Future Pearl has had his merit rating raised from 112 to 116 following his victory in the Gr3 World Pool Gold Cup over 3200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday 30 July.
The Handicappers were of the view that fourth-placed RAISEAHALLELUJAH made for the best line horse, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 99.
The World Pool Gold Cup field pass the post for the first time (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
FUTURE PEARL was the beneficiary of a double advantage going into the World Pool Gold Cup as both the Grade 3 Gold Bowl and the Grade 3 DSTV Gold Vase conditions obligated the Handicappers to cap his rating.
As a consequence of these race conditions, FUTURE PEARL had a distinct advantage over his rivals in the Grade 3 World Pool Gold Cup and unsurprisingly won this compressed handicap easily.
Second-placed ARUMUGAM, who was also a recipient of a double advantage due to the caps placed on the Handicappers for his wins in the Listed Java Stakes as well as the Listed Racing Association Stakes, was increased from 94 to 102.
Interestingly both 1st and 2nd in the World Pool Gold Cup came into this race with weight advantages due to rating caps being imposed onto the handicapping system.
Seven runners were given a rating’s drop. 3rd placed NEBRAAS was dropped from 117 to 115, ONE WAY TRAFFIC is down from 108 to 106, SENSO UNICO also drops to 106 from 108, BLACK THORN is down from 102 to 99, FLYING FIRST CLASS was cut from 91 to 87, SALVATOR MUNDI was dropped from 109 to 107, and lastly SHANGANI is down from 120 to 118.
- Gr1 HKJC Champions Cup (WFA)
Weighted to run 1st and 2nd, PRINCESS CALLA and SEE IT AGAIN remain unchanged on ratings of 127 and 131 respectively after finishing in that exact order (see best weighted column in Computaform) in the Grade 1 HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
The Handicappers were of the view that 4th placed RASCALLION would not have run below the 122 which he achieved in the Grade 1 WSB Cape Met, the Grade 2 WSB Greyville 1900 and the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge.
He was used to that mark to rate this race, and accordingly had his rating restored from 121 to 122. In assessing the race this way PRINCESS CALLA – who was the best weighted runner in the field on official merit ratings – only achieves a rating of 124, hence her unchanged mark.
The only ratings increase was for 3rd placed DAVE THE KING, who goes up from 122 to 126, but three runners were given a drop.
SAFE PASSAGE is down from 122 to 120, MK’S PRIDE also drops from 122 to 120, and lastly AL MUTHANA was trimmed from 130 to 129.
- Gr1 Mercury Sprint (WFA)
Joint top rated, ISIVUNGUVUNGU remains unchanged on a rating of 130 after he narrowly captured the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday. Here it was runner-up SURJAY who was deemed to make the best line horse, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 119.
Mercury Sprint winner Isivunguvungu (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
In rating the race this way 6th placed GLADATORIAN also runs to his mark, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 114. In fact, at the weights GLADATORIAN and SURJAY have exactly replicated their form in the Grade 2 Post Merchants over the same course and distance on 1st July.
In assessing the race this way ISIVUNGUVUNGU only runs to a mark of 120, hence his unaltered rating. 3rd placed THUNDERSTRUCK ran one pound above what he had shown in the Post Merchants and therefore goes up from 117 to 118.
The only other raise was for 7th placed CABINET SHUFFLE, who goes up from 102 to 108 to at least make him the equal of the 108-rated 8th finisher DANILO DANILOVITCH.
Four horses were given a drop. WILLIAM ROBERTSON is down from 125 to 123, SEEKING THE STARS drops from 123 to 121, SILVER OPERATOR is down to 112 from 114, and lastly PEARL OF ASIA is down from 109 to 107.
- Gr2 Riding High Together Gold Bracelet
BLESS MY STARS has had her rating raised from 117 to 119 after winning the Riding High Together Gold Bracelet for fillies and mares over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
The Handicappers were of the opinion that 5th placed DAWNOFANEWDAY made for the best line horse, leaving her unchanged on a mark of 107.
There were also ratings increases for runner-up SAARTJIE, who was raised from 105 to 109, and for 4th finisher CAPETOWN BEAUTY, who goes up from 82 to 101 to at least make the equal of the 101-rated 6th finisher MACARA.
Three horses received a rating’s drop. SILVER DARLING is down to 115 from 117, HOLD MY HAND drops from 115 to 112, and lastly MARINA was also dropped from 115 to 112.
- Listed @WorldPool Twitter Handicap
MERIDIUS has had his rating upped from 107 to 110 after winning the Listed @WorldPool Twitter Handicap over 1600m on the turf course at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday. Here it was 4th placed LORD WILLIAM who was used as the line horse, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 107.
Meridius gets up late (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
It is worth noting that MERIDIUS was effectively 1.5 kg well-in here as he had actually run to a mark of 110 when winning a Middle Stakes at Turffontein in his most recent start, but he could not be raised more than six pounds for that win and so his rating had to be capped at the 107 which he ran off on Sunday.
As a consequence of this cap MERIDIUS enjoyed an advantage over his rivals in this Handicap.
There were also increases for 2nd finisher BATTLE FORCE, who goes up from 107 to 109, and for 3rd finisher CAPTAIN FONTANE, who was raised from 109 to 111.
Three horses were given a drop. ROYAL VICTORY was trimmed from 112 to 111, COSMIC HIGHWAY is down to 108 from 110, and lastly GOOD TRAVELLER was dropped from 110 to 106.
- Listed LHKIR In December Umgeni Handicap
PRAY FOR RAIN has had his rating raised from 106 to 110 after he won the Listed LHKIR In December Umgeni Handicap over 1000m on turf at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
Here it was 4th placed MR MASTER STARTER who was deemed to make for the best line horse, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 98.
There were also ratings increases for 2nd placed AFRICAN SKYLINE, who was equipped with blinkers for the first time, goes up from 99 to 101, and for 3rd finisher SMITH AND WESSON, who was 1 kg or 2 pounds under sufferance at the weights and who was raised from 91 from 93.
There were drops for no fewer than five horses. LOVE IN WINTER is down slightly from 91 to 90, IPHIKO drops from 107 to 105, WINTER FLIGHT is down from 97 to 94, HOOVES OF TROY drops to 87 from 89, and lastly AISLING is down from 90 to 88.
- Listed Port Elizabeth Gold Cup
TOP QUALITY has had his rating raised from 95 to 100 after his easy win in the Listed Port Elizabeth Gold Cup over 3200m on a heavy turf track at Fairview on Friday 28 July. The Handicappers were of the view that runner-up HEATHCLIFF made for the best line horse here, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 100.
Top Quality strolls in to win the PE Gold Cup (Pic – Pauline Herman)
No horses were given a rating’s increase aside from the winner, and in any case the specific race conditions do not allow for any raise to the rating of any horse aside from the winner.
The only drop was for JAEGER MOON, who is down from 102 to 100.
- Media release by National Horseracing Authority on Tuesday 1 August 2023.
