Handicap Horse Races?

Question

in a handicap race, does the handicap number include the weight of the Jockey and tack? or is it just weight added to the horse??

Answer 1

Not 100 per cent certain on this,but I think, in the UK,  the jockeys weight is taken into consideration and then the extra weight added to the horse

i.e. if the jockey weighs 48kg and the horse is handicapped to carry 55kg, then 7kg of weight is added to the horse...xx

Answer 2

Should the horse be required to carry 52kg & the chosen 'hoop' weighs only 50kg, there is 2 kg of 'lead' added. In reverse if the horse is to carry 50kg & the chosen jockey be 52kg, that 'hoop' needs to shed 2kg in a sauna or whatever means to help to get down to the required weight.

That is the 'usual' way that is applied to most events, but can include 'slight' variations e.g. the jockey being sometimes allowed to ride the horse at a weight somewhat higher than required by the on course committee - the latter being of NO advantage to the punters!

Answer 3

The weight that is allocated to a horse to carry is everything on it's back,but does not include it's bridle or reins'

A jockey "Weighs out" ( ie before he goes and gets on a horse before the race) with all his tack - that is clothing ,whip ,helmet,saddle and saddle cloth. In the saddle cloth would be small pieces of lead that would make up the difference in weight between the actual weight of the jockey and tack, and the weight that the horse is allocated to carry in that race,

After the race the jockey has to "Weigh In" to ensure that he did in fact carry that weight throughout the race. In this way, if for some reason the saddle cloth slipped and dropped the lead weighs, the jockey would weigh in "light" and the Clerk to the Scales would object and the horse would lose the race.

To avoid foul play - no one is allowed to touch the jockey's tack between weighing out and weighing in. (ie could possibly slip lead weight out and pop it back in after race.)

Hope that clarifies the situation for you.

Answer 4

just the weight added to the horse

Answer 5

In any race program it will tell you the weight that the horse will be carrying... that's jockey + tack + any additional weight that was added to make this race fair.  That number will often be around 119 or so... 126 for stakes...

Races also sometimes have a description at the top... that's the info that trainers would look at to decide which race to put their horses in.  For allowance races it will say something like "nonwinners of two, 2 pounds" or "nonwinners other than a claiming, starter, maiden, 4 pounds"... those tell you the weight differences that the horses will be carrying.  It starts out at a certain amount, then if you qualify for one of those exceptions, then you carry less weight.

Answer 6

if a horse has to carry 126lbs, and his jockey weighs 116lbs

they will add 5 lbs of leaded weight on each side of the saddle so the jockey

can make the 126lbs.