The NHRA handicappers have published their ratings revisions after the weekend’s features.
- Gr2 Avontuur Estate Concorde Cup
UNBEATEN MALMOOS has had his rating raised from 110 to 114 following his success in the Gr2 Avontuur Estate Concorde Cup for three-year-olds over 1600m on the Kenilworth winter course on Saturday 21 November.
Concorde Cup winner Malmoos is unbeaten in 4 starts (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The Handicappers took the unanimous view that 3rd placed RASCALLION made for the best line horse which leaves his rating unchanged on 109, however, runner-up LINEBACKER was raised from 109 to 112.
There were also increases for several other horses. 4th placed SILVANO’S TIMER is up from 88 to 108, HOEDSPRUIT goes from 95 to 107, NOIR’S BOY was raised from 90 to 101, and MY BESTIE is up from 90 to 96.
The only ratings drop was for ASHFORD CASTLE, who is down from 94 to 91. Incidentally, it is worth noting that the three highest rated horses in this line-up occupied the first three places.
- Gr2 Cape Thoroughbred Sales Cape Merchants
ERIK THE RED has had his rating raised from 107 to 114 after he captured the Grade 2 Cape Thoroughbred Sales Cape Merchants handicap) over 1200m at Kenilworth on Saturday. The solitary three-year-old in a field of 12, ERIK THE RED was 3 pounds or 1.5 kgs under sufferance at the weights, which is partly the reason for the seven pound hike in his rating.
4th placed CARTEL CAPTAIN and 5th finisher CAPTAIN TATTERS were both used as line horses here, which leaves their ratings unchanged on 109 and 107, respectively. Runner-up RIO QUERARI was raised from 107 to 108, while 3rd placed CONSTABLE (who, like the winner, was 3 pounds or 1.5 kgs under sufferance) was raised from 97 to 101.
There were no other increases from this event, however, four horses were given a ratings’ drop. ELUSIVE TRADER is down from 102 to 100, CABO DA CRUZ drops from 103 to 101, FABIAN is down to 113 from 116, and lastly WORLDS YOUR OYSTER was trimmed from 91 to 90.
- De Grendel CTS Ready To Run Stakes
SEEKING THE STARS has had his rating raised from 112 to 117 after he ran away with the Non-Black Type De Grendel CTS Ready To Run Stakes for three-year-olds over 1400m at Kenilworth on Saturday.
It was runner-up LEMON DELIGHT who was used as the line horse, which leaves her rating unchanged on 101, but 3rd placed WILLOW EXPRESS was raised from 95 to 104, a mark he had already achieved twice previously, first in the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe in July and then again behind ultra-promising FOREVER MINE in a graduation plate in October (where his rating could not be increased because placed horses in plate races cannot be adjusted upwards.)
There were also increases for 4th placed BLNGKING, who goes from 84 to 94, 5th finisher LA LUVIA, who is up from 87 to 94, and for SPIRITUAL WIND, who is up from 89 to 91.
The only drop was for BALLROOM BLISS, who is down from 96 to 94.
- Gr3 Fillies Mile
GEE FOR GO has had her rating raised from 104 to 106 after she won the Grade 3 Fillies Mile for three-year-olds over 1600m at Turffontein (standside track) on Saturday.
The Handicappers were faced with a very awkward race to assess here and opted to use GEE FOR GO to rate the event, but raised her to 106 to make her the equal of 3rd placed DUE DILIGENCE, who had GEE FOR GO behind her when winning the Grade 3 Starling Stakes on the same course three weeks earlier.
Given that the two have beaten each other in Grade 3 events for three-year-old fillies in a short space of time, it was felt that it would be entirely appropriate to give them identical ratings.
Runner-up MISS ELEGANCE was raised from 91 to 102, 4th finisher CASTLE DURROW is up from 88 to 90, while PATON’S TEARS is up from 85 to 88 to keep her in line with CASTLE DURROW, who beat her by one length (or two pounds.) There were no ratings drops for any runner in this event.
- Media release by NHRA on Tuesday 24 November 2020
