The final Gr1 of the South African racing year was run at Kenilworth on Saturday. The handicappers have reported back on their feature race assessments.
- Gr1 Cape Guineas
DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE has had his merit rating raised from 101 to 113 following his success in the Gr1 Cape Guineas for three-year-olds over 1600m on the Kenilworth summer course on Saturday.
Double Superlative charges to victory in the Cape Guineas (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The Handicappers were unanimously of the view that 3rd placed COSMIC HIGHWAY made for the most suitable line horse, which leaves him unchanged on a rating of 108.
Second placed POMP AND POWER goes up from 109 to 110, while 4th finisher ZAPATILLAS is up from 104 to 107, 5th placed NEVER ENDING RAIN and 6th finisher UNIVERSAL (who was badly impeded in the running and who should have finished closer than he did) both go up to 105, from 100 and 101, respectively. Also up is PACAYA, who was raised from 93 to 95, while the only other increase was for 10th placed SURJAY, who goes from 81 to 87 in order to make him one pound higher than 12TH placed MR MASTER STARTER, who remains unchanged on 86.
There were ratings drops for four horses. XAVION is down from 104 to 102, MARIGOLD HOTEL is down to 104 from 107, CHOLLIMA was dropped to 89 from 92, and lastly BUSH TRACKER drops from 99 to 96.
- Gr2 Peninsula Handicap
FIREALLEY has had his rating increased from 98 to 107 following his victory in the Gr2 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Here it was 3rd placed SUPER SILVANO who was deemed to make for the best line horse, which leaves him unchanged on a mark of 105. FIREALLEY was three pounds or 1.5 kgs under sufferance at the weights, which is partially responsible for the 9-pound increase in his rating.
Greg Cheyne steers Firealley to an easy win (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The only other increase was for 2nd placed ROCKIN’ RINGO, who is up from 100 to 102. There were however ratings drops for three horses. NATIVE TONGUE is down slightly from 106 to 105, CAT DADDY was dropped from 101 to 100, and lastly SEVENTH GEAR goes from 100 to 96.
- Gr3 Victress Stakes
MARINA remains unchanged on a rating of 108 after she captured the Grade 3 Victress Stakes for fillies and mares over 1800m at Kenilworth on Saturday. It was in fact MARINA herself who was used as the line horse when assessing this race, hence her unchanged rating.
Runner-up RAIN IN NEWMARKET had her rating raised from 102 to 107, while the only other increase was for third placed VERONICA MARS, who goes up from 96 to 103, in part because she carried 0.5 kg or one pound overweight.
Three runners were given a ratings drop. 4th placed CHAT CHING was cut from 111 to 107, SCENTED MISTRESS is down from 108 to 100, and lastly CATCHAFALLINGSTAR drops from 95 to 93.
- Listed Southeaster Sprint
BEREAVE has had his rating raised from 103 to 106 after he won the Listed Southeaster Sprint (handicap) over 1100m at Kenilworth on Saturday. Here it was the ever-consistent runner-up PLEASEDTOMEETYOU who was considered to make for the ideal line horse, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 105. In rating the race this way, 4th placed SAFE RETURN runs to his rating of 101, as a consequence of carrying one pound or 0.50 kgs overweight and essentially becomes a line horse as well.
The winner aside, the only other increase was for 3rd finisher RESONATE, who was one pound or 0.5 kgs under sufferance at the weights and who accordingly goes up from 99 to 100. The only drop was for ELUSIVE TRADER, who finished last in his bid to win this particular race for the third year in succession and who is down from 95 to 92.
- Listed Secretariat Stakes
BON VIVANT has had her rating raised from 85 to 89 following her success in the Listed Secretariat Stakes (handicap) for three-year-olds over 1400m on the standside track at Turffontein on Saturday. Here it was joint 5th placed LITIGATION who was deemed to make for the best line horse when assessing the race, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 88.
Runner-up WHAFEEF, who was two pounds or one kg under sufferance at the weights, was raised from 82 to 84. The same is true also for 3rd finisher ABOUT TO STORM, who is also raised from 82 to 84 as a consequence of being two pounds or one kg under sufferance at the weights.
There were no other ratings increases, but three runners received a drop. EAGLE STRIKE is down from 82 to 79, IRON WILL drops to 89 from 92, and lastly FISHER KING drops from 91 to 89.
- Media release by National Horseracing Authority on Tuesday 21 December 2021
