The National Horseracing Authority handicappers have published their merit rating assessments after the weekend’s feature action.
- World Sports Betting Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas
CAPTAIN’S RANSOM remains unchanged on a rating of 116 following her fluent win in the Gr1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas over 1600m on the Kenilworth summer course on Saturday 12th December.
It was CAPTAIN’S RANSOM herself who was deemed to make for the best line horse when assessing this race, hence her unchanged rating.
Runner-up PRINCESS CALLA has had her rating increased from 108 to 111. Third placed CHAT CHING goes up from 89 to 108, while 4th placed DAZZLING SUN and 5th finisher ZARINA both go up to 107 respectively.
There were no further increases for any runner in this event, while no horse was given a ratings drop.
- World Sports Betting Gr2 Green Point Stakes
BELGARION has seen his rating upped from 124 to 130 after he made a victorious seasonal debut in the Grade 2 World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes over 1600m at Kenilworth on Saturday. In the process, he registered his sixth win from as many starts since being gelded.
It was the ever-consistent 3rd placed CIRILLO who was used as the line horse, which leaves him unchanged on a rating of 126, while there was no change also for runner-up RAINBOW BRIDGE, who stays on a mark of 134. Like the winner, RAINBOW BRIDGE was starting for the first time this season.
The only other increase was FROSTED GOLD, who is up from 114 to 116, while the only drop was for WILD COAST, who is down to 110 from 112.
- WSB Live Games Gr2 Southern Cross Stakes
CELTIC SEA remains unaltered on a rating of 126 after she landed the Grade 2 WSB Live Games Southern Cross Stakes for fillies and mares in her first ever attempt over 1000m at Kenilworth on Saturday. Runner-up RUN FOX RUN is unchanged on 122, as it was felt that using either of these two as line horses would only inflate the numbers for the other runners.
Third placed ROLL IN THE HAY was deemed to make for the best line horse, which leaves her rating unchanged on 102, and the only increase was for 4th finisher HELLO WINTER HELLO, who is up from 99 to 100.
There were drops for three horses. PHIL’S DANCER is down from 98 to 97, MIRAGE was trimmed from 94 to 93, and DELTA QUEEN drops from 95 to 92.
- WSB Gr3 Cape Summer Stayers Handicap
CROME YELLOW has had his rating raised from 106 to 108 following his success in the Grade 3 Cape Summer Stayers Handicap over 2500m at Kenilworth on Saturday. Here it was 3rd placed AZORES who was used as the line horse, which leaves him unchanged on a mark of 101.
Runner-up RETRO EFFECT, who was nine pounds or 4.5 kgs under sufferance at the weights, goes up from 84 to 93, while 4th placed TROOP THE COLOUR (who was 6.5 kgs or 13 pounds under sufferance at the weights) goes up from 80 to 92 (which is also what he actually ran to behind CROME YELLOW in his previous start in the Listed Woolavington Stakes over 2400m at Kenilworth on 7th November.)
There was also an increase for 6th placed HOLY WARRIOR, who was 6 kgs or 12 pounds under sufferance at the weights and who goes up from 84 to 90.
There were no other ratings increases, but five horses were given a drop. KAMPALA CAMPARI is down from 110 to 108, TAP O’ NOTH drops from 107 to 102, MAN ABOUT TOWN is down from 102 to 95 (having already been dropped to 98 subsequent to the publication of weights for this event), DHARMA is down to 96 from 99, and lastly MELIORA was trimmed from 75 to 74.
- Listed Memorial Mile
MARMARA SEA has had his rating upped from 102 to 106 after he recorded his eighth success from as many tries on the Fairview Polytrack in the Listed Memorial Mile over 1600m on Friday 11th December. It was runner-up EARTH HOUR who was used as the line horse to the mark of 104 that he actually achieved, when beaten a nostril by MARMARA SEA over 1400m on the Polytrack three weeks earlier. At the time, EARTH HOUR’S rating had to remain on 102 as the conditions of that event did not allow for an increase to the rating of placed horses, but such is not the case with the Memorial Mile and accordingly EARTH HOUR does now go up from 102 to 104.
There were no other ratings increases, but several horses were given a drop. 4th placed PURPLE DIAMOND is down from 101 to 100, PHILOS goes from 90 to 89, DAWNBREAKER is down from 99 to 98, MERAKI drops from 93 to 91 and lastly, CEDAR MAN drops to 93.
- Media release by NHRA on Tuesday 15 December 2020
- Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography
