TimeWise Chronicles

A quick guide to how the handicapper gets his ratings.

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The BHA handicapper is responsible for assigning ratings to racehorses based on their past performances. The ratings reflect the horse’s overall ability and potential to win races. The handicapper takes into account a variety of factors when assigning a rating, including:

  1. The horse’s recent race results: The handicapper will look at how the horse has performed in its most recent races to determine its current form.
  2. The weight carried by the horse: In horse racing, horses are assigned weights to carry in races. The handicapper will consider how much weight the horse has been carrying and how it has performed under those conditions.
  3. The class of races the horse has been running in: The handicapper will consider the level of competition the horse has been facing and how it has performed against horses of similar ability.
  4. The distance of the races the horse has been running: Horses can have different levels of ability depending on the distance of the race. The handicapper will consider how the horse has performed at different distances.
  5. The jockey and trainer: The handicapper will consider the jockey and trainer’s track record and how they have performed in similar races.

By taking all of these factors into account, the handicapper assigns a rating to each horse, which reflects its overall ability and potential to win races. The ratings are used to determine the weights horses carry in future races and to group horses of similar ability together in handicap races.

2 responses to “A quick guide to how the handicapper gets his ratings.”

  1. Danny avatar
    Danny

    Thanks for all this info
    Can you shed some insight on how the rating works, in terms of numbers etc. and the difference between classified races and handicaps and how the weight changes dependant on rating for each handicap mark – hope this makes sense but I’ve always wanted some added clarity. Cheers

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    1. TimeWise avatar
      TimeWise

      Horse racing ratings and handicaps.

      pjocathain@proton.me
      Can you shed some insight in simple terms on how the rating works, in terms of numbers etc. and the difference between classified races and handicaps and how the weight changes dependant on rating for each handicap mark.

      Certainly! In horse racing, ratings are used to give an indication of a horse’s ability relative to other horses in a race. Ratings are assigned by various organizations, such as Timeform or Racing Post, based on a horse’s past performances. Generally, the higher the rating, the better the horse is considered to be.

      In terms of numbers, ratings typically range from around 0 to 140 or 150, with the top-rated horses in the world being in the 130-140 range. A rating of 100 is considered to be average.

      There are two main types of races in horse racing: classified races and handicaps. Classified races are races in which horses of a similar ability level compete against each other, with the aim of determining which is the best horse in that particular class. Handicaps, on the other hand, are races in which horses are assigned weights based on their ability, with the aim of leveling the playing field and giving every horse a chance to win.

      The weight that a horse carries in a handicap race depends on its rating. The higher the rating, the more weight the horse will be assigned to carry. For example, in a handicap race with a top weight of 10 stone (140 pounds), a horse with a rating of 100 might carry 9 stone (126 pounds), while a horse with a rating of 110 might carry 9 stone 7 pounds (133 pounds). The exact weight that a horse carries will depend on the specific handicap race and the weights assigned by the handicapper.

      I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.

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