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The well handicapped One Fell Swoop denies White Pearl by a quarter-of-a-length (JC Photos))

A 4Racing Operator’s condition that limited placed horses to a three point raise in the Listed Swallow Stakes might inadvertently have cost Danon Platina from having his first stakes winner.

This is somewhat ironic considering the Oppenheimer family’s well documented involvement in 4Racing.

The Tony Peter-trained One Fell Swoop ran to a considerably higher mark than 99 when finishing second in the Listed Swallow Stakes over 1160m on January 20.

The three-year-old Lancaster Bomber filly could only be raised three points from 96 to 99 due to the operator’s condition.

She has subsequently reeled off two Gr 3 wins in succession.

Last Saturday she defeated the Danon Platina filly White Pearl by 0,25 lengths when receiving 5kg from the latter.

Had that condition not been in place she woud likely have received only 2,5kg and there might have been a different result.

It was White Pearl’s fourth Gr 3 runner up finish.

The Mauritzfontein Stud-based Danon Platina has been popular at the sales and has had a number of successes in Sales races, including in the big one, the R7,5 million Gold Rush won by the Justin Snaith-trained Danon Platina gelding Rapidash.

The Japanese-bred son of Deep Impact has a winners to runners strike rate of 35% and average earnings per horse of R43,066.

His progeny have always been regarded as ones who would get better as they matured, so they might only blossom as four-year-olds.

However, his lack of a stakes winner deep into his first crops three-year-old season must be a touch concerning for his shareholders.

The handicappers pointed out the One Fell Swoop anomaly in their Handicapping Update earlier this week (see below).

Betway Sycamore Sprint (Grade 3) 

ONE FELL SWOOP has had her rating adjusted to 104 from 99 after winning the Grade 3 Betway Sycamore Sprint over 1160m at the Turffontein Standside Track on Saturday. The Handicappers were of the opinion that 4th placed IN THE BEGINNING made for the most suitable line horse here and her rating remain unchanged on 94.

The winner aside, two more runners received upward adjustments in their ratings. Runner up, WHITE PEARL, was adjusted to 112 from 109 and third placed, GOOD QUEEN BESS, goes up to 97 from 94 after both finished 1.50 and 1.25 lengths respectively, ahead of the line horse.

No fewer than four runners received drops in ratings. PLATINA PRINCESS is down to 93 from a mark of 95, ALULA’S STAR drops to 107 from 108 and FLOWERBOMB is down to 100 from 101. Lastly, GIMMEALIGHT drops two pounds from 83 to 81.

ONE FELL SWOOP was gifted her 2nd successive Grade 3 win due to the Merit Rating protection she received in the Listed Swallow Stakes. As a consequence, ONE FELL SWOOP was well-treated in this Handicap courtesy of the Racing Operator, and almost certainly denied WHITE PEARL her 1st Graded Stakes win.

See extracts from previous Press Release:

From Betway National Currency Sprint (Grade 3) Press Release 

It should be noted that ONE FELL SWOOP ran to a considerably higher rating in her previous run in the Betway Swallow Stakes, but her increase had to be capped. See excerpt from the Betway Swallows Stakes press release:

ONE FELL SWOOP was only increased by 3 points from 96 to 99 despite running to a considerably higher level here due to the specific race conditions that state that placed horses may only receive a maximum adjustment of 3 points. This means that ONE FELL SWOOP will benefit from a 4,5kg swing at the weights with TROPPO VELOCE for a 0.10 of a length beating, and a 3,5kg swing at the weights with CULLINAN BLUE who she beat here, should they meet on Handicap terms in the future.

Enquiries:

The Handicapping Team