Charity Mile Winner Bingwa Goes To 123

BINGWA has seen his merit rating increased from 118 to 123 after the defending champion ran out an easy winner of the Gr2 Allied Steelrode – Onamission Charity Mile over 1600m on the standside track at Turffontein on Saturday 29 October. 

Bingwa returns under Gavin Lerena (Pic – JC Photos)

The Handicappers were of the unanimous opinion that runner-up PUERTO MANZANO made for the ideal line horse here, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 120.

The winner aside, there were no ratings increase for any other runner in this event, but five horses were given a rating’s drop.

PYROMANIAC is down from 110 to 108, ASTRIX was trimmed from 125 to 124, INDLAMU is down to 99 from 100, LITIGATION drops from 101 to 99, and lastly WILLOW EXPRESS drops from 102 to 101.

• 4Racing Yellowwood Handicap (Grade 3)

GILDED BUTTERFLY has had her rating upped from 91 to 100 after winning the Grade 3 4Racing Yellowwood Handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday. 

Part of this increase is due to the fact that GILDED BUTTERFLY was 3 pounds or 1.50 kgs under sufferance at the weights.  It was 3^rd placed TERRA TIME who was deemed to make for the best line horse, which leaves her unchanged on a mark of 96.

The only other increase was for 2^nd placed CRIMSON PRINCESS, who was 4 pounds or 2 kgs under sufferance at the weights and beat the line horse by 1 pound, accordingly, CRIMSON PRINCESS goes up from 88 to 93.

There were however ratings drops for no fewer than five horses.  ULULATE is down from 95 to 94, SOUTHERN SONG is down to 89 from 91, BOLD FORTUNE drops from 102 to 100, OPERA GLASS is down from 91 to 88, and lastly CLAFOUTIS drops from 100 to 95.

• HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes (Grade 3)

MISS DAISY has had her rating picked up from 105 to 108 following her win in the Grade 3 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes for three-year-old fillies over 1400m at Turffontein on Saturday.  Here it was runner-up FEATHER BOA who was considered to make for the best line horse, which leaves her unchanged on a mark of 108.

The specific conditions of this race do not allow for an increase in the rating of any runner besides the winner.  As such, 3^rd placed GIMME A SHOT and 4th finisher BERENGARIA remain unchanged on marks of 102 and 84, respectively, despite actually running to a rating of 108 and 104, respectively.  Similarly, 5^th placed NONE OTHER remains on 97 despite running to a mark of 102. 

The ratings protection mentioned above has the undesirable handicapping consequence of an unexposed horse, like 4^th placed BERENGARIA, remaining by far the lowest rated horse that contested this event despite beating nine of her dozen rivals at level weights and would receive considerable weight from these nine runners in a handicap situation. 

Furthermore, the pecking order of the runners in this race are compromised which may complicate eliminations in similar Graded races.  In essence lower rated horse, which will receive weight in a Handicap, may enjoy getting preference in eliminations over horses that would have to concede weight to these horses in a handicap.  Horses deemed to be of higher ability for handicapping purposes would be treated as inferior for elimination purposes.

Three horses received a drop on their ratings.  ROCK THE FOX is down from 104 to 102, RIVER QUERARESS drops from 111 to 108, and lastly TIME FOR GLORY is down from 92 to 90.

• Allied Steelrode Graham Beck Stakes (Grade 3)

ANFIELDS ROCKET has had his rating raised from 96 to 102 after winning the Grade 3 Allied Steelrode Graham Beck Stakes for three-year-olds over 1400m at Turffontein on Saturday.  Here it was 3^rd placed ROYAL VICTORY who was deemed to make for the best line horse, leaving him unchanged on a rating of 109.

Here, too, the specific race conditions do not permit an increase of more than six pounds for the winner and no increase for any other runner.  ANFIELDS ROCKET in fact achieved a mark of 113 but remains rated seven pounds lower than the line horse despite comfortably beating the latter at level weights and would only be placed 7^th in the pecking order of the race. 

