Help Please

[Petersson1984]

I´ve been watching some races today, and i notice the commentator saying a horse is well handicappt.. What does that mean excatly?? Cheers :)

[stewartd14]

Re: Help Please Very short of time right now, but take a look at the sticky's at the top of this forum - lots of good information, and websites in there which will explain. :ok

[Trotter]

Re: Help Please Usually means that in the opinion of the commentator the horse is running off a lower handicap mark than his ability warrants This might be because the horse has won off higher marks in the past, had a losing run and drifted down in the weights but now shows signs of regaining his old form but with a lower handicap mark to run off It might be because the horse has been given a handicap mark based on runs in maiden or non-handicap races which the commentator believes were of much higher quality than the official handicapper has rated them It might be that the horse has, for example, been running in sprints over 6 furlongs and has got his handicap mark on the basis of that form........but he's bred to be a 10 furlong horse and will look well handicapped when he steps up in trip because he will improve a lot over the extra distance So..........usually it's an opinion based on a belief that the horse is now better for whatever reason than the handicap mark he is running off Sometimes the horse can be well handicapped in fact rather than in opinion............the handicap ratings are revised every couple of weeks. If you had a horse who won a race and the official handicapper decided to put him up 12 lbs in the ratings from 2 weeks time, he could run again in the meantime with a 6 lb penalty for winning............he would officially be 6 lb well handicapped until the new rating took effect

[Petersson1984]

Re: Help Please

Usually means that in the opinion of the commentator the horse is running off a lower handicap mark than his ability warrants This might be because the horse has won off higher marks in the past, had a losing run and drifted down in the weights but now shows signs of regaining his old form but with a lower handicap mark to run off It might be because the horse has been given a handicap mark based on runs in maiden or non-handicap races which the commentator believes were of much higher quality than the official handicapper has rated them It might be that the horse has, for example, been running in sprints over 6 furlongs and has got his handicap mark on the basis of that form........but he's bred to be a 10 furlong horse and will look well handicapped when he steps up in trip because he will improve a lot over the extra distance So..........usually it's an opinion based on a belief that the horse is now better for whatever reason than the handicap mark he is running off Sometimes the horse can be well handicapped in fact rather than in opinion............the handicap ratings are revised every couple of weeks. If you had a horse who won a race and the official handicapper decided to put him up 12 lbs in the ratings from 2 weeks time, he could run again in the meantime with a 6 lb penalty for winning............he would officially be 6 lb well handicapped until the new rating took effect

I think i got it now... Cheers Trotter :ok