High and low marks

[vegyjones]

When someone says that a horse is going off at a reasonable mark

or that they have won over this mark

Are they talking about the horses weight
or something else? :doh

[bigcumba]

It's the handicap mark they mean Vegy, so you were right

[vegyjones]

So if they had won off a mark of 103
that would mean 103 pounds? Right?

[mathare]

So if they had won off a mark of 103
that would mean 103 pounds? Right?There's 14lb to the stone so a mark of 103 is 7st 5lb in that case. That sounds too low because loads of horses win have won of marks lower than that haven't they?

Does zero on the handicap mark scale not equal 0lb then?

[vegyjones]

I was just using 103 as an example Mat... :peek

[bigcumba]

I think there's a minimum weight carried by the horses and the handicap ratings are calculated from that, otherwise in the regional banded racing that's rated up to 45 they would need a jockey weighing 3 stone 3 pounds.... not likely :yikes:

[Win2Win]

Just use the following and it all become clear;
K=c2[Xrcs/2.45322]~Gbe+{[13/12]-y^6]

[sparkyminer]

they would need a jockey weighing 3 stone 3 pounds.... not likely :yikes:
Just put Vegy's head on the horse. :D

[vegyjones]

Now I'm even more confused then I was before... :doh

[Onlyforfun]

It works down from top weight. The race conditions would be maximum weight 12-0 so if top weight runs off a mark of 100 and 2nd top runs off a mark of 90 it carries 11-4 (unless it has a penalty or allowance under the race conditions). There is also a minimum weight that each horse has to carry so, if it is 10-0 any horse running in this race off a mark more than 28lbs lower than the top weight is said to be "out of the handicap". The minimum weight is to stop jockeys losing too much weight.


When someone says its reasonable, in their opinion the handicapper is being lenient or has been caught out. Say for example horse A and horse B run a race off the same weight and A finishes 3L ahead of B. He might give A a rating of 105 and B 100. If B then goes on to win a race off a higher mark than 105, if A is off 105 next time out, you could say he was "ahead of the handicapper" or some other jargon.

[Onlyforfun]

Just use the following and it all become clear;
K=c2[Xrcs/2.45322]~Gbe+{[13/12]-y^6]

I think you mean K=c2[Xrcs/2.45322]~Gbe-{[13/12]-y^6]

[mathare]

I was just using 103 as an example Mat... :peekI realise that but BigC makes exactly the point I was vaguely trying to make. The zero for the handicap mark cannot be 0lb so 103 is unlikely to be 103lb. There must be some offset

[bigcumba]

I think they usually work down from top weight. The race conditions would be maximum weight 12-0 so if top weight runs off a mark of 100 and 2nd top runs off a mark of 90 it carries 11-4 (unless it has a penalty or allowance under the race conditions)

That's a bit more sensible than what I said.... otherwise the top weights would be carrying about 17 stone! :yikes:

[mathare]

That's a bit more sensible than what I said.... otherwise the top weights would be carrying about 17 stone! :yikes:So who do you ride for these days BigC? :laugh

[vegyjones]

So if you are looking for a horse that is running off a mark it has previously won at

you just look for the highest weight he has run with?

[bigcumba]

So who do you ride for these days BigC? :laugh

:laugh My wife of course.... but these days it's mainly for pleasure... no need to be first past the post :D

[sparkyminer]

..no need to be first past the post :D
My wife bought me some silver condoms, so I could come second for a change. :wiggle:

[mathare]

but these days it's mainly for pleasureMainly for pleasure? Mainly?!? I hope the rest of the time you are not trying to bring little BigC's into the world :yikes:

Imagine a baby with that beard!

[bigcumba]

trying to bring little BigC's into the world :yikes:


Little chance of that having had the snip a few years back!

[vegyjones]

Little chance of that having had the snip a few years back!

Did you do the facts of life at school BigC

A haircut has nothing to do with procreation

And in those pictures you posted, you still had long hair???

[sparkyminer]

A haircut has nothing to do with procreation


You're joking Vegy. A haircut like BigC's is automatic birth control. :D

[Onlyforfun]

So if you are looking for a horse that is running off a mark it has previously won at

you just look for the highest weight he has run with?

Nope, you need to look at the BHB ratings provided in the RP.

[bigcumba]

A haircut has nothing to do with procreation

I'm not so sure of that - I've known women who wouldn't go near a bloke unless he had short hair....

Getting back to the handicap thing - I've attached a screenshot from Racexpert's handicap screen - this gives you the current figure, previous ratings, and winning runs are highllighted so you can see what mark the horse may have won off in it's last 8 outings (losing runs give distance beaten) - so using that you can get an idea of whether the horse is on a fair mark or not.