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HANDICAP

When horses in a race are allocated different weights to carry, in order that each horse has an “equal” theoretic chance of winning, it is called a “Handicap” race.

Similar to the animals in George Orwell’s books, some horses are more “equal” than others. Horses vary slightly between races and their form on any given day is somewhat variable, meaning that thankfully, there is usually a clear cut winner in all handicap races.

Horses just like human beings are not always feeling their best.

Handicapping is based on the fact that horses are “allowed” weight against other horses on a “Weight for age” basis and according to the distance by which one horse beats another, with consideration being made for the state of the “going” amongst other factors including the pace of the race.

Weight assessments are roughly based on finishing distances as follows:

• From five furlongs to seven furlongs, 3lb per length;
• From one mile to eleven furlongs, 2lb per length;
• From one and a half miles to 2 miles, one and a half pounds per length;
• More than two miles, 1lb. per length;
• National Hunt races: 1lb. per length.

Over a sprint distance:

Horse A carrying nine stone beats horse B. carrying the same weight by a length;
Horse B is therefore considered 3lbs. inferior to horse A;
In a subsequent race, the handicap therefore should read
Horse A nine stone, Horse B eight stone 11lb.

Official British Horseracing Board (BHB) handicappers carry out handicapping for all races using a central database of information which is very regularly updated.

The computers provide a handicap rating for all horses which are qualified to run, based on a scale from zero upwards for the graded handicaps prevalent in recent times, these ratings give more equal opportunities all round for handicapped horses.

Further down the scales, handicaps may be designed only for horses rated between zero and 70 meaning horses rated above this mark would be ineligible to compete. Handicaps are often organized in this fashion in order that lesser horses can compete against each other.

The really big handicaps like the Cambridgeshire and the Ebor are open to all handicap horses between 0-115

Each week, ratings are revised with significantly changed ratings being published in the sporting literature. It is good practice to keep track of these changes.

Flat race handicap weights vary between 7 stone 7lb. to no less than 10 stone; National Hunt race weights are between 10 stone and 12 stone with the exception of handicaps over 3 miles where the top weight is 11 stone 10lb.

When a handicapper attends to the entries for a race, despite the restricted range, he will allocate weights below the allowed lower limit, as often the top weight is withdrawn, meaning weights must then be duly raised.

The first Jockey Club handicapper was Admiral Rous, generally acknowledged as the best who ever lived. Having finished an especially difficult bit of handicapping he remarked famously “there, now none of them can win!”

Handicaps are “created” instinctively, by good handicappers; they are balancing acts resulting from an array of intelligent best guesses.

Private handicap’s sometimes published in newspapers as “ratings” as well as in the literature such as the Racing Post, give an indication of how a private handicapper’s assessment differs from the official assessment of a horse’s chances and its ability with respect to the other horses in a given race.

HANDICAPPERS

There are 2 definitions:

• The official BHB team who frame handicaps.
• Horses that run in handicaps, sometimes in a “stuffy” sort of way as in “he’s only a handicapper”

HEAD LAD

Second in command of a stable, generally not a “lad” at all.

Head Lad is in fact a very responsible position with duties which include feeding the horses and running the yard.

A competent head lad can mean the difference between success and failure.
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GELDING

After being castrated a male or colt horse is said to have been “gelded”. There are a variety of reasons behind this seemingly rather harsh practice.

By taking a horses mind off sex it becomes more amenable, and calm. A horse becomes less temperamental due to the shift in hormonal balance, which occurs with all neutered animals, including humans.

After gelding, horses are generally regarded as being easier to train and concentrate more readily on their racing.

Even more practical for National Hunt, gelding can prevent the extreme discomfort experienced by “entire” horses when jumping over hard fences, historically made from birch.

Irish horses intended for chasing are gelded automatically at an early age.

Most chasers are in fact geldings.

For a long time, many big flat races were not open to geldings, but this has now changed with most of the classics now being opened up to them.

One obvious financial argument against gelding is that after winning a major, a colt is instantly worth millions to big stables or stud syndicates.

