After a terrific weekend of feature racing across three local centres, the National Horseracing Authority have reported back on their adjustments of the merit ratings.
- Gr1 Jonsson Workwear Cape Derby
POMP AND POWER has had his merit rating raised slightly from 117 to 118 following his success in the Gr1 Jonsson Workwear Cape Derby over 2000m on the Kenilworth summer course on Saturday 26 February.
Pomp And Power goes to 118 (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The Handicappers were of the opinion that 5th placed NEVER ENDING RAIN would not have run below his official rating in finishing where he did in a race of this class and accordingly elected to use him as the line horse, which leaves him unchanged on a mark of 104.
Runner-up UNIVERSAL has also had his rating raised by one pound and goes from 113 to 114, while 4th placed SENSO UNICO goes up from 100 to 104 making him equal to NEVER ENDING RAIN.
The Handicappers considered that DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE had beaten DO IT AGAIN (rated 126) and finished only 0.75 lengths behind LINEBACKER (rated 126) in the Cape Met and deemed that his run here when beating SENSO UNICO (now 104) by 1.5 lengths and NEVER ENDING RAIN (104) by 1.60 lengths to be well below his Cape Met performance. It was decided, given the above observation, that DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE be precluded as a candidate for line horse as he is better than his effort in the Cape Derby and accordingly his rating was left unaltered.
The only other increase was for 6th placed GEM KING, who goes up from 83 to 89 to make him the equal of the 89-rated 7th finisher BARATHEON.
The only drop was for WAITING FOR SUMMER, who is down from 97 to 94.
- Gr2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes
COSMIC HIGHWAY has had his rating raised from 108 to 110 after he captured the Grade 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth on Saturday.
The Handicappers were of the view that 4th placed BEREAVE, who was the line horse in the Cape Flying Championship, made for the best line horse when assessing this event, which leaves him unchanged on a rating of 106.
Aside from the winner, the only other increase was for 2nd placed TRIP OF FORTUNE, who goes up from 106 to 108.
Two horses were given a rating’s drop. 3rd placed RIO QUERARI drops from 130 to 125, which was his mark before he won last season’s Grade 1 Computaform Sprint, a performance he has not matched from four starts subsequently. The other drop was for AMBIORIX, who is down from 110 to 108.
- Gr3 Prix du Cap
PRINCESS CALLA remains unchanged on a rating of 121 following her win in the Grade 3 Prix du Cap for fillies and mares over 1400m at Kenilworth on Saturday.
The Handicappers were unanimous in their view that 3rd placed MAJOR ATTRACTION made for the correct line horse here, which leaves her unaltered on a mark of 103. In rating the race this way PRINCESS CALLA only runs to a mark of 115, hence her unchanged rating.
Runner-up RAIN IN NEWMARKET was raised from 103 to 107, while the only other increase was for 4th placed DANCETILDAYLIGHT, who was picked up from 96 to 100 to at least make her the equal of the 100-rated 5th placed MARIA QUEROL.
There were no ratings drops for any of the runners in this race.
- Listed Kenilworth Cup
SALVATOR MUNDI has had his rating raised from 97 to 100 following his victory in the Listed Kenilworth Cup over 3200m at Kenilworth on Saturday, 4th finisher FOLLOW THE STAR was considered to make for the most suitable line horse, which leaves her unchanged on a rating of 88.
There were no other ratings adjustments in this event.
- Listed Racing 240 Jet Master Stakes
SILVER OPERATOR remains unchanged on a rating of 119 following his win in the Listed Racing 240 Jet Master Stakes over 1600m at Kenilworth on Saturday. Here it was runner-up MY BESTIE who was used as the line horse, leaving him unchanged on a rating of 98.
In assessing the race this way, SILVER OPERATOR only achieves a mark of 116, hence his unchanged ratings. Furthermore, in assessing the race this way 3rd placed WARRIOR and 4th finisher CAT DADDY both run to their marks of 108 and 101, respectively, which in effect makes them line horses as well and which leaves both of them with unaltered ratings.
In fact, no horses were given a ratings increase following this race but there were drops for four runners. NEXUS is down from 113 to 110, ROCKIN’ RINGO drops from 102 to 100, SACHDEV was trimmed from 107 to 106, and lastly AZORES was dropped to 98 from 101.
- Listed Bauhinia Handicap
HEAVENS GIRL has had her rating raised from 108 to 111 after she won the Listed Bauhinia Handicap for fillies and mares over the straight 1000m course at Turffontein on Sunday 27 February. Here it was 4th placed ALULA’S STAR who was deemed to make for the most suitable line horse, leaving her unchanged on a rating of 95.
There were also increases for runner-up MAY QUEEN, who was raised from 98 to 100, and for 3rd placed SEEMYVISION, who was 1 pound or 0.5 kg under sufferance at the weights and who goes up from 87 to 89.
There were no other ratings increases, but four horses were given a drop. MIND READER is down from 102 to 101, BEQUEST drops from 90 to 87, BELLA CHICA was trimmed from 105 to 104, and lastly THUMBS UP was dropped from 103 to 102.
- Listed Lady’s Pendant
SANTA MARIA remains unchanged on a rating of 106 following her win in the Listed Lady’s Bracelet for fillies and mares over 1200m on the Fairview turf course on Friday 25 February.
It was in fact SANTA MARIA herself who was used as the line horse when assessing this race, hence her unaltered rating.
Santa Maria – unchanged after her victory (Pic – Pauline Herman)
There were ratings increases for two horses. 3rd placed FLY MY FLAG goes up from 95 to 100, while 6th finisher FREEDOM SEEKER, who was a full 18 pounds out at the weights with the winner, was raised from 88 to 96 to make her the equal of 7th placed STEP LIVELY, who was dropped from 97 to 96.
In addition to STEP LIVELY, five other horses were given a rating’s drop. Runner-up JOYFUL NOISE drops from 106 to 104, GREEN LIGHT GAL is down from 96 to 94, PHIL’S DANCER drops to 99 from 101, CARIOCA was cut from 106 to 105, and lastly LOLLAPALOOZA is down from 89 to 87.
- Listed Ibhayi Stakes
RESONATE has had his rating raised from 101 to 104 after his success in the Listed Ibhayi Stakes for three-year-olds over 1400m at Fairview on Friday. Here it was 3rd placed SAFARI BLUE who was deemed to make for the best line horse, which leaves him unchanged on a mark of 93.
The winner aside, the only other increase was for 2nd placed GOOD TRAVELLER, who does up from 106 to 110.
There were drops for three horses. 4th placed PEACE IN OUR WORLD is down from 96 to 94, SON OF ZEUS drops to 76 from 78, and lastly MARYAH is down from 102 to 100.
Media release by National Horseracing Authority on Tuesday 1 March 2022
