Should the operators be changing the conditions of the Gauteng Summer Cup to protect its Grade 1 status or should they revert to the old weight structure and leave it up to the Asian Pattern Committe to decide its Graded status?
The 54kg bottom weight condition has effected the race’s attractiveness to punters, especially at ante-post time.
Looking for unexposed outsiders in the past came with the knowledge that they would likely be receiving 8kg from the topweights.
With the new condition they will only be receiving a maximum of 6kg.
This year the highest merit rated horse, William Robertson, has attained his rating via sprint events.
If he stands his ground the bottom weights will only be receiving 4.5kg from the Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Sparkling Water (as things stand) and from fellow Grade 1 winners MK’s Pride and Safe Passage.
Furthermore, if William Robertson is scratched after the publishing of the weights, the bottom weights will still only receive 4,5kg from Sparkling Water et al, because the whole weight structure will have to be dragged upward.
The current bottom weight conditions makes it way more risky to take a chance on an unexposed horse at ante-post time.
The counter argument is that the proven horses could be seen as more attractive propositions, knowing they will have to only give a maximum of 6kg to any other runner.
However, the counter argument to that counter argument is that it is never certain whether the top horses will take their places, because they have bigger fish, such as weight for age races and the Hollywoodbets Durban July, to fry.
Nevertheless, on the day of the race there might only be a handful of horses in the handicap and this might effect Tote turnover.
Last year a horse who was officially 4kg under sufferance carrying the 54kg bottom weight i.e. Flying Carpet, did win the race but his SA Classic run about nine months earlier did give him a definite shout on paper.
The Gauteng Summer Cup is traditionally a massive event, so it would be sad to see it lose its Grade 1 status.
One of the chief reasons for the pattern is to upheld the validity of the stud book.
However, the Summer Cup has not been a sire producing race for some time, so would a downgrade have any material effect?
There are arguments on both sides.
However, punters would almost certainly want to see the race revert to the 8kg spread, which is the nearest SA comes to a long handicap.
