The NHA Handicappers have published the weekend’s feature race assessments.
- WSB Gr3 Pocket Power Stakes
CRIMSON KING has had his merit rating raised from 103 to 110 following his fluent success in the Grade 3 WSB Pocket Power Stakes (formerly the Winter Derby) for three-year-olds over 2400m on the Kenilworth winter course on Saturday 26 June.
Crimson King jumps to 110 (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The Handicappers were of the view that second placed HOEDSPRUIT made for the only satisfactory line horse in a race which produced a strung-out finish and in which many of the contestants appeared to struggle with seeing out 2400m in very soft conditions.
As such his rating remains unchanged on 108. In fact, the winner’s increase aside, there were no other changes made to the ratings of any of the other runners in this event.
- www.caperacing.co.za Listed Ladies Mile
PRETTY BETTY has had her rating raised from 91 to 97 after she captured the www.caperacing.co.za Ladies Mile for fillies and mares over 1600m at Kenilworth on Saturday. It was 4th finisher LEMON DELIGHT who was deemed to make for the best line horse here, and accordingly she remains unchanged on a mark of 97.
The only other increase was for 2nd placed RAIN IN NEWMARKET, who goes up from 99 to 102, but there were ratings drops for three horses. 3rd placed SLEEPING SINGLE is down from 108 to 105, SING OUT LOUD drops to 104 from 109, and lastly LA QUINTA was cut from 98 to 96.
- Computaform Online Listed Olympic Duel Stakes
CAPITANA has had her rating increased from 98 to 101 after she won the Listed Computaform Online Olympic Duel Stakes, a handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m at Kenilworth on Saturday. It was the ever-consistent 3rd placed PHIL’S DANCER who was used as the line horse here, which leaves her rating unaltered on 100.
2nd placed IRIS was raised from 95 to 97, while 4th finisher CASINO QUEEN – who carried 1.5 kgs overweight – was picked up from 86 to 88. There were ratings drops for no fewer than five horses. SOCIAL BUTTERFLY is down from 87 to 86, ON CAPTAIN’S SIDE was dropped to 82 from 84, VERONICA MARS is down from 94 to 90, QUEEN OF QUIET goes from 96 to 94, and lastly BOOMPS A DAISY was dropped from 93 to 92.
- WSB Listed River Jetez Stakes
MARINA has had her rating raised from 106 to 108 following her easy win in the Listed WSB River Jetez Stakes (formerly the Winter Oaks) for three-year-old fillies over 2400m at Kenilworth on Saturday. It was 3rd placed MUSICAL GLITCH who was used as the line horse here, which leaves her unaltered on a mark of 94.
2nd placed KATIE DO was raised from 80 to 100. It was noted that she was racing beyond 1600m for the first time and that she was staying on well at the finish, strongly suggesting that the big rise in distance made the major improvement shown believable, and accordingly the handicappers opted to take her performance literally and raise her rating to the 100 actually achieved.
There were no other ratings increases, while the only drop was for EN GARDE, who is down from 80 to 78.
- Listed East Cape Breeders Stakes
CARIOCA remains unchanged on a rating of 104 after she captured the Listed East Cape Breeders Stakes for fillies and mares over 1200m on the Fairview turf course on Friday 25th June. It was in fact CARIOCA herself who was used as the line horse, which is the reason for her unaltered rating.
The Handicappers were presented with a problem when assessing runner-up FOREST FIELD, who as a late five-year-old put up a performance far above anything previously achieved in her career. She came into the race rated 75 and achieved a rating of 103.
It was felt that the best option was to not take this sudden improvement at face value and opted to adjust FOREST FIELD by half the achieved 28-pound improvement. Accordingly, she has been given a mark of 89.
The only other increase was for 4th placed TRICKSTER, who is up from 95 to 97, but there were ratings drops for several runners.
WORLD RADAR is down from 109 to 107, LA BELLA MIA was trimmed from 100 to 99, SPRING BREAK is down to 90 from 91, and lastly VODKA LIME was dropped from 83 to 80.
- Media release by NHA on Tuesday 29 June 2021
