In the same vein as they do their merit ratings after each race, the handicappers have applied a similar principle in calculating the weights for the R750 000 Grand Heritage to be run over 1475m at the Vaal straight track on Saturday 1 October.
Night Trip – lumbers 69kgs
The rail that separates Vaal inside and outside tracks will be removed so that 28 horses will be able to compete. There will also be two reserves.
There are four 28-horses races on the card. With the R250,000 consolation race among them, more than half of those nominated will be able to be accommodated. All horses entered in the Grand Heritage will automatically be entered into the consolation race unless the trainer does not wish that to happen.
With 101 nominations and such a wide variety of ages and merit ratings, the handicappers had to find a system that gave the majority of the runners the best opportunity to make the field with an acceptable weight.
As a result they used a net merit rating of 100 as the benchmark and allotted a weight of 62kg. The net rating takes into account the weight-for-age allowances and penalties for highest Graded or Listed wins.
As the minimum weight is 50kg the broad spectrum is a 12kg range from 62kg to 50kg.
It must be noted that while this option best aligns with Phumelela’s intention of the Grand Heritage providing an opportunity for the horse that is a handicapper, it certainly does not preclude horses with net merit ratings above 100 from participating in the race with their allotted weights.
The top weighted horse is Night Trip who has a merit rating of 112. Should Candice Robinson want to run him he would carry 69kg.
Smart filly Lazer Star, now with Miike Azzie, set to carry 66kgs
However, there is a second option for these horses in the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge and Fillies And Mares Spring Challenge which will be run a week later over 1450m at Turffontein. Those races will provide an opportunity for horses to participate at a higher level.
The determination of the final field with the objective of obtaining the best representation across the three Tiers – Tier 1 from 57kg and above, Tier 2 from 53kg to 56.5kg, Tier 3 from 50kg to 52.5kg – is at the sole discretion of the Operator.
The race is sponsored by World Sports Betting and they will ensure the betting will go up as early as possible for this unique race meeting.
Draws and weights for the R750,000 Grand Heritage (Non-Black Type) over 1475m at the Vaal on Saturday 1 October.
91 NIGHT TRIP (C L Bass-Robinson) 69.0; 90 CAPTAIN ALDO (S J Gray) 67.5; 101 DEO JUVENTE (G V Woodruff) 67.5; 89 NEW PREDATOR (J A Janse van Vuuren) 67.5; 4 JUXTAPOSE (S M Ferreira) 66.5; 49 LAZER STAR (M G Azzie) 66.0; 66 WILL PAYS (M G Azzie) 65.0; 69 STONEHENGE (S G Tarry) 64.0; 75 MOOFEED (M F De Kock) 63.5; 81 SHADOW OFHIS SMILE (G V Woodruff) 63.5; 19 BULLETING HOME (S G Tarry) 63.0; 57 FINCHATTON (S G Tarry) 63.0; 46 ST TROPEZ (J Ramsden) 63.0; 62 ASHTON PARK (C L Bass-Robinson) 62.5; 97 PIVOTAL