David Thiselton

The annual Asian Racing Federation Handicappers Conference was held in Durban this year and it took place last week from the 22nd to the 25th.

South Africa’s chief handicapper Lennon Maharaj said, “We met all the requirements and did what we were scheduled to do, despite some members including Hong Kong-based chairman Nigel Gray, having to join via Zoom due to a typhoon preventing them from flying in.”

Nigel was thus unfortunately unable to address the media as was intended.

The handicappers attended the World Pool Gold Cup meeting.

Lennon said, “They were absolutely thrilled with our racing. We gave them a tour of how everything worked, from the stipes boardroom, parading, the saddling areas etc.”

The international chief handicappers witnessed what is commonly regarded as the best day of racing in South Africa for the purist.

The racing was of a high quality and the local handicappers should take a bow as the form worked out exceptionally well and some of their decisions during the season were vindicated. For example the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Rainbow Lorikeet proved she was worthy of a Hollywoodbets Durban July final field berth by winning the Gr 2 Bet With The World Gold Bracelet over 2000m.

The handicappers were also proved right in not ever rating last year’s Equus Horse Of The Year Dave The King above 128 as he looked vulnerable to a field of classy closers in the Gr 1 wfa HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m.

The big long-strider was always going to be made to run all the way to the line and so it proved. In one of the races of the season Gladatorian surged late to beat the Hollywoodbets Durban July winner The Real Prince while the other two classy closers, See It Again and Fire Attack, also overtook Dave The King before the line.

The conference brings together the Chief Handicappers from ARF member countries—Australia, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates—to assess and agree on ratings for the top-performing thoroughbred racehorses across the southern hemisphere racing season.

The ARF Handicappers Conference was established in August 2009 following changes to the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, which have served as the official global assessment of elite racehorses since 2004.

Originally published twice a year, the Rankings shifted to a single annual edition in January 2009, prompting the ARF to create its own conference to ensure southern hemisphere horses were fairly and consistently evaluated.

The ARF Handicappers Committee convenes to: 1) Agree on ratings for all horses trained or raced in ARF member countries that achieved an international rating of 112 or higher. 2) Evaluate horses that placed in the top four of Group/Grade 1 races, even if they did not meet the 112-rating threshold. 3) Provide data used by the Asian Pattern Committee and National Pattern Committees to assess race quality, determine grading adjustments, and consider new race inclusions.

At the 2024 Conference in Sydney, the committee reviewed and rated 373 horses and it would have been a similar figure last week, underscoring the scale and importance of this annual event.

The ARF Handicappers were present to a final rating assessment for South African horses that ran in the World Pool Gold Cup meeting. These evaluations completed the peer review process of South Africa’s final submissions, ensuring that all ratings are agreed upon for the Southern Hemisphere.

As part of the 2025 ARF Handicappers Conference, the South African Handicapper submitted a total of 37 performances by South African-trained horses that, in their view, achieved an international rating of 112 or higher during the 2024–25 South African racing season.

In addition, 62 performances by Grade 1 placed finishers that fell below the 112-rating threshold were submitted for consideration. These submissions were reviewed and discussed by the ARF Handicappers Committee to ensure consensus on the final international ratings.

Below is the Current SA Pattern Summary Table:

                 2Yo  3Yo  3Yo+   Total

Grade 1: 4       7       16       27

Grade 2: 6       8       19      33

Grade 3: 7       11     30      48

Listed   :  12     11     44     67

Total     :  29     38    112   175

It should be noted that the Status of the above Pattern is dependent on the international ratings and not the domestic ratings.

The NHA were honoured to welcome the ARF Handicappers to South Africa and were pleased it was another productive conference and fulfilled the aim of elevating the standards of thoroughbred racing.

Andrew Harrison

The southern hemisphere season ends tomorrow and it’s back to bread and butter racing at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today. The eight-race card does not have the biggest fields but there is plenty of competitive racing, the card headed by the Gallop TV Class 3, sixth race on the programme, and the Online Form Guide B Stakes, seventh on the card.

In the sixth, Andre Nel’s filly Plum Pudding is up against males but is unbeaten in two outings since arriving in KZN and has only gone up marginally in the handicap. She takes on some hard-knocking males but her form has worked out well and she does appear capable of a hattrick.

