Handicapping

rob faux Wrote:

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> Saldiani,they already do....they called races
> lol.
>
> The point is that if you raced the "3 doz" horses
> ,without weight adjustments,you would get pretty
> much the same result each time,so would soon be
> pointless.


if horses on exactly the same level would run against each other, how could there be "the same result each time"?
does barcelona always win against real madrid?

When next Tuesday's card come out for Vaal Turf will the experts please explain to me how the weights was allocated in race 1 and 2 [both qualified maiden handicaps ] cause it makes no sense? Even my trainer is trying to figure out. Benchmark is 62 [says in nom sheet]. One or two horses with merits of 70 & 75 got in but carry 60kg's and 57kg's. My filly merit is 57 but also carries 57.5kg's. If we nominate for merit 74 [our horse has 76] we get left out? Please explain so i understand cause in my view the 75 rated filly should have carried 66.5kg minus weight for age [2,5kg] namely 64kg's but only carries 60 in a benchmark 62. Thought these were qualified maiden races

Rad,you are a member of the RA(I remember the day you joined you got the bonus).
Surely this is the type of case they should take up on your behalf,as only the programmers/handicappers can explain their actions.
As an owner you are surely entitled to an answer to your concerns.

Don`t know why you members of the RA DON`T DEMAND ANSWERS?

BTW Rad,I'll give you (and your trainer) a clue ....the WFA,(for 3yr olds) you refer to is not 2,5Kg's next Tuesday......its at least 6,5 Kgs over 1000m and 8,5 Kgs over 1600m etc etc.

In reading your post carefully, you do not state the ages of the runners,or the distance of the race,but if the MR 75&70 are 3yr olds,and your MR 57 is older, then therein lies your confusion.....use the correct scale and all is revealed.

Thanx Rob, you right they are 3yo and Rajinzky 4yo. Is that the trend in maiden handicaps? 6.5 & 8.5 allowance in maiden handicaps? If so why a benchmark then and why doesn't same apply in normal handicaps and the allowance less for 3yo's? Thanx for helping but learn new everyday.

They should rather then have qualified for 3yo and seperate for older and have no benchmark as it doesn't stop running against better horses anyhow. whats the use of having qualified maidens then?

RA blocked all comms to forums so they don't read this. Only benefit with RA is getting the bonus money except RA in Pe, they are very helpful but obviously have no say up here.

Rad, the key word here is 'handicap'; as I understand it even in a MAIDEN HANDICAP, WFA applies - the benchmark merely is an indication of what the MR of the top rated horse should be (and any horse rated higher than the benchmark should be among the first to be eliminated in case of too many runners)

Rad, MR maidens have exactly the same rules and criteria as any other handicap.I think that owners should probably have more input into programming and presently the RA seems to be the only co-ordination,but appears to serve no purpose other than the most expensive badge and parking sticker in the world.
I think a national body representing owners is inevitable,but racing solutions seem to take longer than most!

I hear you Frodo, but in a normal handicap wfa allowance is 2.5kg's. As Rob stated in my qualified maiden race the allowance is 8.5kg and 6.5kg respectively. Why? Kruger was nominated for a MR 74 and was eliminated as he was a 76 as to give lower rated horses a chance. shouldn't the same apply to qualified maidens if the benchmark is set at 62. big difference in MR 75 at a benchmark of 62? Thats why it's a "qualified" maiden - MR 75 don't qualify or must carry the weight. It's like [according to handicapper points] putting BOLT against me in a 100m sprint. i'm a tortoise!

Rad - I'm not sure where you get the 2.5 kg WFA allowance from; currently the WFA allowance for a race over 1200 is 6.5 kg's for a 3yr old ; so a 3yr old with a gross MR of 75 has a nett MR of 62?

My point is if this is a qualified maiden handicap with a benchmark of 62 the 3yo shouldn't get in that has a 75 rating even at nett - it's taking advantage of the system - its a qualified handicap - otherwise my horse shouldn't be eliminated in a 74.

To add otherwise the elimination process is a bugger up or they should stick to rules that the benchmark should be respected. They have maidens for 3yo's so why not just for older horses and keep it simple. Open maidens plates are suited for 3yo's and older. What if the 75 merit horse does win against a field of 62 and lower. Will it stay the same, drop or increase? Why did the handicapper allocate that merit anyway if the allowance is so high?