The Ultimate King will carry joint-bottom weight of 54kg in the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup, but will be 2,5kg under sufferance as things stand with six-year-old Atticus Finch being the top rated entry on 127
NHA Press Release
Handicapping Rating Update
WESTERN CAPE FILLIES CHAMPIONSHIP (Grade 2)
PRINCESS OF GAUL’S official merit rating has been raised from 107 to 110 following her victory in the Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
The Handicappers noted that third‑place finisher KEUKENHOF confirmed the 105 rating she achieved in the Grade 3 Schweppes Diana Stakes back in September and therefore used that mark to assess this race.
In addition to the winner, three other runners received merit rating increases:
• LOWVELD LILY (runner‑up): raised from 90 to 105
LOWVELD LILY’S official carded pre‑race rating of 90 did not reflect her previous performance, where she finished 2.25 lengths behind the 108‑rated SCARLET MACAW in a Progress Plate at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. This was a result of the Plate race protection she received. Significantly, the 105 she achieved in the Western Cape Fillies Championship is consistent with her Progress Plate performance.
• WISH LIST: raised from 92 to 103
• GIMME WHAT I WANT: raised from 88 to 102
These adjustments reflect their performances and place them in the correct ranking order for future eliminations.
There were no merit rating reductions in this race.
CAPE MILE (Grade 3)
The official merit rating for LEGAL COUNSEL has been raised from 108 to 112 following his victory in the Grade 3 Cape Mile over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
The Handicappers determined that fourth‑place finisher ZEITZ was the most suitable line horse to assess this race, leaving his rating unchanged on 101.
The runner‑up, KAMCHATKA, remains unchanged on 93 despite running to a higher mark, as race conditions do not permit increases for placed runners.
There were no further changes in this race.
LAISSERFAIRE STAKES (Listed)
DISTING’S official merit rating has been raised from 93 to 96 following her victory in the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes over 1100m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
The third‑place finisher, PINK PIGEON, was considered the most suitable line horse and remains unchanged on 89. In rating the race this way, the runner‑up TANNERON also runs to her mark of 90, effectively serving as a line horse as well.
WILD APPLAUSE, who finished fourth and was six points (three kilograms) under sufferance at the weights but finished 0.2 lengths behind the line horse, had her merit rating raised from 82 to 87.
The following runners received merit rating reductions:
• ARTISTE: 93 to 92
• SYMPHONY IN WHITE: 104 to 103
• PAPILLON BLU: 86 to 85
• WORLDCRAFT: 93 to 88
• SOHOT SOWHAT: 98 to 94
• CHAMPAGNE KISSES: 87 → 85
WOOLAVINGTON STAKES (Listed)
AHEAD OF THE FACTS has had his official merit rating raised from 86 to 94 after capturing the Listed Woolavington Stakes over 2500m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
The Handicappers unanimously agreed to use the third-place finisher, CONGRESSMAN, as the key horse to assess this race, leaving his rating unchanged on 93.
The specific conditions of this race do not permit an increase of more than eight points for the winner and no more than two points for placed runners. As such, the winner was capped on 94, even though he achieved a higher mark. Furthermore, the runner-up, MASTER OF PARIS, could only be raised from 79 to 81, despite performing to a much higher figure.
AHEAD OF THE FACT has already benefited from the rating protection applied to his third‑place finish in the 2025 Durban Gold Vase (Grade 3), which effectively left him well‑treated in the Woolavington.
As noted in the Handicappers’ press release for the 2025 Durban Gold Vase, AHEAD OF THE FACT (third): increased from 83 to 86; however, his performance was capped by the same restriction despite meriting a significantly higher figure.
Several horses received merit rating drops following the running of this race:
• THE FUTURIST was lowered from 105 to 104,
• TRIPLE TIME was reduced from 110 to 108,
• and MASTER REDOUTE dropped from 117 to 115.
BETWAY VICTORY MOON STAKES (Grade 3)
THE ULTIMATE KING’S official merit rating has been raised from 103 to 111 following his commanding victory in the Grade 3 Betway Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m at the Turffontein Standside Track on Sunday.
In assessing this race, the Handicappers used the second- and third-place finishers, FIELD MARSHAL and NAVAJO NATION, as line horses, leaving their ratings unchanged on 107 and 104 respectively.
There were no further increases, but a few horses received merit rating reductions:
• SHOOT THE RAPIDS went down to 111 from 112.
• SON OF RAJ dropped to 118 from 119.
• WILD INTENT was reduced to 110 from 116.
• SOLAR SAIL went down to 109 from 115.
BETWAY SUMMER PUDDING HANDICAP (Listed)
KISSHOTEN’S official merit rating has been raised from 104 to 107 following her victory in the Listed Betway Summer Pudding Handicap over 1600m at the Turffontein Standside Track on Sunday.
The Handicappers believed the fourth-place finisher, BAKWENA, was the most suitable line horse to assess this race, leaving her rating unchanged on 93.
There were also merit rating increases for the runner-up, MOCHA BLEND, and the third-place finisher, SUKHUMVIT, who were raised from 104 to 105 and from 93 to 94 respectively.
No fewer than four horses received merit ratings drops in this race:
• ACROSS THE POND was lowered to 88 from 90.
• CARE FORGOT went down to 94 from 96.
• GERBERA dropped to 93 from 96.
• SALENIO PENINSULA was reduced to 89 from 93.
BETWAY NATIONAL COLOUR STAKES (Listed)
WHISTLE THE TUNE’S official merit rating has been raised from 112 to 116 following her victory in the Listed Betway National Colour Stakes over 1000m at the Turffontein Standside Track on Sunday.
The Handicappers were of the view that the third-place finisher, ALMOND SEA, made for the most suitable line horse to assess this race, leaving her rating unchanged on 112.
The only other increase was for the runner-up, INSTAWORTHY, who was raised from 94 to 107. This adjustment was made because she was ten points (five kilograms) under sufferance at the weights and finished 1.3 lengths (three points) ahead of the line horse.
FROZEN FANTASY was the only runner in this race to receive a drop in the ratings, going down to 97 from 99.
Enquiries:
The Handicapping Team
