Sparkling Water will be aimed at Durban July

Sparkling Water was headed in the final few strides of the G1 Premiers Champion Stakes over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday – she did everything but win and Mike de Kock, whilst disappointed with her narrow defeat, was very pleased with her run.

Mike said: “We think Sparkling Water will be a big Durban July runner, she’ll be leaving for Durban this week. We’ll have to see, however, how the handicapper will view the result of the Premiers Challenge.”

Sparkling Water (MR 115) was beaten a short head by the MR112-rated Astrix, followed 2.25-lengths by Puerto Manzano (MR120) and Flying Carpet (MR116), with Kommetdieding (MR129) beaten 4.25-lengths into fifth.

Mike commented: “It will be interesting to see how the ratings are adjusted. Sparkling Water was beaten here at weight-for-age by a well-exposed horse rated 112. Astrix has been at 112 for his last nine starts. You can’t use fifth-placed Kommetdieding as a line horse. I’m don’t think the third horse is a true MR120. It depends which one the handicappers use as their yardstick here. I’m not sure how they are going to look at this race.

“The problem lies the fact that a few runners including third horse, Puertio Manzone, are not correctly rated. He received a 9lb penalty for running third to MK’s Pride last time, himself in my opinion a little bit high at 122. So, my question is, would Astrix now all of a sudden be between 8lb and 10lb better than he was in his previous nine starts? I can’t work that out. They will probably use the third horse, Puerto Manzano, make him a 122 and Sparkling Water a 121. But the question remains, is the well exposed Astrix now a MR120 or a MR122? If he is, then how do they explain his last nine runs and how does he improve so drastically?

“I think the handicappers had a  number of the horses in the Premiers field rated too high and this had a knock-on effect. Sparkling Water should just about be the line horse. She’s been consistent and she’s run with these horses all the time. Maybe those runners beaten by the winner are not as good as the handicappers think they are. Or perhaps I am wrong and Asterix is now the best horse in the land, I don’t know.”

“Whatever the ratings outcome, we’ll be looking at the July for our filly. Sparkling Water is a tough filly and we’ll have a crack.”