PRESS RELEASE
HANDICAPPING RATINGS UPDATE
Allied Steelrode – Onamissionmile (Handicap) (Grade 2)
BINGWA has had his merit rating raised from 111 to 118 after running out a fluent winner of the Grade 2 Allied Steelrode – Onamissionmile over 1600m on the Turffontein standside track on Saturday 30 October. The Handicappers were of the unanimous view that 2nd placed ASTRIX and 3rd finisher MK’S PRIDE made for the most suitable line horses when assessing the race formerly known as the Charity Mile, which leaves them unchanged on ratings of 112 and 120, respectively.
It is worth noting that BINGWA had run to a mark of 117 when finishing 2nd in the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge at his most recent start four weeks earlier. However, the specific conditions of that event preclude any increase in the rating of placed horses and as such BINGWA had to remain on a mark of 111. In essence, this meant that he came into the Onamissionmile 3 kgs or 6 pounds well in at the weights, and by achieving a rating of 118 he did little more than confirm what he had actually run to in his latest appearance.
The only other ratings increase was for 4th placed AL MUTHANA, who goes up from 101 to 104. This is explained by the fact that he was 6 pounds or 3 kgs under sufferance at the weights and finished the equivalent of 3 pounds behind the joint line horses, hence he runs three pounds above his 101 rating.
Five horses were given a ratings’ drop. CHIJMES is down from 108 to 106, TIERRA DEL FUEGO drops to 107 from 110, PACK LEADER is down from 105 to 103, WILLOW EXPRESS was trimmed from 104 to 103, and lastly G G’S DYNASTY drops from 105 to 104.
HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes (Grade 3)
ONE NIGHT IN PARIS has had her rating raised from 88 to 110 after she landed the Grade 3 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes for three-year-old fillies over 1400m at Turffontein on Saturday. Here it was 3rd placed BIG BURN who was used as the line horse, leaving her unchanged on a mark of 110.
Bearing in mind that BIG BURN carried 2 kgs or 4 pounds more than the winner, it is entirely fair to have the two fillies rated as equals considering that there were 2.75 lengths (or 5 pounds) between them here and that they finished within a short head of each other at level weights in their only previous meeting, at Greyville on Vodacom Durban July day.
Two other horses were given a ratings’ increase here. 2nd placed MARIGOLD HOTEL is up from 89 to 107, while 4th finisher FOLLOW ME was raised from 91 to 102. The only drop was for 6th placed TWICE THE TRIP, who was trimmed from 94 to 93 in order that she not be rated higher than the 93-rated 5th finisher SHIELD OF ROSES.
Graham Beck Stakes (Grade 3)
DESERT MIRACLE has seen her rating climb from 111 to 117 after she beat her male rivals in the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes for three-year-olds over 1400m at Turffontein on Saturday. The Handicappers felt that 3rd placed CASTLETOWN made for the best line horse, which leaves him unchanged on a rating of 99, but runner-up PYROMANIAC was raised from 95 to 106 and is (aside from the winner) the only horse to be given a ratings’ increase.
There were drops for three horses. 4th placed SMORGASBORD drops to 103 from 107, FISHER KING is down from 92 to 91, and TEAM GOLD is down from 101 to 98.
Yellowwood Handicap (Grade 3)
BOLD FORTUNE has had her rating raised from 96 to 103 following her success in the Grade 3 Yellowwood Handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday. It was 5th placed SHIVERS who was considered to make for the best line horse here, which leaves her unchanged on a mark of 100. In assessing the race in this way, 3rd placed LA LUVIA also runs to her rating, which accordingly remains unaltered on 95.
Runner-up VELD FLOWER, in contrast, was fully 2 pounds or 1 kg under sufferance at the weights and as such her rating is up from 90 to 95. 4th placed ONLY THE BRAVE – who was 4 pounds or 2 kgs under sufferance at the weights – goes up from 90 to 94 and was the only other horse to receive a ratings’ increase.
There were slight drops for two horses. ROUGE ALLURE is down from 102 to 101, and MISS ELEGANCE also goes from 102 to 101.
