Jumps or Flat?

[topman]

Nobody laugh please at the (silly) question but how do you tell what type of race it is? Looking at the paper beforehand I find it difficult to interpret, unless it states somtime like '....novice huddle..'. And how do you know if it is a handicap or not - does the fact that different horses are carrying different weights awlays indicate this?

Also, what are all the different types of races and how siginficant are the differences? Interested in this for compiling stats. For example, if you take last Monday at Epson you got the following:

Maidan Stakes, Claiming Stakes, Sprint Handicap, Amateur Derby Handicap, Handicap, Conditiona Stakes.

Similar spread at the other courses.

Confuesd,
Topman

[plater]

You should find what you need here http://www.win2winracing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15313

[topman]

Cheers Plater, will have a look

[mathare]

If it's not a hurdle or chase it's a flat race.

You can sometimes tell by the course - some courses only run NH meetings, others flat only but some mix codes although not on the same card (with the exception of the final NH flat race on some cards).

If it is a handicap the title should reflect this.

Of the races you list at Epsom on Monday:

Maiden Stakes - for horses you haven't had a win yet, stakes meaning you pay to enter (I think)
Claiming Stakes - anyone can make a claim for any of the runners before the race is run. This is effectively agreeing to buy the horse for a set sum before you have seen it run this race. The price is usually set in the race conditions (see the top of the RP paper cards for these) and is often the same for all horses but may vary with weight. So a stable may run a horse in a claiming race but not want it to go to someone else on the cheap so they may (if they can) put a high claiming price on it but in doing so it will be asked to carry more weight. Stables can claim their own horses and if more than one trainer claims a horse they go into a hat and the winner is drawn out after the race.
Sprint handicap - 5f or 6f race with top rated horse in the field carrying most weight and reducing down the field with ratings
Amateur Derby Handicap - same principle as the sprint handicap with weights but for amateur jockeys
Handicap - like the sprint handicap but over a longer distance
Conditional stakes - only horses meeting specific conditions (as laid out in the RP paper cards and elsewhere) may enter. The conditions may be no wins last season, or unplaced as a 3yo or something.

Oh, and you can often tell a flat from an NH by the distance. NH is always 2m+, flats are rarely that far

[topman]

Appreciate the feedback guys.

Just on the handicap (or not), again on Monday there was Maidan Stakes at Newcastle (4:30). It did not state handicap but the weights of the six runners ranged from 8-8 through to 9-2?

[mathare]

Appreciate the feedback guys.

Just on the handicap (or not), again on Monday there was Maidan Stakes at Newcastle (4:30). It did not state handicap but the weights of the six runners ranged from 8-8 through to 9-2?Colts and fillies will carry different weights most of the time. And if the race was open to different ages there may be some weight-for-age allowance. A 2yo filly will carry much less than a 3yo colt in such a race to account for the extra maturity of the 3yo and the extra power/muscle a colt usually has

[plater]

Also see for more info
http://www.plater.area-wise.co.uk/Weight_Explained/weight_explained.html