Anyone who likes to follow horse racing knows that it is a deep sport and that there is a lot to learn about. While this might be nice for those who simply like to watch racing, it becomes more crucial for those who like to bet on it. Digging deeper into horse racing is wise because it means that you are betting from a position of knowledge.
Of course, there are many ways to go about this. If you plan to bet at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, for example, then you might take the time to research the races beforehand or look at which horses are set to perform well. You may even hunt down free bets for this year’s Cheltenham Festival at a respected online site such as GG.co.uk. This site is a reliable source of not only free bets but also top horse racing news and tips.
Another major factor to get up to speed with is handicapping – but what is it, and what are handicap races?
What are handicap races?
When it comes to professional racing, there are certain types of races. While you might know about jumps or flat, you should also know about handicap and non-handicap. Non-handicap races see the horses run as they are and can often give an advantage to the best horses in the field. With nothing to hold them back, they can use their extra class and talent to ease to victory.
In a handicap race though, the playing field is essentially leveled off and this gives each horse the same chance of winning in theory. By giving the better horses more of a handicap before they start, it allows other horses to compete with them. For this reason, some punters find handicap racing more exciting and also better for scooping bigger-priced winners. As the 2020 Ebor Handicap result showed, this is often true.
How are handicaps worked out?
It is actually fairly simple. Pre-determined weights are carried by each horse in the race. By varying how much weight each horse carries, those in charge can level up the field. As you would expect, the best horses carry more weight to slow them down – the worse horses, on the other hand, carry less to give them more chance.
How are handicap ratings worked out? It all boils down to one of two ways. Once a horse has won a race or ran three times, it will be analyzed by those in charge of racing and given a rating. This handicap rating is also known as the mark. These ratings are then used to decide which horse is the best in a race and should carry the heaviest weight (also known as a penalty). Every other horse then carries 1 pound less of weight for each rating point it is below the best one.
Do handicap ratings change?
Handicap ratings change regularly based on the horse’s form and how the handicapper assesses its current ability. The ratings are actually looked at weekly and take into account the horse’s form from the previous week’s racing.
If a horse wins its only race in a week, for example, then it is likely that this will impact its rating and see it carry more weight in the future. On the other hand, a horse that does not run as well as its rating suggests might see it drop.
Does handicapping always work out?
Just as it has always been a tricky affair trying to make, horse racing handicapping is not always so simple. While you can use handicapping as part of your betting strategy, it is key to know that the ratings and subsequent decisions are only the opinions of the assessors in UK racing. Of course, these are experienced people who know what they are doing, but it is not a failsafe system. A horse may be developing or regressing with age, for example, which may make the assessment of its ability by the handicapper a little skewed.
What do handicap ratings tell you as a bettor?
All keen punters will, of course, by now be fervently thinking about how to incorporate their knowledge of handicapping into their strategy – but how do you go about it?
The first thing to note is that the rating that any horse has is shown as its ‘official rating’ (OR) on the card. You can therefore get a quick leg up when betting by looking at which horses have the highest OR, as they should be the best in the race. Of course, it is not as simple as that due to the extra weight they will be carrying. As horses only get assessed by the British Horseracing Authority once per week, you may also find that the OR is not always accurate. If a horse has won a race or two in a week (and before being reassessed), it will be on a lower rating than it should. This is worth looking out for and using in your betting.
One other major thing to factor in is that handicap races often have a lower percentage of favorites that win. This is common sense when you think about it, as the handicapping system makes the race more competitive. It can therefore be wise to look for decent horses in good form and carrying less weight, outside of the favorite. Many punters will also look at the horse’s rating and assess what this can tell them about future performance. If you spot a horse that never wins with an OR above 70 and see that it is at 73 in the current race, then you might well be tempted to leave it alone.
Handicapping is worth getting your head around
The fact is that most UK and Irish races are handicaps. This is because they are normally more exciting to watch, more exciting to bet on, and fairer. With this in mind, it really is worth getting to know how handicapping works and how it can be brought into your own betting.
