PRESS RELEASE
HANDICAPPING RATINGS UPDATE
• World Sports Betting Gauteng Summer Cup (Handicap) Grade 1)
SUMMER PUDDING has had her merit rating raised from 119 to 129 after she made it nine wins from nine starts with an emphatic victory in the Grade 1 World Sports Betting Summer Cup (handicap) over 2000m on the Turffontein standside track on Saturday 28 November.
The Handicappers were of the view that DANCE CLASS was highly unlikely to have run below her mark by finishing fourth in a race of this calibre and elected to use her as the line horse, which leaves her rating unchanged on 96.
The winner aside, the only other increase was for runner-up RUNNING BRAVE, who was raised from 114 to 119, but there were ratings drops for three runners.
TIERRA DEL FUEGO is down from 120 to 118, VICTORIA PAIGE drops from 105 to 103 and lastly, HERO’S HONOUR was cut from 110 to 107.
• World Sports Betting Dingaans (Grade 2)
CATCH TWENTY TWO has had his rating raised from 104 to 116 following his success in the Grade 2 World Sports Betting Dingaans for three-year-olds over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday. 5th placed WINTER STORIES was deemed to make for the best line horse, which leaves him unchanged on a mark of 106.
There were also increases for all of the placed horses. Runner-up MK’S PRIDE was raised from 109 to 112, 3rd placed BINGWA goes from 96 to 111, and 4th finisher AL MUTHANA was picked up from 94 to 105.
There were no other ratings increases, while the single drop was for FLYING CARPET, who is down from 108 to 103.
• Ipi Tombe Challenge (Grade 2)
WAR OF ATHENA has had her rating increased from 111 to 116 following her victory in the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge for fillies and mares over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday. It was 5th placed SHIVERS who was used as the line horse when assessing this race, which leaves her unchanged on a mark of 103.
There were also increases for 3rd placed SENTBYDESTINY, who goes from 105 to 113, and for KAYLA’S CHAMP, who was raised from 92 to 96.
The solitary drop was for RIO’S WINTER, who is down from 111 to 108.
• Magnolia Handicap (Grade 3)
WINTER SMOKE has her rating raised from 102 to 109 after she won the Grade 3 Magnolia Handicap for fillies and mares over the straight 1160m at Turffontein in Saturday. This seven point increase is due in part to the fact that WINTER SMOKE was 0.5 kg under sufferance at the weights, and furthermore that she carried 0.5 kg overweight.
It was 4th placed LINEAR that the Handicappers deemed to make for the best line horse, which leaves her unchanged on a rating of 100, but runner-up GALLIC PRINCESS was raised from 110 to 114, while 3rd placed DOUBLE ‘O’ EIGHT goes up from 96 to 99. There were no other ratings increases, but a number of horses were given a drop.
MILL QUEEN drops from 110 to 108, POOL PARTY was trimmed from 105 to 104, ALL OF ME is down to 96 from 98, SPRINGS OF CARMEL drops from 105 to 102, DANCING QUEEN is down from 106 to 105, TRUE CHARM goes from 92 to 88, COCKNEY PRIDE was dropped from 107 to 104, and lastly CHE BELLA goes from 96 to 94.
• New Turf Carriers Merchants (Handicap) (Grade 3)
ULTRA MAGNUS has seen his rating raised from 115 to 120 following his success in the Grade 3 New Turf Carriers Merchants (handicap) over 1160m at Turffontein on Saturday. It was 3rd placed BOLD RANSOM who was considered to make for the optimal line horse, which leaves him unchanged on a mark of 104.
The winner was in fact the only horse in this race to have his rating increased, but a number of runners were given a drop. PRINCE OF KAHAL is down from 121 to 119, INVIDIA is down from 110 to 109, DOWN TO ZERO goes from 106 to 105, DONDERWEER was dropped from 106 to 103, WINTER STORM goes from 103 to 100, and lastly WONDERWALL was dropped from 109 to 107.
• Racing Association Handicap (Listed)
AFRICAN ADVENTURE has had his rating increased from 92 to 103 after he ran away with the Listed Racing Association Handicap over 3200m at Turffontein on Saturday. Runner-up ODD ROB, who had beaten AFRICAN ADVENTURE when winning a Listed 2400m handicap four weeks earlier, was used as the line horse and his rating remains unchanged on 92.
The winner was the only horse to receive a ratings’ increase, but there were drops for several horses. 3rd placed BEFORE NOON had already been dropped from 86 to 84 subsequent to the weights for this event being published and remains on 84. Similarly, SNOW PALACE had been dropped from 104 to 101 after the publication of the weights and remains on 101.
SUNSHINE SILK was dropped from 100 to 98, DARK MOON RISING is down from 102 to 99, SHENANIGANS is down to 88 from 90, and lastly DAWN ASSAULT goes from 108 to 107.
• Algoa Cup (Handicap) (Listed)
SILVER DE LANGE has had his rating raised from 90 to 93 after he won the Listed Algoa Cup (handicap) over 2000m on the Fairview Polytrack on 27 November. It was 3rd placed ROCK ALOE who was used as the line horse, which leaves him unaltered on a mark of 101, but runner-up SEEKING WISDOM (who was 0.5 kg or one pound under sufferance and who carried 1.5 kgs or three pounds overweight) was picked up from 89 to 93.
There were no other ratings increases, but three horses received a drop. AMERICAN LANDING is down from 99 to 97, CEDAR MAN drops from 95 to 93, and lastly CELESTIAL PRINCE was cut from 85 to 83.
• Racing Association Stakes (Listed)
GLOBAL DRUMMER remains unchanged on a mark of 101 after winning the Listed Racing Association Stakes for three-year-olds over 1600m at Fairview (Polytrack) last Friday. It was in fact GLOBAL DRUMMER himself who was used as the line horse here, hence his unaltered rating.
There were however increases for all three placed horses. Runner-up LOOK FOR HOUNDS is up from 90 to 96, 3rd finisher SH BOOM goes from 86 to 95 to keep him one pound lower than the runner-up, and 4th finisher THEORY OF FLIGHT is up from 87 to 94. In addition, there was also an increase for FIND ME UNAFRAID, who goes from 77 to 84, but no horses were given a ratings’ drop from this race.
Enquiries:
The Handicapping Team
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