After a bumper weekend of feature racing action, the NHRA have published their feature merit rating adjustments.
- S A Derby (Grade 1)
OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE has had his merit rating raised from 90 to 113 after he outstayed his opposition to win the Gr1 SA Derby over 2450m on the Turffontein standside track on Saturday 6 June.
In assessing the race, the Handicappers felt that 6th placed IMPERIAL RUBY was unlikely to have run worse here than when he finished 9th against many of the same horses in the Grade 1 S
A Classic at his most recent start and used the 107 rating which he actually achieved there to rate the Derby.
Out Of Your League wins the SA Derby (Pic – JC Photos)
Runner-up SHANGO received a small drop and goes from 120 to 118. He is still rated 5 pounds above the Derby winner, but it was borne in mind that SHANGO earned his high rating over the completely different distance of 1600m when he won the Gr 2 Dingaans last November.
There were ratings increases for 4th placed WESTERN FORT, who goes from 95 to 108, and for 5th finisher CORNISH POMODORO, who is up from 91 to 102, LEOPOLD was dropped from 111 to 108 and MASTER SUPREME from 100 to 96.
- H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes (Grade 1)
HAWWAAM’s rating was left unchanged on 131 after his win in the Grade 1, H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, on WFA terms over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday.
Third placed CIRILLO was deemed to be the best line horse to use here, and in rating the race this way all of second placed QUEEN SUPREME, 5th placed CHJIMES, 8th placed ZOUAVES and 9th placed HERO’S HONOUR all run exactly to their ratings and are effectively all line horses as well. As such, no changes were made to the ratings of any of this group.
Only two changes were made to the rating of runners in this race, with 4th placed TIERRA DEL FUEGO going up from 120 to 124 and INFAMOUS FOX dropping slightly from 117 to 116.
- Mauritfontein S A Oaks (Grade 2)
SUMMER PUDDING’s rating remains unchanged on 114 after she completed a clean sweep of the Triple Tiara by winning the Grade 2 Mauritzfontein S A Oaks over 2460m at Turffontein on Saturday. In fact, it was SUMMER PUDDING herself that the Handicappers felt made for the correct line horse when assessing this race.
Summer Pudding captures the SA Triple Tiara (Pic – JC Photos)
Runner-up POMANDER saw her rating increase from 90 to 110, while 3rd placed BALLET SHOES goes up from 87 to 109. The only drop was for KEEP SMILING, who is down from 104 to 102.
- Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes (Grade 2)
BUNKER HUNT remains unchanged on a rating of 124 after his fluent win in the Grade 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hill Stakes over 1400m at Greyville (turf course) on Sunday.
BUNKER HUNT was in fact used as the line horse, and in assessing the race this way runner-up KASIMIR runs to the level of 127 he achieved when winning the Grade 2 Diadem Stakes at his last start.
July entry Bunker Hunt wins the Drill Hall Stakes (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
This may seem like a conservative way of rating the race, but even using this level every other horse in the race aside from 3rd placed VARDY and last placed MATADOR MAN runs above its rating.
That said, no actual increases were made to the rating of any runner in the race and the solitary change was for MATADOR MAN, who drops from 117 to 115.
- World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas (Grade 2)
MISSISIPPI BURNING remains unchanged on a rating of 116 after she scored a narrow win in the World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas over 1600m at Greyville on Sunday.
This was not an easy race to rate, with a slow early pace leading to a rather bunched finish which may well flatter a number of horses, and eventually it was decided that 8th placed SOVEREIGN SECRET made for a suitable line horse who would not over inflate the numbers, and indeed by rating the race this way MISSISSIPPI BURNING runs fully 11 pounds below her rating of 116.
Notwithstanding this, several horses have had their ratings increased. Runner-up MARY O was picked up from 89 to 104, 3rd placed LABYRINTH is up from 99 to 101, 4th finisher FOLLOW THE STAR goes from 92 to 98, and 6th placed JACK’S BIRD is up from 90 to 95.
The only drops were for WINTER SUN and DANCING FEATHER, who both go from 97 to 95.
- World Sports Betting Guineas (Grade 2)
WILD COAST remains unchanged on a rating of 112 after he narrowly captured the Grade 2 World Sports Betting Guineas over 1600m at Greyville on Sunday.
Runner-up PADRE PIO and 4th placed SACHDEV were both used as line horses here, and as such their ratings also remain unaltered. In fact, in rating the race this way WILD COAST runs 2 pounds below his rating of 112, which was the 2nd highest rating (behind FROSTED GOLD) of any horse in the line-up.
FROSTED GOLD was dropped from 114 to 112 to leave him the equal of WILD COAST, while in the only other drop SEVENTH GEAR goes from 103 to 101.
- Milkwood Stakes (Handicap) (Listed)
RACINE has had her rating upped from 95 to 102 after she ran out an easy winner of the Listed Milkwood Stakes (handicap) for fillies and mares over 1000m at Fairview (turf track) on Friday.
In the process, she was recording her sixth win from as many starts since she relocated to the Eastern Cape.
4th placed AMBRA was considered the best line horse to use in assessing this race and so runner-up CAPTAIN ANNE BONNY was raised from 87 to 89 while 3rd placed CARIOCA goes up from 90 to 91. Only two horses were given a drop, with CARLITA down from 100 to 99 and WESTERN ANGEL going from 71 to 69.
- Press release by NHRA on Tuesday 9 June 2020
