Eliminations from listed handicaps

Can anybody in the know please let me know the current rules for deciding who gets preference to run in listed races where there are more declarations than places available.

Judges decision is final - it is rather controversial

As per www.gallop.co.za/Programs/DG/Racing%20Op...d%20-%2007042010.pdf

7.1.6 Discretionary Power of the Company
Unless otherwise stated in the Race Requirements, the Company grants the
Handicapper the right to establish the field in any Feature Race or Juvenile
Plate. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Condition 7,
the Handicapper shall have an absolute discretion, after the closing of
declarations, to
7.1.6.1 exempt any horse from the application to it of these Conditions
governing eliminations.
7.1.6.2 eliminate any horse from a race.

Yes it appears that the handicapper sets MR's and then ignores them when deciding who should run or not. Quite ironic in fact.

Back to the behind the iron curtain mentality.

So if you piss of the handicapper your horsie dont run.

I agree that this does not make sense.... The Handicapper is the person who pushes the horses MR up so that the only races they qualify for are features, and then has the ability to elminate them from the features at his discretion... How does any horse over MR100 get to race if the handicapper is not on his side?? Take this as a hypothetical example :
A high MR horse (eg. 106) goes off form or has a slight injury and has a break. The owners get the best treatment available, pay the vet bills and feed him for 6 to 8 months months knowing that the feature season is coming and that the horse is going to be well by then.

The horse is in need of the run for his first run back and doesn't run a particuarly good race. Now the only races after for horses over MR100 are feature races...
The handicapper is able to elimnate horses from those races at his discretion - and can declare the horse as "off form and not deserving of a place in the race".

Surely it is the handicapper who has given the horse the high MR - and if he feels the horse is not worth that MR then he should drop it so that the horse can run in other races, if he's not going to drop it, then the horse should be able to take his place in the field for a feature race....

How do you explain to owners who have paid the bills and fed the horse for 8 months that the horse will not get a run as his MR is too high when 2 seasons ago you were explaining that he could not get into the features as his MR was too low?

Well put Trigger. The poor owner will end up as an "extinct" species. How is the old man these days, I heard he wants to adopt Muzi as his son.

We've been in a similar boat. Then trainers also have the option to ask for a higher MR to get their horse qualified for a Feature race

Trigger, I couldn't have said it better myself. Got the T.shirt, got the lot. They bloody quick to push the MR up, but takes 3 or 4 runs to start coming down - if you lucky.

I see eruption is a reserve runner and Alec Laird has 4 runners.

i would be pissed.