Handicapper Madness
We were delighted with Murrumbidgee's win last week BUT furious with the reaction of the handicapper.
The horse has been raised 6lbs for a nose win in a "kids" race worth £2047.20p (before deductions) to the winner. The horse last won 3 years ago and the race was described by the Racing Post as "little better than a seller".
The second, Pretty Officer, has been raised 7lb to a rating of 54 having never won from 12 outings!! He was aided by the jockey being able to claim 8lbs for riding for his own stable which clearly helped him.
The third horse, Tivers Song, was 4 lengths back in 3rd and also has never won a race!!
The fourth horse, Ruwain, has won two races from 20 starts off marks of 46 and 48 and was running off a mark of 51, clearly not competitve at that level.
It must be obvious to any race watcher that this was a weak race run at a fairly strong pace where the winning jockey gave the horse a cracking ride. To raise "Bidgee" 6lbs is LUNACY. We expected 2lbs and his chances of being competitive off his new mark are virtually non-existant!
We shall seriously consider not running horses in these apprentices races for if the jockey gives them an excellent ride the horse is effectively penalised. It must be obvious to any casual observer that the range of winning distances in these races is likley to be greater due to the inexperience of the jockeys.
Perhaps members of the public should be asked to review handicap ratings!! A web based system utilising say 100 members of the racing public and called "Youcap" might be a better system and cheaper to administer!!!
The horse has been raised 6lbs for a nose win in a "kids" race worth £2047.20p (before deductions) to the winner. The horse last won 3 years ago and the race was described by the Racing Post as "little better than a seller".
The second, Pretty Officer, has been raised 7lb to a rating of 54 having never won from 12 outings!! He was aided by the jockey being able to claim 8lbs for riding for his own stable which clearly helped him.
The third horse, Tivers Song, was 4 lengths back in 3rd and also has never won a race!!
The fourth horse, Ruwain, has won two races from 20 starts off marks of 46 and 48 and was running off a mark of 51, clearly not competitve at that level.
It must be obvious to any race watcher that this was a weak race run at a fairly strong pace where the winning jockey gave the horse a cracking ride. To raise "Bidgee" 6lbs is LUNACY. We expected 2lbs and his chances of being competitive off his new mark are virtually non-existant!
We shall seriously consider not running horses in these apprentices races for if the jockey gives them an excellent ride the horse is effectively penalised. It must be obvious to any casual observer that the range of winning distances in these races is likley to be greater due to the inexperience of the jockeys.
Perhaps members of the public should be asked to review handicap ratings!! A web based system utilising say 100 members of the racing public and called "Youcap" might be a better system and cheaper to administer!!!
