Hawwaam’s emphatic win in the Grade 1 SA Classic over 1800m on Saturday was exhilarating to watch and he was raised nine points to a 121 merit rating.

However, his stable companion Soqrat remains the highest rated three-year-old in the country, despite having been outshone by Hawwaam on the day. 

Handicapper Matthew Lips said a case could have been made to raise Hawwaam even higher, but it was decided third-placed 117 merit rated National Park had not stayed the trip, and second-placed 108 merit rated Barahin had been used as the line horse instead.

National Park and Barahin’s merit ratings remained unchanged and fourth-placed Zillzaal also remained on his 106 merit rating.

Hawwaam beat them by 5,75, 7,25 and 11,25 lengths respectively.

Soqrat was beaten narrowly into third in the Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m earlier in the meeting, where he carried a Grade 1 penalty.

The Australian-bred had moved up well from the box seat to hit the front but could not repel the strong finishes of Zouaves and Cascapedia respectively.

He likely needed the run, his first since returning to the Highveld from Cape Town.

Lips, explaining the decision not to lower Soqrat’s 124 merit rating, said, “His run in the Queen’s Plate was too good to drop him on the basis of just one disappointing race.”

The Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic winner Return Flight was raised three points to 105, having won start to finish in a time 2,74 seconds slower than Hawwaam’s.

There are two consequences of yesterday’s SA Classic which are cast in stone. Firstly, Halfway To Heaven, the dam of both Hawwaam and Sun Met winner Rainbow Bridge, will be this season’s Equus Broodmare Of The Year. Secondly, Hawwaam, unlike Rainbow Bridge, will never be gelded now that the value of the family is known.

By David Thiselton