Flashback to November 6 when Jameson Run and Flasher On The Run shared their first start in a 1000m Maiden Plate. A lot of water under the bridge since then.

If something bothers one for long enough a little bit of patience can sometimes provide an answer.  I have been brooding about Graduation Plates for a while…..

The race conditions for Graduation Plates are seemingly simple. These are races for maidens, and one and two time winners.  “Maidens all to carry 55kgs, one time winners all to carry 57.5 kgs, and two time winners all to carry 60 kgs.”

And then you look at a race card and wonder why there are variations in these weights.

At last I know why – thanks to a little paragraph in the Racing Programme, referring to Plate races, which reads: “A 0.5kg allowance shall be granted to all runners in Plate races except for Maiden and Pinnacle Plates at the time of publication of weights, for each unplaced start since finishing in the first four places except for starts in Listed and Graded races to a maximum of 3kg.”

Of the 8 runners carded for the 1600m Graduation Plate at Borrowdale Park this Sunday, three are two time winners, and the remainder have each won a race.  Zimbabwe Guineas winner Flasher On The Run carries 60 kgs, while conceding 0.5 kgs and 2 kgs, respectively, to Red Savage and Muhannad, the other two time winners.

Please note that both Muhannad’s wins have been over 1600m and it’s hard to decide whether or not he is a better bet than his stable mate Red Savage.

The lightly raced Jameson Run is having his second start after a break.  The son of Seventh Rock (AUS) has raced three times for one win over 1000m in November when Flasher On The Run and Megagram finished behind him. To date his only start around the turn was in the 1600m Tote Free Handicap in December when he ran second, receiving 6.5kgs, to Wylde Style. Jameson Run is set to carry 57.5 kgs on Sunday and is also worth following.

Megagram  will carry 57.5 kgs, Determination is on 57 kgs and Rhythmical Reply’s weight will be 55 kgs once Apprentice Habib has claimed 1.5 kgs – which makes him interesting.

The only filly in the race is Whatsnewpussycat (55kgs), a winner over 1800m in soft going on April 16.

If I was thinking about Quartets I would take Flasher On The Run, Red Savage, Jameson Run and Rhythmical Reply – boxed of course – but also be tempted to include Muhannnad.