How weight affects horses is one of the important points for successful handicapping and not something that can be adequately answered in a few paragraphs.

As a very rough guide, and I stress very rough, 1.5 kg. = one length.

Horses are individuals. Some horses struggle to carry 56kg. Others find that easy. For some horses a weight rise from 50kg. to 56kg. will have little affect. Others win a similar race and that weight rise puts an end to them.

If a horse has already peaked and is on the way down in form a small weight rise could have catastrophic affects.

Weight changes also cannot be looked at on their own. They link in with other factors such as barriers, jockeys etc.

However, ultimately there are no hard and fast rules. Though systems incorporate various rules.

If in doubt, be wary with horses rising substantially in the weights, particularly at the higher end of the weight scale.

Also be very wary of horses at short odds asked to carry heavy weights because they "have the class".

[ This Message was edited by: Neil on 2002-08-20 14:31 ]