Turffontein switched to the Vaal Sunday!!

rob faux Wrote:

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> Watching starters orders,and listening to Joe Soma
> venting about the handicapper,he obviously has
> still not quite got the difference between 'race
> figures' and 'merit rating'
> A bit late to object to the new system I think!
>
> (The worst thing that ever happened to my punting
> was the changeover to MR so I would also love to
> go back to the old system......but surely he
> should understand the difference.)


And he obviously does not understand the difference between sand and turf ratings; Woman of the Year was actually penalized 6 points for her last turf win (which could be seen as harsh if one reads past all her sand wins); so I can't really fault the handicapper.

If they run, we have Codega in the 4th and from the draw the move to the Vaal actually suits us; impoved in her 2nd run and I am confident of her finishing in the money again.

Shot Frodo.....(tu)

pirates Wrote:

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> magiclips Wrote:
>

---

>

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> > It can be done, it just isn't tried very often
> at
> > all in SA, although it is perhaps starting to
> grow
> > ever so slowly.
>
>
> mike stewart has a battling maiden filly who runs
> places in handicaps ,probably gets eliminated in
> maidens due to its low mr


Fourth Vintage. Funnily enough she is running in a maiden plate on Wednesday. Somebody will make her a good thing based on her handicap form and completely forget the countless times she's been stuffed in maiden plates....although it doesn't look a strong race and she might even win. (I have my doubts, though).

Guys as an owner im pleased that we are running today,instead of the meeting being cancelled,which would have been a normal situation,well done from an owners point of view that we have not lost another meeting.

Zoro am with you all the way. We have found the right race for Danger Point and he abandoned might have to have to wait a month or so to get a similar race. So well done to the authorities for looking for an alternative, from an owners point of view.

All the best with your runners guys....

Do all claims /bets stand?

No meeting off all bets refunded then new market opened, not sure about the tote?

Sabre Wrote:

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> # Amato, the 1838 winner, never raced before or
> after winning the Epsom Derby.
> # Merry Hampton (1887) is the most recent horse to
> win the Epsom Derby as a maiden.
>
> Only happened 100+ years ago, but still....

Sometime in the early 80s there was a filly (I forget her name, Snow something maybe?) who won the English Oaks by a street as a maiden, ridden by Willie Carson. I had enormous trouble explaining to a mate of mine who watched the race with me that she was a maiden. And if I'm not mistaken, back in the 1960s Vincent O' Brien won either the English or Irish 1000 Guineas with a first timer whose name I think was Lady Capulet.

Of course it's different with moderate handicappers, but we must never forget that maidens in plate have to run at level weights (with WFA and sex allowances were applicable) and it becomes theoretically impossible for a horse to win against horses that have greater ability. In handicaps this should be levelled out, and the mere fact that a horse has won a race or multiple races in the past does not automatically mean it must have an edge over a maiden. I bet you'd discover an awful lot of winners would get a stuffing if for some impossible reason they were allowed to race in maiden plates again.

pirates Wrote:

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> glen puller also pulled it off a bout 18mths or
> 2years ago

Muito Rapido

Was it Sun Princess Magic that won the Oaks?

Interesting debate about maidens in open Co. handicaps.I think the problem is the establishing,with accuracy,the MR of maidens due to the fact that they tend to race with a combination of improvers and longtime knockers so establishing the right 'line' is not always easy.
This tends to be borne out by the number of complaints that maiden winners tend to be too highly rated straight out of maidens????

I think that Furling Sail may well be well in,as I think he is +- a 78 ???

Have to wait and see though.