Likewise, the luckless 2^nd placed SHOEMAKER (now 12^th in the pecking order), 4^th placed UNION SQUARE and 5^th finisher BILLY BOWLEGS remain unchanged on ratings of 96, 100, and 96, respectively, despite actually running to marks of 112, 108, and 107, respectively, accordingly these unexposed sorts will enjoy a considerable handicapping edge over their rivals. 

These conditions also have the undesirable effect of making the best weighted columns in the form guides misleading to the betting public as the top 2 finishers in this race, ANFIELDS ROCKET and SHOEMAKER, would not feature in the top 4 in the best weight column in similar events.

There were ratings drops for two horses, LAGUNA VERDE is down from 104 to 101, while EYJAFJALLAJOKULL goes from 94 to 89.

• The Citizen Golden Loom Handicap (Listed)

SHEELA has had her rating raised from 111 to 117 after winning the Listed Golden Loom Handicap over the straight 1000m course at Turffontein on Saturday.  It was 4^th placed VASEEM who was used as the line horse here, leaving him unaltered on a rating of 105.

Runner-up CONSTABLE, who was 4 pounds or 2 kgs under sufferance at the weights, was raised from 90 to 98, while 3^rd placed NOW I GOT YOU, who was 2 pounds or 1 kg under sufferance at the weights and beat the line horse by 1 pound, is up from 103 to 106.

There were no other ratings increases, but three horses received a drop.  BELLA CHICA is down to 100 from 102, GALLIC CHIEF also goes from 102 to 100, while KWITE A TRIP drops from 99 to 96.

• Gauteng Summer Cup 26 November Java Stakes (Listed)

ARUMUGAM has had his rating raised from 82 to 88 following his success in the Gauteng Summer Cup 26 November Java Stakes over 2400m at Turffontein on Saturday.  It was 3^rd placed JAIMALA who was used as the line horse, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 101, the specific race conditions only permit a maximum six-pound ratings rise for the winner and no increase for any other runner.  In rating the race this way, ARUMUGAM actually achieves a mark of 96, but the Handicappers were obliged to cap his rating at 88.

Likewise, runner-up RAISEAHALLELUJAH remains unchanged on a mark of 99 although actually running to a rating of 101.

There were drops for two horses.  MARCHINGONTOGETHER is down from 101 to 99, while OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE drops from 100 to 97.

• Tab4Racing Algoa Cup (Handicap) (Listed)

HAN SOLO has had his rating raised from 96 to 100 after capturing the Listed Tab4Racing Algoa Cup (handicap) over 2000m on the turf course at Fairview on Friday 28 October.  It was 3^rd placed NEVER ENDING RAIN who was deemed to make for the best line horse here, leaving him unchanged on a rating of 101.

Aside from the winner, the only other increase was for runner-up JAGER MOON, who goes from 102 to 103, but there were drops for four horses.

4^th placed ARCTIC DRIFT is down from 92 to 91, FOLLOW THE STAR drops from 99 to 97, CRIMSON KING is down to 102 from 104, and lastly CHOLLIMA was trimmed from 102 to 101.

• Racehorse Owners Association Stakes (Listed)

Best weighted KHAYA’S HOPE remains unchanged on a rating of 107 after winning the Listed Racehorse Owners Association Stakes for three-year-olds over 1600m at Fairview on Friday.  It was 4^th placed ICONIC DESTINATION who was used as the line horse here, leaving him unchanged on a rating of 96.  In assessing the race this way, KHAYA’S HOPE only runs to a mark of 100, hence his unchanged rating.

There were however increases for four horses.  FAMOUS AND RICH is up from 88 to 96, ALLEZ MORIS goes up from 88 to 96 as well, DOWSER was raised from 88 to 92 and PREVALENCE is up from 85 to 90.

Three horses received a drop.  DOUBLE DESTINY is down from 94 to 91, SAND BANK goes to 91 from 95, and COASTAL PATH was dropped from 86 to 82.

• Press release by NHA on 1 November 2022