Handicapping ratings update

TAB Hawwaam Stakes (Listed)

MARAUDING HORDE had his rating increased to 89 from 83 after impressively winning the Listed TAB Hawwaam Stakes over 2000m on Saturday 9 March at the Turffontein Standside track. It was 2nd placed GEORGE HANDEL who was used as the line horse in this race and his rating remains unchanged on 93.

MARAUDING HORDE’S rating does not reflect the merit of his win here due to the specific race conditions that prohibit the Handicappers from increasing the winner by more than 6 points. Consequently, MARAUDING HORDE was capped to a rating of 89 despite achieving a considerably higher performance figure in this race.

Two more runners received upward adjustments in their ratings. Third placed ATARIME was adjusted to 83 from 80 and 4th placed TAXHAVEN goes up to 80 from 77.

It is worth noting that the specific conditions of this race do not allow for more than a maximum of 3 points for the placed runners. As a result, ATARIME and TAXHAVEN had to be capped to the respective aforementioned ratings even though they run to higher figures.

EIFFEL TOWER was the only runner to receive a rating’s drop in this race and is down slightly to 94 from 95.

Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial (Listed)

FRANCES ETHEL has had her rating increased from 88 to 94 after winning the Listed Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial over 2000m at the Turffontein Standside track on Saturday. The Handicappers were of the view that 4th placed MARY’S GREENLIGHT made for the most suitable line horse to rate this race and as such, her rating remains unchanged on 98.

There were also rating increases for second and third placed finishers. SUKHUMVIT goes up to 91 from 88 and DARLING HARBOUR is up to 81 from 78.

As was the case with the TAB Hawwaam Stakes, the specific conditions of this race do not allow for a more than six points increase for the winner and not more than 3 points for placed runners. Consequently, the winner and placed runners had to be capped to increases of six and three respectively even though they run to higher figures.

Two horses received a point drop each in this race. DAMOSTAR drops to 95 from 96 and MOUNT ETNA is down to 82 from 83.

TAB Aquanaut Handicap (Listed)

CRIMSON KING went up to 106 from a mark of 103 after winning the Listed TAB Aquanaut Handicap over 2400m at Turffontein on Saturday.

The Handicappers were of the opinion that the 3rd placed RULE BOOK made for the most suitable line horse and his rating remains on a mark of 90. The runner-up RED MAPLE received a one-point increase in her rating from 93 to 94 as she finished a full length ahead of the line horse. The only other runner to receive a ratings increase was 4th placed INDIAN OCEAN who goes up from 81 to 90. Her increase was due to her being a full 5 kilograms under sufferance in this benchmarked 52kg = 90 MR race and was only beaten 0.65 of a length by the line horse.

The only runner to receive a drop in ratings was TOP SAIL who goes down to 90 from 91. - NHA