Discussion Paper : Revamping and Revitalising Race Programming in NSW

BACKGROUND

Racing in NSW is conducted on six circuits:

Saturday Metropolitan ($42k to winner)

Midweek Metropolitan ($17.5k to winner)

Provincial (($10.4k to winner)

Country TAB ($6.3k to winner)

Country non-tab ($2.8k to winner)

Picnic ($1.5k to winner)

Racing on the above circuits is currently characterised by a proliferation of maiden and low-grade restricted events, and a dearth of races open to all comers. We have myriad restrictions (class, age and sex) which, when combined with the varied distances required, conspire to severely limit the quantity and depth of the horse pool available for each type of race.

PROPOSAL

Simplify the class structure and widen the available horse pool by programming three kinds of races, with rating caps removed and handicapping based on the limit weight:

1. Races restricted to those that are yet to win at a particular circuit or better. Such races would replace all other restricted races including maidens and may be viewed as qualifying races for a circuit.
2. Open Class (B grade), open to all, conducted under a weight scale that gives opportunity to those emerging from the restricted grade
3. Open Class (A grade), open to all

The template would be roughly as follows:

Circuit	Restricted	Open(B grade)	Open(A grade)
Saturday Metropolitan ($42k to winner)	0 win > $32k to winner Limit=rating 70	Limit=rating 80	Limit=rating 85
Midweek Metropolitan ($17.5k to winner)	0 win > $16k to winner Limit=rating 60	Limit=rating 70	Limit=rating 75
Provincial (($10.4k to winner)	0 win > $8k to winner Limit=rating 50	Limit=rating 60	Limit=rating 65
Country TAB ($6.3k to winner)	0 win > $4k to winner Limit=rating 40	Limit=rating 50	Limit=rating 55
Country non-tab ($2.8k to winner)	0 win > $2k to winner Limit=rating 30	Limit=rating 40	Limit=rating 45
Picnic ($1.5k to winner)	0 win > $1k to winner Limit=rating 20	Limit=rating 30	Limit=rating 35

RATIONALE

1. The immutable restriction on any race is its distance. Any horse pool requires races programmed over a variety of distances to maximise competitiveness, therefore other restrictions (class, age and sex) need be kept to a minimum. In any event, the handicap is the appropriate mechanism to cater for such considerations.
2. The best indicator of the class of any race is the circuit on which it is conducted. A rise or fall in class is greater between circuits than within a particular circuit.
3. I fail to see any good reason for races restricted to maidens. Such events lack depth and discourage betting turnover. Trainers are well able to assess the circuit suitable for their maiden charge, and such horses should be expected to compete against winners from inferior circuits

COMPARATIVE TABLE (proposed in red)

race rating	Metro(sat)		Metro(mw)		Prov		Ctry(tab)		Ctry(nontab)		Old classes
=limit weight
90	o										open
85	2MW	o+	o								trial
80	c6	o-	2MW								encourage
75	c4/1MW		c6	o+	o						transition
70	c2	NW($32)	c4/1MW	o-	c6		o				novice
65	NMW		c2		c4	o+	c6		o		approved
60	m		NMW	NW($16)	c2	o-	c4		c6		advanced
55			m				c2	o+	c4		intermediate
50					m	NW($8)		o-	c2		progressive
45							m			o+	improvers
40								NW($4)	m	o-	maiden
35
30										NW($2)
25
20

NOTES

1. the proposed system contains 12 classes for all TAB meetings, 8 of which are open to all.

2. the binary nature of the proposal (non-qualifiers v qualifiers on a given circuit) renders eligibility easy to determine

3. any horse that fails to maintain competitiveness on a particular circuit can simply drop back to an easier circuit.

4. there is no ratings cap on any race, the only restriction applies to the NW races, i.e. winners on that circuit or above are ineligible

5. the table above highlights the acknowledged fact that country horses’ current ratings are at least 10pts (5kg) out of alignment with their metropolitan colleagues

6. 2-year-olds may be catered for by a similar schema of NW & Open(b grade) with race ratings 10pts below the above table and the possibility of assigning their wins to the circuit below.

SUMMARY

The above proposal seeks to simplify the current class structure by reducing restricted grade to those horses yet to prove themselves at a particular level and widening opportunities for graduates. The proposal eliminates the need for maiden races and introduces a simple restricted race at any given level for horses seeking to qualify at that level, at the same time keeping a large number of races across all circuits open to all, with the handicap used to cater for age and sex differences.

EXAMPLE

The win progression of a metropolitan-trained horse may look like the following:

1. Provincial NW($8) = current provincial maiden

2. Provincial Open(b grade) = current provincial class 2/RB71

3. Metro Midweek NW($16) = current 0MW/RB71

4. Metro Midweek Open(b grade) = current 1MW/metro class 4/RB81

5. Metro Saturday NW($24) = current RB81

6. Metro Saturday Open(b grade) = current metro class 6/RB91

7. Metro Saturday Open(a grade) = current 2MW/welter

Marc Lambourne

0412 411 324

marc65@optusnet.com.au

February 2009