Master Archie did not feature in the Handicappers Ratings Update press release this week because he did not run in a fature on Saturday, but he was in fact given one of the most significant merit rating increases.
The four-year-old grey colt was lowered to 122 after running downfield in the Grade 1 Pongracz Cape Flying Championship.
He was originally trained by Paul Peter and Saturday’s run was his first for Tony Peter.
He carried 62kg and beat the 119-rated Bartholdi by a comfortable two lengths on Saturday in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1000m under Craig Zackey.
He is now the highest rated sprinter in the country on 128.
The usual critics of the handicapper will probably point to him having been beaten 6,20 lengths by Gimme A Prince in the Grade 1 wfa Cape Flying Championship and now being rated five points higher than him.
However, it has never been the handicappers task to handicap on past results, they handicap on the race at hand.
The critics will also no doubt ignore the fact that Gimme A Prince beat Bartholdi by 1,85 lengths at level weights in the Cape Flying.
On a line through Bartholdi, the 128 for Master Archie compared to the 123 for Gimme A Prince is in fact accurate.
Master Archie will likely be going for the Grade 1 wfa Computaform Sprint on April 29.
His merit rating will only be a factor in the immediate future if connections intend running him in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on June 3.
