The handicappers have made Talktothestars the highest-rated horse in South Africa following his victory in last Saturday’s Gr1 Tsogo Sprint and that’s bound to prove controversial.
Talktothestars wins the Tsogo Sun Sprint
Handicapping has always been a touchy subject and by and large it is a thankless task and a job for which you need a thick skin, but there are times when one looks at the big picture that one plus one often does not add up to two.
There have been several mutterings among trainers and owners that because of some glaring anomalies, an alternative system needs to be introduced that is simpler for all. Some trainers do not appear to have a problem with the merit rating system per se, but rather with the method in which it is applied.
The general consensus seems to be handicappers only take a micro view of a race and not a macro view that takes the full picture into account.
The victory of Talktothestars in Saturday’s Grade 1 Tsogo Sprint has highlighted some of the issues. Trainer Coenie de Beer’s runner was rated 116 going into the race and carried top weight of 60kg. After his victory he was raised five points to 121, which makes him the highest rated runner in the country – one point more than multiple Grade 1 winner Legal Eagle.
His new rating has raised other concerns. In both the Computaform Sprint and the Cape Flying Championships – both Grade 1 events – Talktothestars finished about one length behind Carry On Alice. In those weight-for-age races the gelding had to concede Carry On Alice a 2.5kg sex allowance. On the old ratings, had they met in a handicap, he would only have given her 1kg which would have brought them closer together.
However, now seven points split them so should they run in a handicap Talktothestars would have to give the filly 3.5kg. That rather defeats the whole purpose of a handicap which is designed to put all the runners on an equal footing.
Piere Strydom – no comparison with JJ The Jet Plane
The other concern was raised by jockey Piere Strydom who rode Talktothestars last Saturday. On hearing the new merit rating, he said: “That puts him on the same level as JJ The Jet Plane and although he is a good horse, there is no comparison between the ability of the two.”
When JJ The Jet Plane left South Africa he went on to beat Rocket Man, then regarded the best sprinter in the world, in Hong Kong, and was only raised two points to 122. He then won two races in Dubai – a handicap and the Grade 2 Al Quoz Sprint – and retained his 122 rating. That gives some indication of how international handicappers view SA ratings.
Senior handicapper Roger Smith acknowledged there were issues but gave the reason why they take a micro view of a race. “Some horses go on from a race and others don’t so we assess every race on its own merits.
“The current system we have in place does not allow for retrospective rating. The down side of allowing for that is some horses could have their ratings raised, even if they don’t race.
The NHA’s Manager of Handicapping, Roger Smith
“We do try and review merit ratings in August when things are quieter and a lot of the better horses have a break. But due to the nature of racing in South Africa we have a lot of focus on handicaps and it is hard to get things in kilter,” said Smith.
“As far as the quality of the current group of sprinters is concerned, there is no way we can take that into account, we can only look at how they perform against each other at their level. Talktothestars conceded weight to African Ruler and Exelero. We’re not going to change the other two or leave him where he is and drop the other two.”
That last comment would have resolved the Carry On Alice problem but Smith commented that De Beer will probably only stick to Pinnacle Stakes and weight-for-age races with his runner from now on so the handicapping shouldn’t be a problem.
Talktothestars began the season rated 83 and three handicap victories brought him to a merit rating of 96. He then went to Cape Town and received four points for running third in a Listed event and another five for finishing fifth in the Cape Flying Handicap. He got five more for winning the Grade 2 Senor Santa Handicap and then six more for running second to Carry On Alice in the Computaform Sprint.
Simply put he was penalised 12.5kg for winning just two races. Only 5kg came from the two wins themselves.
De Beer has had his run-ins with the handicappers and a few years ago took them to court when they left top-rated Depardieu out of the Emerald Cup. “I lost that case on a technicality because my lawyers messed it up.
“For me Talktothestars should be rated around 112. I think he’s a great horse but right now they’re killing him. It’s all very well for Roger to say he is not going to run in handicaps but he doesn’t pay the bills.”
Talktothestars next race will be the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint at Greyville which is at weight-for-age and victory would make him a contender for an Equus Award as Champion Sprinter.
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