Hi Guys,

I'm giving my ratings a final overhaul/adjustment given a number of old and current threads i've read recently along with a bunch of stats I recorded last year and stats recorded on the R&S website. I believe i'm across most area's pretty well and don't forsee any problems besides determining a 'Class' variable. The seems to be no uniform conclusion on what determines the 'Class' of a horse.

Some have suggested career prizemoney (API), some have suggested prizemoney within the last 12 months, others suggest utilising times and splits to come to a conclusion, and there are a number of other methods as well.

I'm looking for a reasonably simplified approach that can be automated quite easily through excel using imported form to calculate a class variable for each horse. All thoughts, idea's, suggestions are welcome and will be greatly appreciated as its the one aspect of my ratings that I haven't really pinned down yet.

I'll offer up my thoughts, is that it needs to be some kind of equation that deals in the average prizemoney won in the last 12 months potentially adjusted for the starting odds of the horse in that race. i.e. i'd suggest a horse that wins a $30,000 race at 3/1 probably has more class then a horse that wins a $30,000 race at 40/1 particularly if it has placed poorly on all other occasions.

I'm not exactly sure what other ways can utilized easily from a form guide to gauge the 'class' of a horse besides prizemoney.

Thoughts?

You could consider the handicapper ratings on the risa site that are used for handicapping.

Mind you I think API rank is pretty good provided you allow for outriders. API rank is a balance between class of races a horse ran in and its consistency and therefore a reasonable overall class indicator.

Thanks gunny, I think some use of prizemoney or API is probably the best way to go about it, just looking for the thoughts of others. I thought a few more people may have jumped in with their ideas or maybe they are keeping their cards close to their chest.

The more I think about it the more I'm leaning towards something that revolves around prizemoney won in the last 12 or 18 months and adjusting it for possibly lengths of victory (or loss), starting odds, size of field etc etc.

Will see what I come up with unless I can some additional input.

Cheers

Hi evajb001,

One way I evaluate class is by looking at horses who can sit on the speed, then sprint of a reasonable pace, or make multiple runs in a race.

An example from the weekend was Perfectly Stunning, who was baulked for a short period up the straight, then exploded once clear running the fastest last 200m.

In midweek handicap races, I look for the best weighted or most progressive horse in the race.

Not sure how it'll help your ratings but these are simply a few of my thoughts on the topic.

__________________
The Schmile

"I buy when other people are selling.”
― J. Paul Getty

Thanks TS, not sure how to quantify that into variables using the form but thanks for the thoughts, will take it into consideration.

Would you believe Eva that back in 1994 there was a TAFE course here in Canberra that I attended called Horse Race Betting and Selecting. The lecturer was Warren Block, a compatriot of the famous Don Scott. I've still got the original class notes. On the subject of class Warren placed a value of 40kg on a Maiden handicap, increasing the kg rating through all the provincial restricted races right through to Metropolitan OPEN races with a 66kg value. That constituted a massive 15 lengths in improvement. So it would be easy enough to divide that graduation through the ranks up and assign a value. I could email a copy if you wish.
Cheers
RP