There should not be too much between View Of The World and Trois Trois Quatre with a length separating them when last they met. View Of The World is now 1kg better off and can turn the tables. Separating them could be Frank Robinson’s charge The Mikado.  He was given a break after a below par performance behind Flying Cool back in February but word from the stable is that the gelding is working well and they are confident of a forward showing.

Dean Kannemeyer has his horses in a good space and he can add to his seasonal tally with Rosh Kedesh in the B Stakes over 1400m. He  was a good second on the poly last run when jumping from a wide gate and has the best of the draw here. Obvious threat will be The Shepherd. Peter Muscutt’s charge was not the best behaved at the stalls early in his career but is loaded with ability. He was runner-up to Gr1 winning Gladatorian at his last start but has not been out since September last year which is a concern.

Stable companion Nelson Bay is better than his last effort on the poly. He has had a short break but stable is starting to fire again. Kitchakal seldom runs a bad race and is in good form of late so can feature.

One of the better bets on the card could come in the first leg of the Pick 6 where Lucinda Woodruff sends out Sohot Sowhat. The daughter of Soqrat has consistent current form and ran a cracker in a Gr3 feature last time out behind the smart Green Sapphire. A repeat should see her home. Convocation is two year’s older and showed a glimpse of her best form when runner-up on the poly last time out. She is smart on her day and can go close.

In the first, Spinmyangelsspin comes off a lengthy break but has some useful Cape form to her credit. If fit and well she should go close. Water Hyacinth should possibly be included in the Bi-Pot as back-up.

Lady Of Vix takes on males once again and steps up in class in the first leg of the PA. However, she only has 49kg to shoulder that should see her competitive again.

Of her male rivals, Major Tommie is lightly raced and finished third behind Lady Of Vix last time out. He is 1kg better off for a 2.5-length beating and should finish a little closer. Jet Legacy is 2.5kg better off with Lady Of Vix on their last meeting. He was beaten four lengths but should get a little closer this time around.

The fourth is an open maiden with form a little thin. Echo was a modest third last outing on the poly after going close at her previous start. She is lightly raced with a 4kg claimer up. Promise Of Fire has been a little disappointing but stays the trip and will go close on her best showing. Lightinthedarkness will likely start at long odds but has run her two best recent races in blinkers. The blinkers stay on and she has a 4kg claimer up.

Kannemeyer saddles Gurka in the fifth. He is useful and showed up well at his last two with the form of his last run being franked. French Trip has come to hand and was narrowly beaten on this course last time out. He drops in class. Harun Al Rashid was a little disappointing in his handicap debut but does look capable of better while World Of Our Own is down in class and should benefit from a 4kg claimer and pole position draw.

In the last, Sign Of Fate was narrowly beaten by Plum Pudding last run and shows consistent recent form. She is distance suited and Robbie Hill’s only runner on the day. Forward Motion was a comfortable winner last run under a light weight. She is down in class with a 4kg claimer up and can follow up. Beautiful Rania is holding form and has a light weight. Her last win was on this course.

RACE 1

5 SPINMYANGELSSPIN    3 WATER HYACINTH   7 EBISU   9 WHAT A PASSION

Summary: SPINMYANGELSSPIN (5) comes off a lengthy break but has some useful Cape form to her credit. If fit and well she should go close. WATER HYACINTH (3) has been consistent in her three outings on this course and should be there abouts again. EBISU (7) raced green n a fair debut over course and distance and should come on with the outing. WHAT A PASSION (9) was a distant second behind Princess Of Gaul who runs in a Gr1 this coming Sunday. (Andrew Harrison: 5-3-7-9).

RACE 2

6 LADY OF VIX   3 MAJOR TOMMIE   2 JET LEGACY   4 KALAHARI ROLLER

Summary: LADY OF VIX (6) takes on males once again and steps up in class. However, she only has 49kg to shoulder. MAJOR TOMMIE (3) was third behind Lady Of Vix last time out. He is 1kg better off for a 2.5-length beating and should finish a little closer. JET LEGACY (2) is 2.5kg better off with Lady Of Vix on their last meeting. He was beaten four lengths but should get a little closer this time around. (Andrew Harrison: KALAHARI ROLLER (4) is back on his preferred surface and the blinkers are back on. (Andrew Harrison: 6-3-2-4).

