HANDICAPPING RATINGS UPDATE

•  Three Troikas Stakes (Grade 3)

SPRINKLES has had her merit rating raised from 99 to 107 following her success in the Grade 3 Three Troikas Stakes for three-year-old fillies over 1400m on the standside track at Turffontein on Saturday 1 January.  The Handicappers felt that consistent 4^th finisher SUPREME QUEST made for the most suitable line horse, which leaves her unchanged on a mark of 102.

Runner-up ETERNITY RING was picked up from 99 to 105, while 3^rd finisher RAIN IN HOLLAND (who carried 3 kgs more than any other contestant due to her carrying a Grade 1 winner’s penalty in terms of the specific race conditions) goes up from 106 to 109.

The only other increase was for IMBEWU, who goes up from 91 to 94 to make her the equal of last placed runner BUREAU DES LEGENDE.  There were no rating drops for any horses in this event.

•  Tony Ruffel Stakes (Grade 3)

WILLIAM ROBERTSON remains unchanged on a rating of 105 following his success in the Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes for three-year-olds over 1400m at Turffontein on Saturday.  The 4^th placed SUPER EXCITED which was used as the line horse, remains unchanged on a rating of 102.  In rating the race this way, WILLIAM ROBERTSON runs to his rating of 105 and effectively makes him a line horse as well.

Runner-up OUTOFTHEDARKNESS – who met all of his seven rivals at level weights – has had his rating increased from 89 to 104, as there is no reason for him not to be rated correctly relative to the horses who finished around him.  The only other increase was for 3^rd placed PRINCE OF FIRE, who is up slightly from 103 to 104.

Two horses were given a ratings drop.  NOBLE STRIKER is down slightly from 98 to 97, while PYROMANIAC was dropped from 106 to 101 to leave him rated lower than any of the first four finishers.

•  London News Stakes (Grade 3)

SECOND BASE has had his rating raised slightly from 115 to 116 after his victory in the Grade 3 London News Stakes over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday.  It was the ever-consistent 3^rd placed ASTRIX who was used as the line horse, which leaves him unaltered on a rating of 112.

Runner-up JOHNNY HERO has had his rating raised from 110 to 114, while the only other increase was for 5^th finisher SAVANNAH STORM, who goes up from 93 to 97.  SAVANNAH STORM in fact ran to a rating of 106, but the Handicappers are of the view that a literal reading of the numbers would greatly flatter him based both on his past form and the fact that he enjoyed the run of the race and was allowed to dictate his own pace up front.

Three horses were given a ratings drop.  SHANGO is down from 114 to 111, SARAGON drops to 98 from 101, and lastly SEEHAAM was dropped from 105 to 102.