Purpleheart,

Barrier rule is a handicapping disadvantage as you would be ruling out half your winners that often pay more than those from inside barriers as punters avoid them and the price usually firms. Statistically, inside barriers win no more races than outside barriers. It has been argued and proved statistically many time in this and other forums.

60kg. in sprint races may be fine if the horse has won with that sort of weight before. Beyond 1150m. [ the grandstand gets heavier the further you go ], weight becomes a major handicapping issue on a horse by horse basis. We have fast big horses and fast small horses and their ability to carry weight varies accordingly.

Generally speaking, when a horse makes it to 60kg. it's winning form this prep. is usually over, especially beyond 1200m. A 3kg. claiming jockey would raises other issues.

You could use a price rule or 'must be either 1st. 2nd. or 3rd. favorite' rule instead of the weight rule as that would show [ from punter handicapping ] if the horse is up to the distance with it's alloted weight or not. I have seen plenty of topweights that would meet your rules that are ofen into double figure odds and run accordingly.


Cheers.


[ This Message was edited by: crash on 2004-01-09 07:52 ]