The National Horseracing Authority of South Africa have advised that following discussions with various parties it has been agreed that the Handicapping Guidelines should be amended as set out in the table below:
Amendments to the Handicapping Guidelines
- The rating of a 2 year old after winning a maiden race be capped at a maximum rating of a nett MR74 from 1 April to 31 July.
- A 3 y.o. maiden winner cannot have a MR of less than a nett 64 provided that the maiden win takes place within the first 8 starts. Where a 3 y.o. takes longer than this to win its first race, the Handicappers should use their discretion.
- Currently, a 3 y.o. maiden winner cannot have a nett rating of more than a nett 78 in a major centre, nett 73 in Port Elizabeth, nett 60 in Kimberley and nett 58 in Zimbabwe. The discretion to vary this in exceptional circumstances no longer applies.
- Currently, a 4 y.o. and older maiden winner must be capped at a nett MR of 70 in a major centre, 65 in PE, 60 in Kimberley and 58 in Zimbabwe. The discretion to vary this in exceptional circumstances no longer applies.
- The winner of a handicap Listed race is capped at an 8 point penalty (excluding under sufferance and overweight).
- The second placed horse in a minor Handicap and Listed race cannot receive more than a 4 point penalty. (excluding under sufferance and overweight).
- The line horse should be no further back than 3rd place in all minor Handicap and Listed races.
- The Line-horse shall be no further back than the 4th placed horse in all Grade 2 and Grade 3 races.
- The winner and placed horses in a Grade 2 or Grade 3 race is capped at a 10 point penalty for the winner, 5 points for 2nd place and 3 points for 3rd place.
- The line-horse shall be no further back than 5th place in all Grade 1 events.
- Where a horse (especially an older horse) runs out of sync to its normal profile, the Handicappers should rather err on the side of caution and impose half the normal penalty and let the said horse prove the higher rating at its subsequent start.
- In all Grade 1 Handicap races, the top weight allocated shall not be more than 60kgs with an 8 kg spread from top to bottom at final acceptance.
In Grade 2 Handicap events the top weight shall not be allocated more than 62kgs, Grade 3 Handicap events 64kgs and Listed Handicap Races 66kgs. In all Graded and Listed races the bottom weight shall be 52kgs at final acceptance.
The following general principle will be followed:
Horses not having made the anticipated WFA improvement must be brought back to 50% of its previous highest nett rating within 2 runs.
Horses not having made the anticipated WFA improvements must be brought back to its highest achieved nett rating within 3 runs.
The Handicappers could reduce the merit rating a little more slowly where good cause is shown.
