Track And Ball Derby (Grade 3)

MARCHINGONTOGETHER remains unchanged on a rating of 110 after his win in the Grade 3 Track and Ball Derby over 2400m at Scottsville on Saturday 11 July. Given the track conditions in which the race was run (the balance of the race meeting was subsequently abandoned), the Handicappers opted to take a lenient view of the Derby and decided that MARCHINGONTOGETHER himself made for the most suitable line horse

The only ratings increase was for 3rd placed DARK MOON RISING, who goes up from 103 to 105, but there were drops for several horses. EYES WIDE OPEN was trimmed from 115 to 114, TWICE GOLDEN goes from 93 to 92, DUKE OF SPIN goes to 100 from 101, and SEATTLE FORCE is down to 103 from 104.

In assessing WHITE LIGHTNING, whose rating was raised from 86 to 96 after finishing second under heavy sufferance behind MARCHINGONTOGETHER in the Grade 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup (handicap) at his last start, the Handicappers elected to leave his rating unchanged for this one run. It was noted that WHITE LIGHTNING was over-racing in the early stages of the Derby and raced much handier than usual as a consequence, before fading in the straight. Given that this was in all likelihood due to the pace being slow because of the track conditions, the Handicappers elected to essentially ignore WHITE LIGHTNING’s performance altogether.

NHA