HANDICAPPING RATINGS UPDATE

WSB Cape Town Met (Grade 1)
JET DARK remains unchanged on a rating of 130 after winning the Grade 1 WSB Cape Town Met on WFA terms over 2000m on the summer course at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday 28 January. The Handicappers took the view that GOLDEN DUCAT made for the most suitable line horse, which leaves him unchanged on a mark of 120. In assessing the race this way JET DARK only runs to a rating of 126, hence his unchanged mark.

There were ratings increases also for 3rd placed POMP AND POWER, who was picked up from 114 to 124, for 4th finisher NEXUS, who goes up to 122 from 114, for COUSIN CASEY, who goes up from 115 to 122, for WATERBERRY LANE, who was raised from 116 to 118, and lastly for WARRIOR, who finished 0.10 of a length behind WATERBERRY LANE and who accordingly goes up from 112 to 117.

Four horses were given a rating’s drop. DO IT AGAIN is down from 126 to 124, RAIN IN HOLLAND drops from 116 to 114, UNIVERSAL also drops from 116 to 114, and lastly LINEBACKER goes from 122 to 120.

Schweppes Majorca Stakes (Grade 1)
DESERT MIRACLE has had her merit rating upped from 113 to 124 after she won the Grade 1 Schweppes Majorca Stakes for fillies and mares over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Here it was runner-up CAPTAIN’S RANSOM who was deemed to make for the best line horse, leaving her unchanged on a rating of 124. In assessing the race this way DESERT MIRACLE actually runs to a rating of 126, but the Handicappers opted to give her a rating not higher than that of CAPTAIN’S RANSOM at this stage.

3rd finisher GOLDEN HOSTESS was raised from 108 to 115. She in fact ran to a mark of 121, but the Handicappers were unwilling to take this literally and gave her half the achieved increase, while waiting to see whether she can confirm this level of improvement going forward.

There were no other ratings increases, but two horses were given a drop. SILVER DARLING is down from 122 to 120, while CHANSONETTE drops to 113 from 116.

Pongracz Cape Flying Championship (Grade 1)
GIMME A PRINCE has had his rating raised from 114 to 123 after winning the Grade 1 Pongracz Cape Flying Championship (WFA) over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Here the Handicappers believed that 4th placed BARTHOLDI made for the best line horse, leaving him unaltered on a mark of 119.

Aside from the winner, there were increases for three other horses. 2nd placed RIO QUERARI is up from 120 to 122, 3rd finisher ISIVUNGUVUNGU goes from 110 to 119, and lastly SURJAY is up from 112 to 117.

There were ratings drops for three horses. BATTLE FORCE was trimmed from 112 to 111, MASTER ARCHIE drops from 125 to 122, and lastly HITHEMHARDSUNSHINE drops from 107 to 105.

New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers (Grade 2)
SALVATOR MUNDI has seen his rating climb from 99 to 109 after he won the Grade 2 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. The Handicappers were of the unanimous view that CROME YELLOW would not have run below his best in a race of this nature and elected to use him as the line horse, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 109.

There were increases for two other runners. 3rd placed SENSO UNICO is up from 106 to 111, while 6th finisher ARCTIC DRIFT was raised from 93 to 97 to make him one pound higher than the 96-rated 7th placed BARATHEON.

Three horses were given a drop. Runner-up NEBRAAS was cut from 118 to 116, 4th finisher SILVER HOST is down from 115 to 113, and lastly REX UNION drops from 101 to 99.

Wolf Power 1600 (Handicap) (Listed)
SAVANNAH STORM has had his rating raised from 98 to 101 after winning the Listed Wolf Power 1600 (handicap) over 1600m on the standside track at Turffontein on Sunday 29 January. Here it was 3rd placed VANDERBILT who was used as the line horse, but as he carried half-a-kilo overweight his rating goes up from 100 to 101.

The only other increase was for runner-up PYROMANIAC, who was raised from 105 to 106.

Two horses were given a rating’s drop. 4th placed IRISH TRACTOR is down from 103 to 102, while PERFECT WITNESS drops from 101 to 99.