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I am a newbie to racing but find some of the racing jargon very puzzling and at times ambiguous. How would you best elaborate the following “Horse X will have to improve a few pounds” ? I am aware horses are carrying weight but is it just a coloquism for saying horse must run a bloody good race to force the handicapper to uncrease his mark and/or weight next race ? The other I struggle with is ‘Horse X needs to find 6 lengths plus’ how can you confidently presume a horse is 6 lengths inferior to another horse before a race has even been run ? Again I am assuming that is what the jargon means. Looking forward to hear incite & apologies for the amateur nature of the question! Cheers.
These are stock comments from lazy journalists in my opinion and I don’t take much notice of them.
You can’t really be confident of anything with race horses.I've stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
I've walked and I crawled on six crooked highwaysAfter 40 years following the game I am still amused by the following regarding racing media, racing fans and punters in particular….
Despite a multi-billion pound betting industry everyone apparently wins, few ever admit to having so much as a losing bet, let alone a losing day, and no one ever bets “under the odds” (horse subsequently drifts to longer odds) either.
In fact, after timing is rife – ranging from claiming to have backed the winner to claiming to have got bigger odds earlier (not that anyone remotely cares about others achieving either).
How to spot such people.
They are part of this great racing pseudo-cognoscenti who use cliched terms like “the trainer knows the time of day,” “he’s not sent him all this way for nothing,” (because no horse ever travelled distance and got beat – yeah, right) or, worse still, “a good horse will act on any going” (despite the historical evidence that legion horses up to Group/Grade 1 level are/were heavily ground dependant).
Racing’s great – the people in racing less so.
I recommend the mute button for watching on TV and ear plugs for actually going racing – enjoy!
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“Horse X will have to improve a few pounds”
“Horse X needs to find 6 lengths plus’”In a nutshell, the person you are watching or listening to thinks that horse wont win that race in their opinion.
Hello and thank you to everybody who commented so far yes I certainly deciphered that when this terminology is used it would appear a horse is being written off but I am rather more analytical and I was thinking about these terms in a more broader context. Allow me to post the following write up, to improve I really want to get into the head of what a punter sees and I’d like somebody to decipher the following analysis. Please find below: The pertinent question why were said horses 6L+ advantage ?
14:40 – On the Blind Side x Lil Rockerfeller 3pts Reverse Forecast @ 5.02 (Incidentally this advice paid off handsomely and the reverse forecast duly obliged)
On The Blind Side was part of a good day for us winning at 7/1 at Cheltenham in November off OR145 & he’s run two solid races since off 150 & 151 to be twice 2nd. He has to give 4lbs to the remainder here & he is likely to still prove too good for them with 6L in hand of them all with the exception of Lil Rockerfeller, who rates his equal on these terms. They have 6L+ advantage on the remainder if both repeating their recent consistent form.
The one I need explaining is…Blacktype.
It’s sometimes mentioned in previews that a horse will look to get a bit of blacktype.
What is it, please?
Mares that win or are placed in a Group or Listed race appear in the breeding catalogue in bold font to indicate they have shown superior form. It makes them potentially a lot more valuable as brood mares.
Usually but not only mares, CAS.
I believe when looking at a broodmare or stallion their record will show blacktype races won by them and their progeny. Winning listed or group races can increase the horse itself and that horse’s mare (mother) and stallion (father)’s stud value.Value Is EverythingIt makes them potentially a lot more valuable as brood mares.
Or put another way, when they commence their career as equine prostitutes, their pimps will make more money ….. hope that helps
Yes “Horse x will need to improve a few pounds” can be a lazy man’s way of saying x needs to improve a bit. But equally, if the statement came in a form book from a recognised expert it can also be quite literal.
eg
If a horse is rated or has an OR of 145 and will in all probability need to run to a rating or OR of 148 to win… then it could be said to “need to improve a few pounds”. ie Often there is a horse either with a few pounds better form or a few pounds better handicapped than horse X, therefore X needs to improve a few pounds.Same with “needs to find 6 lengths”: Sometimes is a way of saying has a lot to find. But can also mean it needs to find the equivalent of 6 lengths improvement in order to beat the horse with the best form going in to the race.
A horse that has improvement in him/her should not be written off just because it has a few pounds or even 6 lengths to find. Depending on whether the price makes it worth chancing. Value is everything.
NB A length can be thought of as much as 4 lbs in a truly run race over 5f on firm ground or as little as 1/2 lb under extreme stamina conditions.
Value Is EverythingThe one I particularly hate is “he isn’t suited to giving away weight in handicaps”. But is ok carrying the same 11-12 is a Graded race. Makes absolutely zero sense.
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