As part of this year’s Handicapping Review came an initiative to regularly communicate handicapping topics of interest and race re-ratings via a “Handicapping Blog”.

Winter Cup

The first weekend of the new season commenced with a typically strong renewal of the Winning Edge Presentations 127^th Winter Cup at Riccarton. The annual convergence of New Zealand’s best winter gallopers at 1600m.

For those unfamiliar with handicapping the 9-point re-rating for winner Jay Bee Gee, given the pencil line margin, would seem quite harsh.

To best explain we need to look at handicapping profile of the race. In racebook order, the first 6 horses carded appropriate weights, however numbers 7 to 18 were what we term “out of the handicaps”. A rating 89 colt/gelding (93 filly/mare) would carry 53kgs, so all horses are assessed as having competed off 89/93.

Jay Bee Gee (pre-race 81, 8 points out of the handicap) needed to move to 90 before there is any weight change with runners 1-6, ie. He would now be 53.5kg versus Belardo Boy 60kg.

Similarly, Freeze Frame (pre-race 86), a minuscule margin back in 2^nd, also moved to 90.

The race was a great spectacle, with 2.7L covering the first 7 placings.

Kerikeri Cup

Meanwhile, at New Zealand’s most northern racetrack we saw the return of last season’s star 3yo Crocetti in the Alibaba’s Flying Carpets Kerikeri Cup.

Crocetti’s lofty rating (101) saw the remainder of the field “out of the handicap”. However, it is worth noting that maximum re-ratings for non-black type races are 10 points for a win and 5 points for a placing. There is also a motivation/direction for handicappers to not unduly punish those competing in these small fields – discouraging future participation, and especially if the handicappers conclude high raters may not have run to their rating. We also have a limited population of high-rating horses.

Crocetti was given 1 point for winning – 0.5kg.

Master Fay, 9 points out of handicaps, was assigned the 5 point re-rating.

Illicit Dreams, a margin away in 3^rd, was kept on rating 75. As a guide, we generally won’t move a horse out of its grade for a distant placing in a small field.

Hopefully some of above has been informative and helpful. The handicapping team welcomes any queries, questions and feedback and wishes all participants the very best of luck for the 2024/25 season.

With regards

Bruce Sherwin

Interim Senior Handicapper