The NHRA Handicappers have published their assessments after the weekend’s features.
- Gr2 Track & Ball Oaks
MOON IN JUNE has had her rating raised from 92 to 110 after she landed the Gr 2 Track & Ball Oaks for fillies and mares over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday 19 July.
Moon In June – bumped up to 110 (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
In assessing the race, the Handicappers decided that the best line to use was 3rd placed BALLET SHOES to the same net rating of 103 she achieved when she finished third in the Gr 2 SA Oaks at Turffontein in her most recent start.
BALLET SHOES remains unchanged on a rating of 109, but runner-up KELPIE was given a substantial drop from 116 to 111. The Handicappers took the view that her rating of 116 was based solely on her 4th place finish in the Gr 1 Majorca Stakes at Kenilworth in February, a “one-off” performance she has not equalled before or come close to equalling since.
The winner aside, there were no other ratings increases, but there were also drops for FLICHITY BY FARR, who is down from 103 to 101, and for RETURN FLIGHT, who goes from 106 to 104.
- Listed Port Elizabeth Gold Cup
AFRICA’S GOLD has had his rating raised from 78 to 84 after his win in the Listed Port Elizabeth Gold Cup over 3200m at Fairview (turf track) on Friday 17 July.
It was felt that 6th placed CELESTIAL PRINCE made for the best line horse in this conditions event and as such his rating remains unchanged on 88.
In rating the race this way AFRICA’S GOLD in fact achieves a mark of 86, but the specific conditions of the race do not allow for the winner to receive a greater than 6 pound increase, hence AFRICA’S GOLD being “capped” at 84.
The race conditions also do not allow for any increase to the rating of horses other than the winner, but several runners were given a drop.
ONESIE was trimmed from 84 to 83, while FRIKKIE (whose rating was raised from 81 to 83 following the publication of weights for this race) is back down to 82.
INDY ICE, whose rating dropped from 92 to 90 following the publication of weights, was given a further drop to 89, while lastly EVOLVER is down from 76 to 73.
- Listed East Cape Paddock Stakes
ELUSIVE HEART remains unchanged on a rating of 110 after she won the Listed East Cape Paddock Stakes for fillies and mares over 1600m at Fairview on Friday.
Both ELUSIVE HEART and runner-up MADAME SPEAKER run to their marks and are therefore effectively both line horses, which means that MADAME SPEAKER also remains unchanged on 106.
3rd placed STATUTE had her rating upped from 91 to 106, while 4th finisher LUNA WISH is up from 97 to 99. There were increases also for EPIC STORM, who is up from 85 to 88, and WOODSTOCK FAIRY, who goes from 84 to 86.
The only ratings drop was for MISS SMARTY PANTS, who is down from 100 to 99.
