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Sorry for the novicy question but not 100% sure why weight allocations for the 12:20 at Cheltenham today do not reflect the handicap ratings. Kalif Du Berlais has a handicap raring of 141 and a weight if 11-10 whilst Tedley and Vincenzo have a rating of 129 and are weighted at 11-2. The weight difference should be 12lb but is only 8lb. I have a feeling there is minimum weight regardless of rating but cannot see where this minimum weight is described in any of the race details. It is just shown as a class 3 Handicap Chase.
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks.
KB.Couple of things. Its a limited handicap which means the weight range will be lower than a normal handicap but actually the minimum weights should have been 10 stone 5 so its not because of that specifically in this instance but something to keep an eye on in future, its in the race title and the BHA racecard shows the min weight. I suspect its to do with the age of Kalif Du Berlais and him getting some weight for age but I could be wrong.
Interesting – I had a look and there is nothing apparent in the conditions I can see on Wetherby’s site to suggest an allowance for the 5-y-o which is what I thought might be the case.
Both Tedley and Vicenzo had jockey’s claiming allowances but their starting weights reflect that 8lb differential when you take the allowance into account.I think theres 4lb wfa isn’t there? 12 stone would be top weight without it which makes sense
It is weight-for-age that causes. I just checked the BHA website and 5 year olds receive 4lbs from older horses in chases over 2 miles in January.
Racing Post normally show weight-for-age allowance in their race conditions section but didn’t in this case. Maybe the change of year between entry and the running of the race threw their system?
Correct TTT (I believe)
There is a weight for age of 4 lbs.
How good any horse is is judged on the weight for age scale. So the older horses handicap marks are judged against a weight that (in January) is 4 lbs higher than what the 4yo’s handicap mark is judged against. Therefore although the older horses handicap marks are 8 lbs less than the 4yo. 8 + 4 = 12 lbs different.Value Is EverythingThank you all for putting me straight on this. I knew there was a weight allowance for3 year olds in flat racing but hadn’t twigged it would be older for chasers.
The details for chasers and hurdlers showing how the allowance changes each month:
https://media.britishhorseracing.com/bha/Rules/Weight_for_age/Weight_For_Age.pdf
The weight allowed for 4yo and 5yo chasers used to be more ten or so years ago, but the impact of multiple French imports forced a review.
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