Taipan has in fact been very shrewdly placed in this plated race on Friday.He is clearly not a qualifyer for the July @ this stage,but he does need to win races to show current form in order to make the final field.He also needs to increase his MR,as MR is one of the qualifying criteria used by the panel that decides on the final field for the July.If he wins on Friday he is likely to pick up a maximum penalty of 6 points for winning this plated race where he is clearly under sufferance.That would make him a 103 coming into the Greyville 1900.All runners will be 1kg out at the weights with Jackson(if his 116 rating can in fact be believed),as Jackson would in fact be carrying 58kgs if there was not a 57kg maximum weight for 3 year olds.The ideal rating for a 3 year old would therefore be 106 as he would come in at the minimum weight for a 3 year old colt which is 53kgs.Taipan might therefore actually get into the July even if he did not win the 1900m(as long as he ran @ least 2nd I would think),and would therefore come into the July @ the almost ideal weight.
At this stage Jackson will carry 57 in the July.However,if the horses above in the merit ratings don't run(Dancewiththedevil and Pierre Jourdan for example),Jackson could in fact finish up with top weight.The whole fields weights move up accordingly though.3 year olds colts that are set to get the maximum 4kg spread from Jackson would still only get 4kgs,so If Jackson carried higher they would move up the weights accordingly.
It is one of the express conditions of the July that the handicapper can determine his own weights and that they don't have to be framed according to a horses MR,but in the MR era I have not seen the handicapper deviate from using the horses MR in determining a runners weight in the race.I do stand under correction though.
Here are the conditions of the race:
It is an express condition of this race that the Company reserves the right to exclude any horse, which, in its
opinion, does not warrant inclusion in the race. In addition, the Company shall have the right to exclude any
horse at Declaration Stage, and to decide on the final field for the race.
Weights shall be framed by the Handicapper in his sole discretion and without necessarily having regard for
horses’ merit ratings, but subject to the following:
1. The weights to be carried shall not exceed 60kg and shall not be less than 52kg.
2. Minimum weight for 4-year-olds and older: Colts and Geldings 53kg Fillies and Mares 52kg
Maximum weight for 4-year and older
at publication of weights: Colts and Geldings 60kg Fillies and Mares 59kg
3. Minimum weight for 3-year-olds: Colts and Geldings 53kg Fillies 52kg
Maximum weight for 3-year-olds
at publication of weights: Colts and Geldings 57kg Fillies and Mares 56kg
4. No penalties shall be incurred after the publication of weights.
5. Notwithstanding 2 and 3 above, the Handicapper will raise all weights proportionately to 60kg. should the top
weight originally allotted be less than 60kg at final declaration.
VDJ LOG: The Companyin consultation with the Handicappers will publish a log of the entries. The log will reflect all
the horses, in order of preference, as to the make up of the final field at the time of publication. Factors used will
include the horses current Merit Rating, its current racing form and competitiveness in the Graded and Listed stakes
program over the past year
Entries: Entries, which must be accompanied by a non-refundable fee of R2280 for each horse
entered, close at 11:00 on Wednesday, 18 April.
First Supp. Entries: Close 11:00 Tuesday, 15 May – R11 140 non refundable
Final Supp. Entries: Close 11:00 Monday, 11 June – R22 280 non refundable
Weights Published: Tuesday, 12 June
Declaration: Declarations close 11:00 Wednesday, 20 June – R33 420
(Refunded if not selected to run).
Final Field And Draw: Announcement of the Final Field and Barrier Draws will take place on Thursday, 21 June.
2 Reserve Runners will be announced which will replace any horse withdrawn on or before
12:00, Tuesday, 26 June.
Elimination: 20 horses will be carded for this event. Elimination will be at the sole and unfettered
discretion of the Company.
Public Gallops: It shall be a condition of acceptance that all runners participate in public gallops scheduled
for Thursday, 28 June, failing which, the horse will, in the absence of exceptional and
unforseen circumstances which the Company shall in its sole discretion declare as such,
be declared ineligible to run in the VDJ. Further, the Company reserves the right in its sole
discretion to allow a horse stabled out of province on the day of the gallops to work out in
the province where stabled prior to 28 June provided that the workout is filmed and
screened on 28 June.
Sponsorship: No sponsorship or branding of any sort other than that of raceday sponsors as
agreed by the Company in terms of Racing Operators Conditions 18.2, 18.3 & 18.4 will be
permitted. It shall be a condition of acceptance that all riders engaged in the VDJ, wear
sponsor's branding on their breeches.
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