Just to add my two cents on Marilyn's question about senior jockeys being replaced with a claiming apprentice.

I personally am not so quick to dismiss, but you should always ask why? If it is because the horse has risen in weight steeply and the apprentice hasn't ridden the horse before, then maybe alarm bells ring.

On the other hand, some apprentices can quite capably boot home winners. I think Rodd here in Qld outrode his claim in a year.

Just on a tangent, I don't really care if a jockey rides over either. At least it's all in the stirrups, rather than the bag. It's an old quote, give me a break Privateer :wink:

Thanks for all that,
Now so i can try to understand the weight thing a bit better.
I have discussed this with a punter and i don't think this person understands the concept all that well either.
Sunline i believe at her? last three starts
carried 60kg 58kg and 55.5kg.
Could someone PLEASE explain why a horse that good goes down in weights.

gday
sunline always carries 55.5 kg in WFA age races as that is the weight for a mare, when she carried 60 kgs a nd 58 kgs these races were handicap races, all the horses were handicapped on different weights, and if i recall she was either equal topweight or topweight in those 2 races
cheers

You're right Marilyn.

April 6 - 55.5kg All Aged
March 30 - 58kg Doncaster
March 9 - 60 kg Coolmore classic

The All Aged was what we call a weight for age (WFA) race, and the weights are designated by age, sex and the race distance.

The other two races were handicaps, where basically the race handicapper has discretion and the best performed horse(s) are given the biggest weights.

There is a system of penalties that can apply to winners/placegetters in some races also.

The idea, as mentioned eslewhere on this forum is for the hadicapper to so weight the horses so that dead heat results. It's never happened, but the Newmarket this year was a good effort (I have a photo to prove it!)

What an outstanding mare you offered as an example! Sunline! Sunline! Sunline! Probably one of the few horses I have ever backed for a win.

Brumby,
I'm not much of a weights man to be honest. I believe that a fit, fresh horse in a suitable race is a far better betting proposition than a well weighted horse in an ordinary race scenario.
It is quite common to see a horse come out of a high quality race and fail in ordinary company. The weights often don't play a part in my book; moreso the horse is flat from an over exertion against high quality opposition.
Prosecution at yesterday a perfect example. Ran a bottler at Group Two behind Arlington Road then ran second last in a hackers race at Warrnambool. The big run took it out of him.
Conversely, the drop in class can result in an easy victory despite huge weights. It's up to the punter to analyse each horse on its merits.
Strong, fit, keen 500kg beasts will not be concerned about the difference between 55 kgs and 57kgs. Rather than carrying 11% of its own bodyweight its carrying 11.4%. It's like a supremely fit human being asked to carry 320 grams extra .. negligable.

Thanks for all the info to date, are there any other classes or specific races where the girls are treated differently to the boys

I took note of what was said here, and decided that hot fav Simatron in Northam race 8 would probably not win again, going up 2.5 kilos and 150 meters extra... short rest as well.

I was right he did not place, and I scored with a "wide" trifecta!

I am not sure if it was the measley 2.5 kg, the measley 150 meters extra or the flimsy exscuse of a short 10 days rest.. but I am filing it under "possitive experience"!

As far as I can determine there is no "sex discrimination"!

The "girls" and "boys" sometimes have their own races though! Just look for the race classification eg FM fillies and mares, or HG horses and geldings...

Hi Marilyn
I missed Placegetters post lower down! The "Rulz" says:
"Fillies and Mares allowed 2.5kg from 1 August - 31 July"

So it does seem the "girls" get a little regard for PMS! LOL!

Sunline must be a real piece of work.