Statement by the Handicapping Panel of The National Horseracing Authority on their review on the rating of the Premier’s Champion Challenge (Grade 1)

Following further in-depth analysis and discussion, the Handicappers have opted to re-rate the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Challenge, run at Turffontein Racecourse on Saturday 5 May 2018.

It was the unanimous opinion of the Handicappers that this was a particularly awkward race to assess, with two horses finishing four lengths and more ahead of the balance of the field. Initially, the Handicappers took the view that by finishing a close second, ABASHIRI was very unlikely to have run worse than when he finished sixth in the Grade 3 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m on 9 November 2017. Accordingly, the Premier’s Champions Challenge was rated using ABASHIRI to the level of 117 which he had achieved in the Victory Moon Stakes and also earlier on in his career.

This level for the race had the winner CORAL FEVER running to 120, ABASHIRI to 117, and every other horse in the race from 3rd place downwards running below his/her rating. However, after considerable further reflection, the Handicappers decided to reconsider the race. The fact that the first two finishers beat the rest of the field by a wide margin was probably skewing the numbers and it was decided after much debate to reduce the level of the race by 2 pounds, even though most of the field was already running below their rating on the original, higher level.

It was decided that the 3rd placed SILVAN STAR would be used as a Line Horse, not to her rating of 108 (which she has achieved racing against fillies and mares), but to a rating of 108 minus the 5 pounds sex allowance which a filly receives in the race. Rating the race using SILVAN STAR to a level of 103 drops the level by 2 pounds and accordingly CORAL FEVER has had his rating reduced from 120 to 118 and ABASHIRI has had his rating cut from 117 to 115. The balance of the field retain the adjustments as originally assessed.

The Handicappers are fully satisfied that this is the better of the two options, and have opted to err on the side of caution given the tricky nature of the race. However, it was unanimously agreed that the race level would be far too low if either CORAL FEVER or ABASHIRI were used as the line horse/s and would not be fair in relation to other beaten runners in the race.

The Handicapping Panel of The National Horseracing Authority