The official merit rating of Eight On Eighteen has been increased from 127 to 129 following his victory in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.
Eight On Eighteen’s (Richard Fourie) merit rating has been increased (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The runner-up, Spumante Dolce, was identified as the most appropriate line horse for assessing this race, and her rating remains unchanged at 117.
In addition to Eight On Eighteen, two other participants in the Daily News Gr1 2000 have received merit rating adjustments based on their performances:
- Okavango, who finished third, has had his rating elevated from 105 to 120, having finished 0.25 lengths behind the 117-rated line horse, while conceding 2.5kg in weight.
- Native Ruler, who finished 0.3 lengths behind the newly 120-rated Okavango, has been increased from 103 to 119.
These merit rating adjustments have been made in accordance with Rule 47.3.2, which stipulates: a handicap, which shall be a RACE in which the weights to be carried by the HORSES are allocated by the handicapper for the purpose of equalising their chances of winning.
Furthermore, the Handicappers believed the performances recorded in this race warranted full recognition.
Notably, the winning time for this event was 2.14 seconds (equivalent to around 12 lengths) faster than that recorded in the Tote Gr2 Woolavington 2000 over the same distance. The race was structured as a test, as evidenced by sectional time analysis.
The only rating downgrade in this race was applied to Parisian Walkway, who has been adjusted from 121 to 119 following a failure to confirm his merit rating over his latest four runs.
Tote Gr2 Woolavington 2000
The official merit rating of Little Suzie has been increased from 106 to 108 following her triumph in the Tote Gr2 Woolavington 2000 over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
The runner-up, My Soul Mate, was determined to be the most suitable benchmark for evaluating this event, and accordingly, her merit rating remains unchanged at 107.
Previously, Little Suzie received a 14-point merit rating adjustment following her sixth-place finish in a Grade 2 race, which was her fourth career start.
Her victory here, along with the subsequent rating increase, serves to validate both the Handicappers’ initial assessment of her ability and her trainer’s early decision to campaign her at Graded level shortly after her Maiden Plate victory.
The only other rating increase following this race was given to Mocha Blend, whose merit rating has been elevated from 94 to 102.
Merit rating reductions were applied to the following horses:
- Beating Wings – reduced from 114 to 113.
- Gerbera – adjusted downward from 99 to 98.
Lonsdale Listed Stirrup Cup
Field Marshal has had his official merit rating increased from 102 to 105 following his success in the Lonsdale Listed Stirrup Cup over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
The Handicappers determined that the second-placed Future Swing and third-placed Shoot The Rapids were the most suitable line horses for assessing this contest, and their respective ratings remain unchanged at 117 and 112.
No further merit rating adjustments were applied to any other runners in this event.
Listed Pocket Power Stakes
The merit rating of Otto Luyken has been elevated from 109 to 114 following his victory in the Listed Pocket Power Stakes over 1950m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday.
The third-place finisher, Magic Verse, was deemed the most appropriate line horse for assessing this race, resulting in his rating remaining unchanged at 113.
The runner-up, Garrix, has received a six-point increase, rising from 112 to 118.
In accordance with the specific race conditions – which prohibit rating increases for horses finishing outside the top three – The Futurist remains rated at 107, despite achieving a slightly higher performance mark.
The only rating decrease in this race was applied to Billy Bowlegs, whose merit rating has been adjusted from 111 to 107.
Listed Stormsvlei Stakes
Following her triumph in the Listed Stormsvlei Stakes over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, Beware The Bomb has had her merit rating increased from 107 to 108.
The fourth-place finisher, Time For Love, was deemed the most suitable line horse for assessing this race, leaving her rating unchanged at 105.
Previously, Beware The Bomb had received a significant 18-point increase for securing second place in a Grade 2 event, and her most recent victory further substantiates both the Handicappers’ and her trainer’s early evaluation of her ability.
Additional adjustments:
- Gold Poker Game – raised from 103 to 105.
- Fun Zone – capped at 94 (up from 89), in compliance with race conditions restricting merit rating increases to six points for the top three finishers.
No rating reductions were applied to any runners in this event.
Listed Milkwood Stakes
The merit rating of Paris Lass has been increased from 100 to 103 following her victory in the Listed Milkwood Stakes for fillies and mares over 1000m at Fairview Racecourse on Friday.
The runner-up, Gimme’s Lassie, was identified as the most appropriate line horse for evaluating this race, leaving her merit rating unchanged at 100.
The third-place finisher, Trip To Maputo, has been given a merit rating increase from 93 to 99 for finishing a short-head behind the 100-rated Gimme’s Lassie at level weight terms.
Three horses received merit rating reductions following this contest:
- Three Rocks – adjusted downward from 105 to 103.
- Bomber Girl – reduced from 89 to 88.
- Polynomial – lowered from 88 to 85.
Media release by the NHA on Tuesday, 27 May 2025.
