Harness handicapping system

The conditioned handicap system focusses on “winning form” only

• A horse should race like for like where possible
• Where possible horses should race with same sex and if pool sizes don’t allow this then concessions should apply
• Race fields should be framed to ensure competitiveness
• Trainers/Owners should have options where to place their horses where they believe they will be most competitive
• Historic form as well as current form needs to be considered when handicapping
• Juveniles should be granted some dispensation before reaching open class
• Mares should be granted a “discount” to assist them enter a race
• Concession drivers should be granted a “discount” to assist them enter a race
• Horse is only entitled to receive a single “discount” to assist them enter a race
• A horse should have a legitimate racing opportunity once in every 10 days
• Horses out of form need to be provided racing opportunities outside of their allocated class
• Programs need to be dynamic and reflect the current population of horses
• Stake levels should reflect the relative class of horses racing by venue and be tiered
• Prevent horses “creeping” into lower level races by virtue of anomalies in handicapping

The previous handicapping system grouped horses together according to the number of wins across a variety of classes.  Unfortunately with drop back rules and penalty free races it was never easy to ascertain just how many wins a horse actually had.  This was particularly the case in maiden races where genuine no win horses may have been competing against other horse’s coming out of successful juvenile seasons.

The current system is a conditioned handicapping system which groups horses together for the purpose of handicapping based on the stakes they have earned for WINNING races.

Put simply each time you WIN a race the dollar value paid for first is accumulated as your HWOE (Handicapped Win Only Earnings)

Place money and payments back to last do NOT get counted in this calculation and Westbred and other Bonuses are also not included.

It is acknowledged however that two and three year olds should be treated differently to ensure that when they progress into open company they are not overly penalised.  That said, horses that win a considerable number of races, particularly group races, should not enter the open class system as a maiden.

The calculation is the dollar value paid for winning then is normalised back to a Win Value using a formula to take into account various situations such as 2YO/3YO earnings and also Feature Stakes Wins.

The formula for the calculation of HWOE for 2YO, 3YO and 4Y0+ are detailed below:

1. 2yo wins in races have 25% of the win stake to be considered towards the handicapped win only earnings.
2. 3yo wins in races have 75% of win stake to be considered towards the handicapped win only earnings.
3. 4yo+ wins in races have 100% of win stake to be considered towards the handicapped win only earnings.

Maximum Handicapping Penalty

HWOE races are programmed at intervals starting at a Maiden Level (Non Winners at any age) through to OPEN/FFA at HWOE > $100,000.

The intervals have been tailored to the circuits and approximately coincide with the equivalents in the former R, C & M racing depending on the circuit involved.

HWOE races will have a Preference clause on each of the races. The Preference is set in the template and cannot be altered at Race Level.

Example of a HWOE Race:

HWOE < $40,000 Preference to HWOE $25,000+. 

This is for Horses with a HWOE of LESS THAN $40,000

A horse with a HWOE of Less Than $25,000 CAN nominate for the race but will NOT obtain a start ahead of a preferred horse with a HWOE < $40,000 and Greater Than/Equal to $25,000.

This ensure horses that have nominated within their class have an opportunity to race in their class and not be pushed out by horses racing out of their class with better form as they may not have another place to go.

Some HWOE Races will be programed with an “Also Eligible condition.

This allows for horses “out of form” to race in a group level below to assist that horse be more competitive.

The also eligible condition is based on the horse last five starts place money

Example of an HWOE Race with Also Eligible Conditions

Race would appear in program as:

PACERS 3YO+ HWOE < $40,000
(CONCESSIONS HWOE < $46,500)
ALSO ELIGIBLE – HWOE < $70,000 With L5$ < $2,250.

This race is for horses three years and older who have a HWOE of less than $40,000

A horse that has earned $46,499 is also eligible for this race if it is a Mare OR if a novice driver is used.

Horses with a HWOE less than $70,000 are eligible for this race IF they have earned less than $2,250 in their last five starts.

Rates used for the Also Eligible L5$ are dependent on the circuit:

The basic concept behind L5$ races is to give horses who may be struggling at their HWOE Level a chance to drop into a race where they might be able to earn again and establish some form.

Winning form within these conditioned races will allow those horses to then go back into the established HWOE Grouping or UP to the next level of L5$ Conditioned race.

Consistent placings will allow horses to keep racing at the same level and importantly keep earning money. Horses are grouped together for these races by way of their TOTAL Earnings in their past 5 starts.

To stop horses dropping down to a lower level too quickly restrictions are enforced by way of the inclusion of Not Eligible Conditions.

Example of a L5$ Race

Race would appear in program as:

L5$ < $25,000 (Level 12)
(CONCESSIONS L5$ LT $27,500)

NE Starters of Level 15+ Last 5 starts

NE Winners of Level 12+ Last 5 starts

In this example the race is for Horses that have earned less than $25,000 in their last five starts. This is total stakes not just win stakes.

This race also allows horses utilising a concession that have earned less than $27,500 in their last 5 starts to enter. The NE clause protects eligible horses by not allowing winners of this level race or higher within their last five starts. This condition ensures a winner in this class of race in their past 5 starts goes back to the standard HWOE races for their class.

The NE clause also prevents a horse which has raced in OPEN/FFA’s (Level 15) without winning in their past 5 starts from dropping into this race even if that horse’s Total earnings in their past 5 starts is less than the threshold for this race ($25,000 or $27,500 with a Concession).

Mares, Novice Drivers, Westbred and West Sired Horses may be offered a Concession on some races within a program.

The amount of the concession changes according to where the race is scheduled.

For example a horse with an HWOE of <$85,000 will be eligible for an HWOE <$70,000 race with a mare or novice driver concession.

Only ONE concession can be used.  The race conditions will conditions (if any) will apply for a race.

Levels are assigned from the Front Mark as a Base and then each Handicap Mark until the top Level is reached at which stage all further marks will be the same level.

Standing Starts Handicaps are formulated on a Conditioned basis, grouping horses in similar fashion to the mobile groups in 10 metre increments. As is the case in mobiles, the lower marks are protected from dropdowns by excluding concessions and Also Eligible Letups. The higher marks however, allow for both concession and Also Eligible letups on their natural handicap mark. A variety of front mark standing start races are available to be programmed to allow a natural progression via a front mark handicap. In the higher front mark races it is possible to use a concession.

Nominating into a higher class in order to get a front line handicap mark is allowed but a Preference in field selection will be to horses on their true handicap mark to ensure these horses are not excluded from racing in their proper handicap group by lower assessed horses with better form points.

Not Eligible Clauses will be in place at Metro Prime to restrict lower classified horses gaining the opportunity to win off a front mark excessively. Preferences will be used in higher front mark races to ensure horses in their legitimate class aren’t denied a start by a horse nominating higher than its legitimate class.