The National Horseracing Authority Handicappers have published their weekend feature race assessments.
- Gr3 London News Stakes
RUNNING BRAVE remains unchanged on a mark of 119 after she captured the Grade 3 London News Stakes over 1800m on the standside track at Turffontein on Saturday 2 January.
The handicappers were of the view that RUNNING BRAVE herself made for the best line horse when assessing this event, hence her unaltered rating.
Cape Met entry Running Brave stays a 119 (Pic – JC Photos)
Runner-up EXPRESSFROMTHEUS goes up from 113 to 118 and was the only horse from this race to receive a ratings increase, but there were drops for five runners.
4th placed CHIJMES is down from 120 to 118, DIVINE ODYSSEY drops from 117 to 114, ZILLZAAL goes from 120 to 118, CHITENGO is down from 110 to 105, and lastly, JET START from 109 to 108.
- Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes
WAR OF ATHENA has had her rating raised from 116 to 120 after she won the Grade 3 Three Troikas Stakes for three-year-old fillies over 1400m at Turffontein on Saturday. It was 3rd placed CARALLUMA who was used as the line horse, which leaves her on a mark of 103.
The handicappers elected to make the winner the equal of runner-up ANYTHING GOES, who was conceding WAR OF ATHENA 1 kg, was returning from a three-month absence, and raced with a slipped saddle.
Given that ANYTHING GOES beat WAR OF ATHENA by a neck at level weights in the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes at Greyville in August, it was felt that, all things considered, it was the fair option to have them rated as equals on 120 for the time being.
The only other change was for 4th placed SENTBYDESTINY, who drops from 113 to 111.
- Gr3 Tony Ruffel Stakes
CATCH TWENTYTWO remains unchanged on a rating of 116, after he got the better of stable companion MK’S PRIDE to win the Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein on Saturday.
The handicappers believed that MK’S PRIDE made for the best line horse, which has CATCH TWENTYTWO running below his mark of 116, achieved when he beat MK’S PRIDE by a considerably bigger margin in the Grade 2 Dingaans over 1600m at the same venue in late November.
3rd placed COPPER MOUNTAIN is up from 100 to 109, while 4th finisher ELIUD is up from 93 to 102.
The only other increase was for BARTHOLDI, who is up from 82 to 87. Two horses received a ratings drop. BINGWA is down from 111 to 106, while FLYING CARPET was dropped from 103 to 96.
- Listed Lady’s Bracelet
SOVEREIGN SECRET has seen her rating raised from 94 to 100, after she easily won the Listed Lady’s Bracelet for fillies and mares over 1600m on the Fairview turf course on Friday 1 January. Runner-up SAILING SHIP, who easily won a Listed race on the only other occasion that she raced on the Fairview grass, was used as the line horse and as such remains unchanged on 95.
3rd finisher WALLIS SIMPSON is up from 91 to 92, while CRUISE ALONG and BELL TOWER both go up from 82 to 85. No other horse was given an increase, but there were ratings drops for numerous horses.
PRINCESS KALISI is down from 95 to 94, LUNA WISH drops from 98 to 96, GIMME GIMME GIMME was trimmed from 89 to 88, SECOND REQUEST is down to 81 from 85, and lastly, SEEKING WISDOM is dropped from 93 to 91.
- Media release by NHRA on Tuesday 5 January 2021
