Pistol Pete bounced back to his best with victory in the Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Merchants over 1160m under Richard Fourie and that saw him copping a six point merit rating raise (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
NHA Press Release
The handicappers have provided their merit rating updates for the weekend.
BETWAY SUMMER CUP (Grade 1)
The lightly raced four‑year‑old filly MOCHA BLEND produced a career‑best performance to capture the Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup over 2000m on a yielding track at Turffontein Racecourse.
Following her triumph, MOCHA BLEND’S official merit rating was raised from 105 to 117. This increase reflects the minimum uplift permissible for a handicap winner for a benchmark handicap, where 127 equates to 60kg and 115 equates to 54kg. The smallest adjustment allowed in any handicap is two points, equivalent to one kilogram, and this was applied to MOCHA BLEND. Having carried 54kg (equivalent to115 at these weights) into the race, she was raised by the minimum increment to 117, which translates to 55kg for a handicap at the same benchmark.
The Handicappers used BUSSTOPINHOUNSLOW as the line horse, leaving his rating unchanged at 112. OLIVIA’S WAY, who finished runner‑up, was increased from 112 to 116, while THE ULTIMATE KING, who finished third, was upped from 111 to 113.
Other Rating Changes
• LEGEND OF ARTHUR: reduced from 117 to 112
• SPUMANTE DOLCE: reduced from 116 to 115
• ROYAL VICTORY: reduced from 125 to 124
JACKPOT CITY DINGAANS (Grade 2)
TRUST has earned a revised rating of 119, up from 92, following his victory in the Grade 2 Jackpot City Dingaans for three-year-olds over 1600m. The Handicappers unanimously agreed to use the runner-up, JAN VAN GOYEN, as the line horse in assessing the race, leaving his rating unchanged at 118.
Notably, TRUST had produced a performance figure of 108 in his previous start, but the handicappers were restricted by race conditions that capped rating adjustments at a maximum of four points. As a result, his official rating could not be raised to reflect the full merit of that effort.
In addition to the winner, the following horses also received increments in their ratings:
• ALL SYSTEMS GO went up from 96 to106
• SHADOWFAX was raised from 104 to105
• COPPER EAGLE increased from 91 to 103
• SINGLETON SAM went up from 91 to 98
TENJIKU and WHISPERING DEATH were the two horses to receive ratings drops, both going down to 101 from 104 respectively.
DUCAT AFRICA FILLIES MILE (Grade 3)
HAZY DAZY has had her rating upped from 94 to 101 after capturing the Ducat Africa Fillies Mile (Grade 3) over 1600m. The Handicappers identified the fourth-place finisher, PRETTY PERSUASIVE, as the most suitable line horse, leaving her rating unchanged on 93.
Due to the specific conditions of the race, which limit the increase of placed runners to a maximum of four points, the following adjustments were made:
• CHARGE IT (2nd place): capped at 93, up from 89
• MERRYWEATHER (3rd place): capped at 86, up from 82
The following horses received ratings reductions:
• MAMLAMBO: eased slightly from 92 to 91
• ALTA CAPITANA: reduced from 87 to 84
NEW TURF CARRIERS MERCHANTS (Grade 3)
PISTOL PETE has had his rating adjusted from 113 to 119 following his comfortable win in the Grade 3 New Turf Carriers Merchants over 1160m. QUANTUM THEORY, who finished fourth, was considered the most suitable line horse to assess the race, leaving his rating unchanged on 113.
The following horses also went up in their ratings following the running of this race:
COSMIC STAR (runner-up) went up from 100 to 106
CHARMING CHEETAH was adjusted from 107 to 110
DANTONFROMSANDTON received a slight drop in the ratings, going down to 105 from 106.
BLU VOUCHER CARRY ON ALICE STAKES (Listed)
MIA MOO’S official merit rating has been adjusted from 117 to 119 following her victory in the Listed Blu Voucher Carry On Alice Stakes for fillies and mares over 1160m. RODEO DRIVE, who finished fourth, was identified as the line horse to assess the race, and her rating remains unchanged on 107.
The specific conditions of this race limit the increase for placed runners to a maximum of three points. As a result, the runner-up, ALMOND SEA, could only be raised from 112 to 115 despite having achieved a performance that merited a slightly higher mark.
A total of three horses received ratings reductions following the running of this race:
• CHASING HAPPINESS: lowered from 115 to 114
• CHROME TOURMALINE: dropped from 106 to 104
• ELEGANTRIX: dropped from 106 to 104
Enquiries:
The Handicapping Team
