Weekly Handicap Updates

[apracing]

The first two in the Hennessey won’t be running in any more handicaps, as Diamond Harry has been raised to 168(+16) and Burton Port to 166(+14), whilst Denman has been dropped 3lbs to 179.

Peddlers Cross has been pushed up to 162(+11) after his Fighting Fifth win. Starluck remains on 160, Binocular down 1lb to 171.

Aiteen Thirty Three won a Grade 2 novice chase by 17 lengths, but that performance has only been rated at 135, whilst his stable companions Watamu Bay (2 wins at Exeter) and Robinson Collonges (Bangor and Hereford scorer) are officially rated his superior on 147 and 148 respectively.

Since Aiteen Thirty Three beat a horse rated 140 over hurdles and has a horse rated 137 over fences a distance back in fourth, I’m bemused by the decision to put him on 135 and I’ve no doubt Nicholls will be looking for a handicap for him rather than carry a penalty in novice company.

Another Nicholls inmate was less kindly treated for winning last week – Organisateur won a 0-135 handicap hurdle at Taunton by 5 lengths from a maiden that had never previously finished within 20l of the winner over hurdles, and got raised 14lbs to 147!

AP

[rory]

Horse Trainer Chs Rtg Hdl Rtg
Kauto Star P. F. Nicholls 190
Imperial Commander (IRE) N. A. Twiston-Davies 185
Denman (IRE) P. F. Nicholls 182
Master Minded (FR) P. F. Nicholls 178
Twist Magic (FR) P. F. Nicholls 175
Albertas Run (IRE) Jonjo O’Neill 168
The Nightingale (FR) P. F. Nicholls 167
Monets Garden (IRE) N. G. Richards 166
Tidal Bay (IRE) J. Howard Johnson 166 160
Dont Push It (IRE) Jonjo O’Neill 164 140
Kalahari King (FR) Ferdy Murphy 164
Neptune Collonges (FR) P. F. Nicholls 164
Petit Robin (FR) N. J. Henderson 163 155
Planet of Sound (GB) P. J. Hobbs 163
Poquelin (FR) P. F. Nicholls 163
Long Run (FR) N. J. Henderson 162
Deep Purple (GB) Evan Williams 160
Riverside Theatre (GB) N. J. Henderson 160
Taranis (FR) P. F. Nicholls 160
Tataniano (FR) P. F. Nicholls 160
Voy Por Ustedes (FR) A. King 160
Gauvain (GER) Nick Williams 159
What A Friend (GB) P. F. Nicholls 159

[elcartero]

Many thanks, AP…..A very interesting and informative post…Looking forward to more of the same.

Powered by Linux

[rory]

Horse Trainer Chs Rtg Hdl Rtg
Big Bucks (FR) P. F. Nicholls 174
Binocular (FR) N. J. Henderson 172
Khyber Kim (GB) N. A. Twiston-Davies 167
Celestial Halo (IRE) P. F. Nicholls 165
Menorah (IRE) P. J. Hobbs 162
Karabak (FR) A. King 161
Zaynar (FR) N. J. Henderson 161
Cue Card (GB) C. L. Tizzard 160
Sentry Duty (FR) N. J. Henderson 160
Starluck (IRE) A. Fleming 160
Tidal Bay (IRE) J. Howard Johnson 166 160
Clerks Choice (IRE) M. C. Banks 159
Overturn (IRE) D. McCain Jnr 159
Silviniaco Conti (FR) P. F. Nicholls 159
Fair Along (GER) P. J. Hobbs 158
Medermit (FR) A. King 158
Australia Day (IRE) P. R. Webber 155
Grands Crus (FR) D. E. Pipe 155
Katchit (IRE) A. King 155
Punjabi (GB) N. J. Henderson 155
Petit Robin (FR) N. J. Henderson 163 155
Cape Tribulation (GB) J. M. Jefferson 154
Duc de Regniere (FR) N. J. Henderson 156 154

[rory]

Those are the top rated hurdlers and chasers from the BHA website. As you can see, they’re not updated for this weeks changes, but I’ll repost when they are, and if we keep this single thread (and it would be useful if we did) then update weekly.

[apracing]

Handicap rating changes post Cheltenham last weekend :

Chasers – The 2M division most affected with Woolcombe Folly put up 15lbs for his handicap win, making his rating now 169. Somersby up 6lbs for his run in the Tingle Creek to 162, with Master Minded unchanged on 178.

Midnight Chase up another 8lbs to 163 after his four timer, and Time For Rupert introduced at 161, a mark comparable with Long Run and Punchestowns prior to the RSA Chse earlier this year.

Hurdlers – The hurdle handicapper seems less than impressed by the International form, raising Menorah just 2lbs to 164, Silviniaco Conti up 3lbs to 162 and Cue Card down 1 lb to 159. Clerks Choice has now dropped back to 155, still too high in my view, but better than the total over reaction to his win in October.

As Phil Smith regularly reassures trainers that they won’t be punished for taking on good horses in weight for age events, I’m sure the 9lb rise for Any Given Day after his second to Karabak is just an administrative error – especially as the third home Celestial Halo has been dropped 5lbs.

But the piece de resistance this week is the handicappers 100% literal acceptance of the form of a four runner handicap hurdle at Exeter, in which the second tried to run out at halfway and the third pulled like a train for a mile and a half. This left Salontyre to win from 22lbs out of the handicap, and the witty and original response from the handicapper is a rise of 22lbs to a mark of 126. The eight prevous runs over hurdles which had clearly established Salontyre as a capable hurdler in the low 100’s, have all been ignored in favour of a knee jerk reaction to a race worth nothing as a form guide. Meanwhile, the ones we all know that treat the handicap system with contempt, continue their work untroubled.

AP

[koo]

the handicappers probabaly are bad judges hence we get various pieces of poor handicapping.
Theres about 8 handicappers in total so they are definetley not over worked and hence they have no excuses for ever making a rick imo

[davidjohnson]

Eight? And then some. 13 at the last count I think.

[koo]

yes sorry your right, there are 13 sets of contact details.

Th mind boggles if they are all full time as surely even with our bloated fixture list there isnt enugh racing for 13 people to be putting in 40 hours a week.

[Author]

Posts