BRIDGE, who has failed to confirm the 134 he achieved when winning the 2021 Cape Met in five subsequent performances and has accordingly been adjusted to his next highest performance of 130. This also ensures that he is not rated higher than the winner JET DARK, who beat RAINBOW BRIDGE into 2nd place when winning the corresponding race, a year ago.
- Gr1 Cartier Paddock Stakes
CAPTAIN’S RANSOM remains unchanged on a mark of 126 following her success in the WFA Gr1 Cartier Paddock Stakes for fillies and mares over 1800m at Kenilworth on Saturday. It was the ever-consistent 4th placed PRINCESS CALLA who was considered to make for the most suitable line horse here, which leaves her unchanged on a mark of 118. In rating the race this way, CAPTAIN’S RANSOM only runs to a rating of 119, hence her unaltered rating.
In rating the race this way, 5th placed SHE’S A KEEPER runs to her rating of 116, effectively making her a line horse as well.
2nd placed CHANSONETTE is up from 110 to 118, while 3rd placed MARINA goes up from 110 to 118. The only other increase was for Eastern Cape visitor SANTA THERESE, who is up from 104 to 106, which ensures that she is rated higher than any of the horses that finished behind her.
The only drop was for PRETTY BETTY, who is down from 106 to 104.
- Gr2 Glorious Goodwood Premier Trophy
HOEDSPRUIT remains unchanged on a rating of 116 after his win in the Gr2 Glorious Goodwood Premier Trophy over 1800m at Kenilworth on Saturday. The Handicappers were of the view that 5th placed NATIVE TONGUE made for the most appropriate line horse, leaving him unchanged on a rating of 105. In assessing the race this way HOEDSPRUIT only runs to a mark of 108, which is the reason for his unaltered rating.
Runner-up SUPER SILVANO was raised from 105 to 107, while the only other ratings increase was for 3rd placed FIREALLEY, who goes up from 107 to 109.
Hoedspruit beats Super Silvano in a thriller (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Two horses were given a rating’s drop. 4th placed SOVEREIGN SPIRIT is down from 118 to 116 and in all likelihood would have been given a bigger drop had he not returned suffering from a bilateral nosebleed, for which he has received a 120 day suspension from competing in races. The only other drop was for Nexus, who is down from 116 to 113.
- Gr3 Okapi Chairman’s Cup
DOUBLEMINT remains unchanged on a mark of 110 following his victory in the Gr3 Okapi Chairman’s Cup over 2500m at Kenilworth on Saturday. It was 5th placed HOLY WARRIOR who was deemed to make for the best line horse, which leaves him unchanged on a rating of 93. In assessing the race this way, DOUBLEMINT runs slightly below his rating, running to a mark of 110, which explains his unchanged rating.
The specific conditions of this event do not allow for any increase to the ratings of horses other than the winner, accordingly, runner-up ONE WAY TRAFFIC remains on 98 despite actually achieving a mark of 104, while 3rd finisher SUDDEN STAR remains on 95 although achieving a rating of 98.
There were ratings drops for three horses. SALVATOR MUNDI is down slightly from 98 to 97, MAGNIFICENT SEVEN drops to 99 from 101, and lastly CRIMSON KING was trimmed from 110 to 109.
- Gr2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes
GIMME DAT has had her rating raised from 98 to 109 after winning the Gr2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes for fillies and mares over 1200m at Kenilworth in very unusual circumstances on Friday 8 January. GIMME DAT originally finished second behind MERCURY RISING, but the latter was deemed to have enjoyed an unfair advantage as a result of her starting gate opening prematurely and was accordingly declared to be a non-runner.
It was the highly consistent 2nd placed CAPITANA who was used as the line horse here, leaving her rating unchanged on 106. In assessing the race this way, 6th placed DANCETILDAYLIGHT runs to her rating of 96 and effectively makes her a line horse as well.
The winner aside, the only other increase was for 3rd placed MAJOR ATTRACTION, who is up from 100 to 103, but no fewer than five horses were given a rating’s drop. PHIL’S DANCER is down slightly from 103 to 102, MARYAH drops from 102 to 100, IRIS drops from 95 to 93, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON is down to 100 from 103, and lastly ROLL IN THE HAY is down from 105 to 103.
- Listed Ardmore Jamaica Handicap
PINK TOURMALINE has had her rating raised from 97 to 101 after she won the Listed Ardmore Jamaica Handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m at Kenilworth on Friday. Here it was 5th placed SO FLAWLESS who was used as the line horse, leaving her unchanged on a rating of 96.
Runner-up BLACK SILVER, who was 7 pounds or 3.5 kgs under sufferance at the weights, goes up from 80 to 89, while 4th finisher DO ANGELS CRY, who was 6 pounds or 3 kgs under sufferance at the weights, was raised from 81 to 87.
There were no other ratings increases, but three horses received a drop. CATCHAFALLINGSTAR is down slightly from 93 to 92, MUSICAL GLITCH drops from 99 to 97, and lastly SCENTED MISTRESS is down from 96 to 95.
- Media release by NHA on Tuesday 11 January 2022
