This week we share some insights from New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s Chief Handicapper, Neil Jennings. 

Neil is highly regarded throughout the international racing community with over 20 years’ experience in handicapping at Victoria RC and Racing Victoria, the last decade as Senior Handicapper and Sprint Handicapper. That experience included being responsible for the weights of events like the time honoured G1 Newmarket handicap, and in his time won by equine greats including Black Caviar, Hay List, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti, Scenic Blast and Alinghi.

However, his greatest satisfaction was witnessing Hay List carrying a metric weight record of 58.5kg to win the 2012 Newmarket handicap, holding off Buffering which came in 4.5kg lighter in the weights.

Neil also spent seven years from 2015 as Handicapper for the Emirates Racing Authority in Dubai.

“The highlight each year was an involvement in the selection process for the invited horses to compete in the world’s richest race meeting, the Dubai World Cup in March.

“I was fortunately able to witness champions Almond Eye, Arrogate, California Chrome, Benbatl and Australian sprinter Buffering win on the biggest stage.”

Neil cast his eye over last weekend’s Legends Day at Te Rapa, particularly the two Group 1 features – the Herbie Dyke Stakes and the BCD Group Sprint.

“Both of these races are run at Weight for Age. To explain, this is a definition of the conditions for a race. In this case it means all horses carry a set weight in accordance to the WFA Scale. The weight carried varies according to a combination of factors including the age of the horse, its sex, the race distance and the month of the racing season.”

Neil’s thoughts?

“Having three 3-year-olds contest this year’s Herbie Dyke Stakes added another dimension to the race and in winning, Sharp ‘N’ Smart was outstanding. After being posted wide throughout, I felt he was there to be beaten, considering it was just his second run back since a brave second in the Victoria Derby. Now a Group 1 winner in both Australia and New Zealand, the best is yet to come as he is still to my eye, six months away from being the finished product.

“The BCD Group Sprint attracted a terrific line up for what loomed as the race of the season with Group 1 winners Levante, Mustang Valley, La Crique and Maven Belle taking on the Railway winner Imperatriz.

“Imperatriz was totally dominant in winning by a widening margin, and in doing so running a career-best performance, in my view.

“She is undefeated in five starts at Te Rapa and has gone to another level as a four-year-old. We will now wait with great anticipation on where Imperatriz ranks against some of Australia’s best.”

Neil was also impressed with the Group 2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic winner Prowess.

“This race looked a very winnable race for Prowess, the 3yo Karaka Million winner, and I wasn’t left disappointed.

“The only unknown was stretching out to 2000m for the first time, although given how strong through the line she was when winning the Karaka Million, it seemed she would run out the extra distance comfortably.

“As every horse in this race was running off the same weight and given Prowess was rated 19 points higher (9.5kg) than her nearest rival, she hasn’t had to run to her domestic rating of 83 in winning. Therefore, her rating remains unchanged.

“If the conditions of this race had been run under handicap conditions, all her rivals would have been meeting her significantly better under the weight scale and such a winning performance would have justified a rating increase.  Knowing now that she was able to extend easily in distance, connections have numerous options both here and across the Tasman.”