RACE 3

3 SOHOT SOWHAT   1 CONVOCATION   2 CAPTAIN’S CHRISTIE   6 BLUE HOLLY

Summary: SOHOT SOWHAT (3) has consistent form and ran a cracker in a Gr3 feature last time out behind the smart Green Sapphire. A repeat should see her home. CONVOCATION (1) gave a glimpse of her best form when runner-up on the poly last time out. She is smart on her day and can go close. CAPTAIN’S CHRISTY (2) is seldom far back and goes well on this course while BLUE HOLLY (6) is over due but has an inexperienced apprentice aboard. (Andrew Harrison: 3-1-2-6).

RACE 4

10 ECHO   9 PROMISE OF FIRE   6 LIGHTINTHEDARKNESS   3 DEE DAY

Summary: Open maiden with form a little thin. ECHO (10) was a modest third last outing on the poly after going close at her previous start. She is lightly raced with a 4kg claimer up. PROMISE OF FIRE (9) has been a little disappointing but stays the trip and will go close on her best showing. LIGHTINTHEDARKNESS (6) has run her two best recent races in blinkers. She too has a 4kg claimer up. DEE DAY (3) is battling but does pop up on occasion and has a money chance. (Andrew Harrison: 10-9-6-3).

RACE 5

3 GURKA   4 FRENCH TRIP   1 WORLD OF OUR OWN   5 HARUN AL RASHID

Summary: GURKHA (3) is useful and showed up well at his last two. The form of his last run has been franked. FRENCH TRIP (4) has come to hand and was narrowly beaten on this course last time out. He drops in class. HARUN AL RASHID (5) was a little disappointing in his handicap debut but does look capable of better. WORLD OF OUR OWN (1) is down in class and should benefit from a 4kg claimer and pole position draw. (Andrew Harrison: 3-4-1-5).

RACE 6

2 PLUM PUDDING   1 VIEW OF THE WORLD   3 THE MIKADO   5 TROIS TROIS QUATRE

Summary: PLUM PUDDING (2) is unbeaten in two since arriving in KZN and has only gone up marginally in the handicap. She takes on some hard-knocking males but does appear capable of a hattrick. There should not bee too much between VIEW OF THE WORLD (10 and TROIS TROIS QUATRE (5) with a length separating them when last they met. View Of The World is now 1kg better off. THE MIKADO (3) returns from a break but the stable is confident that he is fit and well and will run a forward race. (Andrew Harrison: 2-1-3-5).

RACE 7

1 ROSH KEDESH   7 THE SHEPHERD   5 NELSON BAY   6 KITCHAKAL

Summary: ROSH KEDESH (1)  was a good second on the poly last run when jumping from a wide gate. He has the best of the draw here. THE SHEPHERD (7) returns from a lengthy break but is smart on his day. He has a big weight but his last win was over course and distance. Stable companion NELON BAY (5) is better than his last effort on the poly. He has been rested but stable is starting to fire up again. KITCHAKAL (6) seldom runs a bad race. In good form of late and can feature. (Andrew Harrison: 1-7-5-6).

RACE 8

4 SIGN OF FATE   8 FORWARD MOTION   3 BEAUTIFUL RANIA   9 IZIBULO

Summary: SIGN OF FATE (4) narrowly beaten by Plum Pudding last run and shows consistent recent form. Distance suited and should go well again. FORWARD MOTION (8) was a comfortable winner last run under a light weight. She is down in class with a 4kg claimer up and can follow up. BEAUTIFUL RANIA (3) is holding form and has a light weight. He last win was on this course. Judged on jockey bookings IZIBULO (9) looks to be the ick of the Hollywood Racing pair and she looks to be coming to hand. (Andrew Harrison: 4-8-3-9).

UK – Goodwood will be a World Pool event from 29 to 31 July. All races will be World Pool races. World pools will be on the Win, Place, Swinger, Quinella, Exacta and Trifecta