Whereas “The Arkle” who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1964, 65, and 66, was valued at the same price the day after the races as he was the day before.

National Hunt racing would not work without geldings, who are much admired by racegoers, regardless of stud decisions made by prejudiced breeders.

GOING

Advance forecasts in newspapers and the formbook advertise the state of the ground for a race meeting.

• Hard
• Firm
• Good to Firm
• Good to Soft
• Soft
• Heavy

“Soft with heavy patches” in the formbook indicates muddy patches.

Sometimes differences are noted on different parts of the course I.e. Going: Round course, soft. Straight course, good to soft.

The outcome of a race is significantly dependent on the state of the going. It is arguably THE most important factor in determining a race day favourite.

Comments including “likes some cut on the ground” or “likes some give underfoot” should be carefully noted.

Other horses prefer to race when the mud is flying and the formbook will note such horses as being a “confirmed mudlark”.

Still other horses don’t like soft conditions at all and need good going, the formbook will state “needs the top of the ground”, while some prefer really firm going eliciting descriptive comments such as “likes to hear his hooves rattle”.
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EACH WAY BET

The practice of staking equal amounts for a place and for a win is known as making an “Each Way Bet”.

Bookmakers used to be reluctant to take each way bets from everyday punters except in the big events like the Grand National and the Derby, however this is not the case nowadays, with most bookies taking each way bets and advertising the fact on their boards with the odds on offer.

Credit bookmakers, on and off course bookmakers, betting shops, Betfair and the other exchanges, all now take each way bets.

EBF

The European Breeders Fund originated in June 1983. Breeders in France, GB, and Ireland signed an agreement to start a fund for stallion owners to contribute annually a sum equal to the median covering fee for all sires nominated to the scheme.

Only the offspring of participating stallions being allowed to benefit.

In relation to the British side of the scheme, proceeds are channeled into prize money, breeder’s prize money for horses sired by British stallions, veterinary research, and owner’s premiums for selected listed and patented flat races.

ENTIRE

An “entire” horse is in the lucky situation of having not been castrated, or “gelded”.

ENTRIES

Five days before a race, most entries are made to Weatherbys.

Weights for these races are allocated the day after, based on the published race conditions. If the race is a handicap then weights are allocated by the official handicapper.

At any time up to the day before the race, entries may be withdrawn, or “scratched”, at which time the horse must be declared to run, if the intention is to compete. The next stage is known as the overnight declaration stage whereby trainers have to telex or fax Weatherbys with odecs (overnight declarations)

Acceptors

Sometimes one can see the title “big race acceptors” in newspapers. Below this will be a list detailing the remaining horses in a race, after the forfeit stage.

FAVOURITE

Where a horse is allocated the shortest price in the betting it is known as the “favourite”. Two horses having equally short prices are known as joint favourites. More than two horses with equally short prices are known as co-favourites.

Of significant interest to Betfair punters, favourites account for the largest single number of different betting methodologies. For more information please visit:

http://www.Betfair-Trade.com/articles

FIELD

Multiple meanings:

1. The main use of this term relates to the number of runners for a race. For example “The field for the Derby this year is the smallest since Nijinsky beat ten opponents in 1970”, does NOT mean that a particularly cramped alternative to the Epsom racecourse has been found.

2. From a punters perspective, it means the shortest priced horse in the field, for example when the bookie shouts “six to four the field”, he is basically saying the favourite is at 6/4!!

3. A bookmaker’s record of bets taken on the course is known as a “field” book. This used to be just a large clipboard with specially ruled paper, but is just as likely to be a handheld electronic device or a laptop nowadays. The field book records bets taken, what prices are laid and to whom. The total liability is calculated, known as the “take out”. Most of this calculation is now eased for the bookmaker’s clerk with the introduction of computerization and laptops.

4. The total amount of money staked on a race, from which a bookmaker will take his profit or loss is known as “field” money.

5. The common Betfair and general betting exchange practice of “laying” a favourite, was historically known as “fielding” against the favourite, i.e. with the expectation of the favourite NOT winning.
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