Got The Greenlight MR appeal upheld
Got The Greenlight has been the ruling Vodacom Durban July favourite since his victory in the Grade 1 Premier's Champions Challenge and remained so even after being raised four points to 128, so his betting market position has now solidified as he is back to 124 after a successful appeal against that raise. Champions Challenge runner up Second Base's merit rating also went down as a result of the appeal, from 125 to 122. Got The Greenlight is ideally suited to Hollywoodbets Greyville as he relaxes well and has a terrific turn of foot. The Joey Soma-trained colt proved last year he stays the 2200m trip of the VDJ by finishing second as a three-yearold despite carrying the same 53kg weight as the year older winner Belgarion.
He will be hard to beat this year carrying 55kg as things stand.
He will be facing the threeyear-olds, including the outstanding Linebacker, on weight for age terms as it stands, apiece.
The only problem Soma faces is how to get one more run into Got The Greenlight before the July without risking a merit rated raise.
It will likely have to be in a Pinnacle Stakes event.
If he does not have a preparation run there will be a yawning nine-week gap between his Champions Challenge run and the July. Linebacker will still be at a slight risk of a merit rating raise from his current 124 if he runs in and wins the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 in good style, although he will likely have to win easily as he looks to be the highest rated potential participant. giving them
Linebacker'
all 2kg
Linebacker's merit rating is on the threshold as each point above 124 for a three-year-old male brings with it half-a-kilogram of extra weight above the minimum for a male runner of 53kg on the presumption that the topweight will be 134-rated Rainbow Bridge. Got The Greenlight is 4/1 VDJ favourite with Hollywoodbets and 5/1 with both World Sports Betting and Track And Ball. They go 5/1, 11/2 and 5/1 on Linebacker respectively and 5/1, 6/1 and 11/2 respectively on Rainbow Bridge. The details of the merit rating appeal can be read on the press release below:
Merit Rating Appeal
An independent Appeal Panel consisting of Messrs R Skelton, M Wanklin and R S Napier was convened on 12 May 2021 via Zoom to hear a Merit Rating Appeal lodged by Mr Joe Soma on behalf of GOT THE GREENLIGHT’s adjusted merit rating of 128 from his rating of 124, following his win in the 4RACING PREMIER’S CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE (Grade 1) over 2000M.
The Appeal Panel was of the opinion that GOT THE GREENLIGHT’S adjusted published Merit Rating was incorrect and consequently upheld the Appeal and refunded the deposit for the following reasons:
1)The Appeal Panel took into consideration the penetrometer reading of 25 and the track condition on the day, that was recorded as good to soft, as well as the pace that the race was run at.
2) The Panel was of the opinion that the race should be rated using the winner at his pre-race rating of 124. By using this rating, this would also bring into line, three of the first six horses past the finish line and that they would also then have run to their prerace ratings – those being GOT THE GREENLIGHT (124), CIRILLO (120) and DIVINE ODYSSEY (110).
3)It is believed that DIVINE ODYSSEY (110) would not have run to a higher mark, having been beaten 7 lengths – bearing in mind the Handicappers did not increase his rating to 113 in the first place.
4)It was clearly evident that both SUMMER PUDDING and MALMOOS ran below their pre-race ratings.
5)SECOND BASE is therefore increased to 122, which puts his rating at 3lbs below MALMOOS (125), which had beaten him in his 3 previous starts leading up to this race and by no less than 2 lengths in two of those races.