3 Year olds in Open company Merit rated races.

The Handicappers have got these three year olds really up against it when they step out of their age group.

The ones with rating 87 and up and getting beaten way to easy by average older horses. 

Worth Leaving them out of certain bets for time being.

PE maybe the exception to the rule.

Merit rating increases
Trajanus from 88 to 96. very steep
Saragossa Cat 82 to 87.
Echo Check unchanged 98

Update for Cape 3 year olds
Clark Griswold 85 for maiden win
Reet Petit 86 to 94
Lowveld Lily 90 to 105 . 2nd in grade 2 

It is almost like the average 3yr old should take the year off while 3 time winning 5yr olds win 3 in a row carrying less weight.... 

Merit rating
Hathighwaytothesky given a 79 for maiden in. This is worth watching
Bridgitte Anne given a 72 rating. same race as above.
Dawsons Anvil 89 for maiden win on debut. I had him at an 85??

as of 5 Dec 2025
986 races
17 graded race winners
23 winners of races over 2200 and further

109 winners 6 years and older . 2 maiden winners 0.02%
203 winners 5 years old. 16 maiden winners 8%
317 winners 4 year olds. 92 maiden winners 29%
355 winners 3 year olds. 234 maiden winners 66%

136 MR races MR 66 - 106 - 14 >> 3 year old winners 10%
87 FM MR races MR 64 - 100 - 26 >> 3 year old winners 30%
78 ABCD Stakes races - 6 >> 3 year old winners 8%
150 Class 345 races - 42 >> 3 year old winners 28%

December 2025 Summary
247 races
Fillies and Mares Handicaps 22 races (5 three year old winners) 22% won by three year olds
Open Handicaps 33 races (6 three year old winners) 18% won by three year olds
Maiden Handicaps 20 races (10 three year old winners) 50% won by 3 year olds
Maiden Plates 60 races (47 three tear old winners) 78% won by 3 year olds
Class 4 stakes 16 races (6 three year old winners) 37% won by 3 year olds
Class 5 stakes 12 races (3 three year old winners) 25% won by 3 year olds
5 feature race winners by 3 year olds
6 winners remaining 3 year old winners (Novice handicap, middle stakes, Graduation plate, Class 3, B stakes, C stakes)

Thee Merit Rating system is a monument to the pricks at the NHA  egos

Our racing is a joke - when our champs race overseas their MR ratings are not accepted. It begs the question why we bother persisting with this lunacy in the first place.  LeT them whine as much as they want - Race Figure was a far better system for all.