Handicapping (a few questions)

[Who the beep is Tony Adam]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum and just want to say that it seems a great idea. I am not sure if this thread is in the correct place so feel free to move it if required. I have been starting to get into horse racing but a few questions regarding handicapping have come up when I am looking at form. From my basic understanding an 'official rating' is produced for each horse every week by the BHB. This in term is used to decided what weight it will carry in regards to other horses in a race. For example, a horse rated 86 and carrying 8 stone 9 would mean a horse rated 84 would carry 8 stone 7, firstly is this a correct assumption? Taking this into account, who decides what the top weight will be in each handicap or is it a set weight? This rating system would seem to suggest that the top rated horse wouold carry the most weight but when looking at the ratings in the Racing Post the ratings are in no particular order and a horse rated 79 could carry 9 stone 9 and a horse rated 80 carrying 9 stone 2 - are these ratings adjusted in some way and if so how? If they are indeed a more accurate analysis of a horses ability then how come the BHB do hot use such a system for handicapping? Secondly, I have come across pieces in the racing post that say a horse has been raised 4 pounds for example but is in fact carrying less weight than last time. Is this all in relation to what the top weight is carrying so even though it is in fact carrying less this is because the top weight is carrying a weight less than last time if you get what I mean? Also I have come across the two phrases 'out of the handicap' and 'well in at the weights.' I believe that out of the handicap refers to horses being entered which do not fall between the rating parameters for a handcap and thus are forced to carry bottom weight anyway even though this probably stops any chance of success - is this correct? I hope this has not come across as too confusing and I appreciated that pages of answer wouold be needed to fully help me but any pointers would be greatly appreciated. My game is primarily the greyhounds but I would really like to learn more about the horse racing game. Cheers!

[THE % MAN]

Re: Handicapping (a few questions) Each Handicap race is really based on stated figures for the Class of the race. So a CLASS 1 Handicap will have the best handicapers in that race and a Class 6 will have the poorest ones. If a race is open to say 60 T0 80 RATED it could still include horses rated less [out of the handicap]but would not include any horses above 80 in that race. Also if the handicaper thinks a horse that is running for the 1st time in such a race may make that horse top weight due to its bhb rating. Well in the weights usually means its on a good handicap mark for that race or as won a race at a higher mark than todays in the past. This is just a brief explanation and you could write a book about the subject.