PURSUIT (G M Alexander) 62.5; 12 ROCKETBALL (G H Van Zyl) 62.5; 61 ROYAL ARMOUR (L Forbes) 62.5; 55 DONNY G (S G Tarry) 62.0; 87 CELTIC CAPTAIN (G H Van Zyl) 61.5; 35 THE CAPTAIN’S TUNE (G V Woodruff) 61.0; 67 MASTER ‘N COMMANDER (G V Woodruff) 60.5; 39 PERSIAN RUG (M F De Kock) 60.0; 2 TORO ROSSO (M F De Kock) 60.0; 38 BUDAPEST (G H Van Zyl) 59.5; 52 LUNAR APPROACH (S G Tarry) 59.5; 92 PRINCE OF ORANGE (C Dawson) 59.0; 95 STORMY ECLIPSE (C Laird) 59.0; 27 DENNIS THE MENACE (S T Pettigrew) 58.0; 21 DREAMUPONADREAM (M F De Kock) 58.0; 14 FORT MEYERS (S G Tarry) 58.0; 98 MACDUFF (J Ramsden) 58.0; 53 THE STONE THROWER (J Ramsden) 58.0; 83 ARCTICA (M G Azzie) 57.5; 99 FOREST FOX (P A Peter) 57.5; 84 GREEK LEGEND (M G Azzie) 57.5; 41 SHEPARD ONE (G M Alexander) 57.5; 71 BROOKLYN BRAWLER (G H Van Zyl) 57.0; 76 JUBILEE LINE (M F De Kock) 57.0; 63 MASTER’S SPIRIT (M F De Kock) 56.5; 73 THRUST (P F Matchett) 56.5; 68 SILVER CLASS (J A Janse van Vuuren) 56.0; 100 ALEXA (G V Woodruff) 55.5; 88 CHEPARDO (A G Laird) 55.5; 54 IRISH PRIDE (J A Janse van Vuuren) 55.5; 48 NATIONAL KEY (B O Wiid) 55.5; 93 PERFUMED LADY (M F De Kock) 55.5; 6 SILVER SPRING (G H Van Zyl) 55.5; 11 STAVINSKY (L J Erasmus) 55.5; 13 DUKE NUKEM (G M Alexander) 55.0; 26 FRONT RANK (T Zackey) 55.0; 10 KINGS ARCHER (S T Pettigrew) 55.0; 17 SHADOW LINE (S W Kenny) 55.0; 9 ENBHARR (M F De Kock) 54.5; 3 LE CLOS (M G Azzie) 54.5; 37 NETFLIX (M N Houdalakis) 54.5; 5 SEVENTH HEART (S G Tarry) 54.0; 58 HUMIDOR (A J Rivalland) 53.5; 50 JANOOBI (M F De Kock) 53.5; 64 MIRACLE BUREAU (J A Soma) 53.5; 77 MISTY BIRNAM (M F De Kock) 53.5; 18 MACHISMO (S G Tarry) 53.0; 79 AWESOME ADAM (M G Azzie) 52.5; 51 NEPHRITE (M N Houdalakis) 52.5; 33 GAMBOL (A Nassif) 52.0; 25 RAFEEF (M F De Kock) 52.0; 74 CUMBERLAND (R P Lerena) 51.5; 32 WARGAMES (J A Janse van Vuuren) 51.5; 7 BELENOS (A G Laird) 51.0; 22 COUNTERSTROKE (M N Houdalakis) 51.0; 80 FAREEQ (M F De Kock) 51.0; 44 HILILYHILILYHILO (C Binda) 51.0; 36 LIGHTING THE FIRE (A G Laird) 50.5; 15 MAN’S INN (M N Houdalakis) 50.5; 20 RAISE THE RED (M N Houdalakis) 50.5; 65 ANALYSE THIS (P A Peter) 50.0; 94 GASOLINE (J A Janse van Vuuren) 50.0; 24 HEAVENLY BLUE (M F De Kock) 50.0; 96 REVELATION (L W Goosen) 50.0; 34 IN THE LOOP (P A Peter) 49.5; 85 LIKE A BOSS (C Dawson) 49.0; 1 ODD ROB (G H Van Zyl) 49.0; 70 STREET FLYER (M N Houdalakis) 49.0; 8 RESOLUTE CAPTAIN (A G Laird) 48.5; 29 URGENT FURY (P A Peter) 48.5; 72 APPLE CRUMBLE (M G Azzie) 48.0; 45 BOLD REX (M F De Kock) 48.0; 56 CHEROKEE GREY (A G Laird) 48.0; 78 NOBLE STAR (M N Houdalakis) 48.0; 60 KOSTYA ZU (F C De Beer) 47.5; 86 LOCK HIM UP (P A Peter) 47.5; 59 COYOTE (M F De Kock) 47.0; 40 TOKYO DRIFT (S W Kenny) 47.0; 30 ACT OF LOYALTY (M F De Kock) 46.5; 82 BLUE DIAMOND ROAD (A G Laird) 46.5; 28 QEYAADAH (M F De Kock) 46.5; 42 MOVE LIKE JAGGER (L W Goosen) 45.5; 16 NOAH’S ARK (P A Peter) 45.5; 31 THE SHREDDER (P F Matchett) 45.5; 47 RIVER EMPRESS (G V Woodruff) 44.5; 43 TRIP TO PARADISE (F C De Beer) 44.5; 23 OVER IT (C Mayhew) 40.5.