Golden Loom Handicap (Listed)
ALESIAN CHIEF has had his rating increased from 101 to 112 after his victory in the Listed Golden Loom Handicap over the straight 1000m course at Turffontein on Saturday. This substantial raise is explained in large part by the fact that he was 4 pounds or 2 kgs under sufferance at the weights.
It was 3rd finisher MIND READER who was deemed to make for the best line horse here, which leaves her unchanged on a mark of 105. In assessing the race this way, both runner-up SHEELA and 4th placed KWITE A TRIP run to their marks as well, which leaves them unchanged on a rating of 107 and 101, respectively.
The winner aside, there were no other ratings increases from this race, while the solitary drop was for MOMBELA, who is down from 101 to 100.
Java Stakes (Listed)
SHANGANI has had his rating increased from 92 to 98 after his win in the Listed Java Stakes over 2400m at Turffontein on Saturday. Here it was 2nd placed SMOKING HOT who was used as the line horse, which leaves her unchanged on a mark of 98. In assessing the race this way, SHANGANI actually achieves a rating of 99, but the specific conditions of the event do not allow the winner’s rating to be increased by more than six pounds and accordingly SHANGANI had to be capped at 98.
The race conditions also preclude any ratings increase for placed horses, and as such 3rd placed MARCHINGONTOGETHER and 4th finisher SUPER HANDSOME remain unaltered on marks of 101 and 89, respectively, even though they respectively ran to marks of 102 and 94.
There were ratings drops for two horses. DON’T LOOK BACK is down from 101 to 100, while BALLET SHOES drops from 103 to 101.
Nelson Mandela Bay Racing Algoa Cup (Handicap ) (Listed)
HOEDSPRUIT has had his rating raised from 108 to 116 following his fluent win in the Listed Nelson Mandela Bay Racing Algoa Cup (handicap) over 2000m on the Fairview turf track on Friday 29 October. Both 3rd placed MARMARA SEA and 4th finisher BAYBERRY were considered to make for the best line horses here, which leaves them unchanged on marks of 110 and 105, respectively.
The winner aside, the only other ratings raise was for 2nd placed FIND ME UNAFRAID, who was 1 pound or half-a-kilo under sufferance at the weights and beat the line horse by 3 pounds or 1.5 lengths goes up from 93 to 97.
The only drop was for JAEGER MOON, who is down from 105 to 102.
Racing Association Stakes (Listed)
NORTON SOUND remains unchanged on a rating of 101 after his success in the Listed Racing Association Stakes for three-year-olds over 1600m at Fairview on Friday. Here it was 2nd placed CHOLLIMA who was considered to make for the best line horse, leaving him unchanged on a rating of 92. In assessing the race this way, NORTON SOUND – who was comfortably the best weighted horse in the field – only runs to a mark of 96, hence his unchanged rating.
3rd placed NEVER ENDING RAIN is raised from 84 to 88 despite achieving a race rating of 90, this is to keep him in line with 4th placed NIGHT RULER rated 88 and 5th placed SUN DAZED rated 87 so the three, who were all visitors from the Western Cape, would face one another on the correct terms were they to meet in a handicap.
Three horses were given a ratings’ drop. CAPTAIN’S KNOT is down from 96 to 94, and PEACE IN OUR WORLD goes from 100 to 98.
Model Man Mile (Listed)
HASTA MANANA has had his rating increased from 91 to 93 after his success in the Listed Model Man Mile for three-year-olds over 1600m on the Greyville turf course on Sunday 31 October. It was 5th placed HUMDINGER who was considered to make for the most suitable line horse, which leaves her unchanged on a rating of 82 (bearing in mind that she is a filly and thus carried 2.5 kgs less than the male winner.)
There were increases also for 2nd placed PURPLE FLAME, who is up from 87 to 90, and for 7th placed PROUD MASTER, who was raised slightly from 84 to 85 to have him rated correct relative to 6th finisher SIKHULU, who beat PROUD MASTER by one pound and who drops from 87 to 86.
Aside from SIKHULU, there were also drops for three other horses. 4th placed AISLING was cut from 99 to 96, KEEP IT SECRET is down from 94 to 92, while CALLMEMRGREENLIGHT was dropped from 81 to 76.
Enquiries:
The Handicapping TeamPlease
Topic Author
