• Sea Cottage Stakes (Grade 3) 

ARAGOSTA has had his merit rating increased from 105 to 109 following his success in the Grade 3 Sea Cottage Stakes for three-year-olds over 1800m on the inside track at Turffontein on Saturday 22 January.  The Handicappers were of the view that 4^th placed CASTLETOWN made for the most suitable line horse when assessing this race, which leaves him unchanged on a mark of 99. 

Runner-up CLAFOUTIS has had her rating raised from 99 to 103, while 3^rd finisher PLATINUM SKY goes up from 94 to 104.  

There were no further ratings increases, and no horse was given a rating’s drop as a result of this race.

• Lady’s Bracelet (Listed)

CHAT CHING remains unchanged on a rating of 107 following her win in the Listed Lady’s Bracelet for fillies and mares over 1600m on the turf course at Fairview on Friday 14 January.  The Handicappers were of the view that runner-up VERONICA MARS made for the best line horse when assessing this event, leaving her unaltered on a rating of 99.  In assessing the race this way, CHAT CHING only runs to a mark of 99, hence her unchanged rating. 

3^rd placed ENCRYPTION is up from 89 to 92, while the only other increase was for 4^th finisher BLUE DUCHESS, who is up from 88 to 91.  5^th placed PRINCESS KALISI was dropped from 95 to 91 to make her not higher than BLUE DUCHESS, and in fact ENCRYPTION, BLUE DUCHESS and PRINCESS KALISI would meet one another on the correct weight terms should they cross paths in a handicap race. 

PRINCESS KALISI aside, there were drops for two other runners.  COLORADO SPRINGS is down from 100 to 99, while BLOOM is down from 97 to 95.

1.  Newly Appointed Chairman and Deputy Chairman 

The National Horseracing Authority is proud to announce the appointment of Mr Nithia Nalliah as its new Chairman and Professor Ian Sanne as its Deputy Chairman.  

Mr Nalliah is an Independent Board Director appointed in terms of clause 15.1.2 of the Constitution.  Mr Nalliah is a Chartered Accountant and also holds the degrees B.Compt (Unisa), B.Compt (Hons) and CTA (Unisa) as well as a post-graduate diploma in Tax from RAU. He was employed at Deloitte and Touche for some 16 years and ended up as a Senior Partner in charge of Financial Services Tax Group. Since then he has been an Executive Director of several companies and past member of several Regulatory Committees. He is also an active contributor and adviser on tax policy and law to South African Government Departments. Mr Nalliah has presented several papers in South Africa and Internationally. 

• L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate (Grade 1)

JET DARK remains unchanged on a merit rating of 130 after he recorded a second successive win in the WFA Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate over 1600m on the summer course at Kenilworth on Saturday 8 January.  It was JET DARK himself who was deemed to make for the best line horse when assessing this race, which is the reason for his unchanged rating.

4^th placed SEEKING THE STARS was raised from 121 to 124, while 5^th finisher POMP AND POWER goes up from 110 to 117.  In rating the race this way, POMP AND POWER actually runs to a mark of 124, but the Handicappers were reluctant to take this entirely at face value and opted to give the gelding half the achieved adjustment, with 117 being half way between his old rating of 110 and 124.

There was one further increase and this was for 6^th placed PACAYA, who is up from 95 to 108 in order to make him rated two pounds higher than the 106-rated 8^th finisher TRIP OF FORTUNE.

The only drop was for 3^rd placed RAINBOW BRIDGE, who has failed to confirm the 134 he achieved when winning the 2021 Cape Met in five subsequent performances and has accordingly been adjusted to his next highest performance of 130, this also ensures that he is not rated higher than the winner JET DARK (who beat RAINBOW BRIDGE into 2^nd place when winning the corresponding race, a year ago.) 

• 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. 

•  Lebelo Sprint (Handicap) (Grade 3) 

ANNA CAPRI has had her merit rating raised from 109 to 112 following her success in the Grade 3 Lebelo Sprint (handicap) over the straight 1000m course at Turffontein on Tuesday 28 December.  The race, originally scheduled for Monday 27 December, was postponed because of inclement weather. 

The Handicappers felt that runner-up GALLIC PRINCESS made for the best line horse, which leaves her unchanged on a mark of 114.  In assessing the race this way, 3^rd finisher BARD OF AVON (who was 3 pounds or 1.5 kgs under sufferance at the weights) runs to his rating of 105, which leaves his mark unchanged and which effectively makes him a line horse as well. 

The winner aside, there were no other ratings increases, but five horses were given a ratings drop.  INVIDIA is down from 105 to 104, MIND READER drops from 105 to 103, RAPID FIRE is down to 99 from 101, VARS VICKY was cut from 115 to 112, and lastly SINGFORAFA drops from 119 to 116.