any one help me out guys

[dances]

need to understand how to work out the handicap of a horse guys like what is a handicap mark how is it rated etc. also i have been listening to sports live radio they give out a lot of good info during races but they seem to talk a lot about horses likeing cut in ground and wont go on this ground cause he is out of such an such a mare any one explain the type of horses there is an why the ground suits some types etc. thanks people.

[Merlin]

You need to do a lot of reading mate....then come back if there is anthing which you dont understand.......

Google is good for this kind of thing.....

But you can make a start here.....

http://www.britishhorseracing.com/inside_horseracing/

[wb]

Merlins link should tell you what you need.

The ground is fairly hard to work out,(I still have not got the hang of it) and comes from experience and race watching.

here is C4's explaination of the handicap:

Handicap - Probably the single most confusing issue for newcomers to racing. After it has raced a few times and been adequately assessed (there are different methods in different circumstances) a horse is awarded a handicap mark that allows it to be compared to all other horses under that code (horses can have different handicap marks for turf, all-weather, chase and hurdles races). A horse's handicap figure is then adjusted by the official handicappers judged on its subsequent racing performances.

The mark a horse receives relates to the weight in carries in handicap races. So when a horse runs in a handicap, this figure will come into operation. If a colt is allotted a mark of 83 (130 is the mark of a top-class horse on the flat, over jumps it is nearer 180) and he wins a race, the handicapper may give him a 3lb rise meaning next time he runs his mark is 86 and so on. Remember this is a theoretical mark and does not relate to the physical weight a horse carries. The actual weight a horse carries is defined by the horses he races against.



and here is their handy guide to racing terms

http://www.channel4.com/sport/micros...ossary_ab.html

Hope this helps mate

[Win2Win]

You can tell by the horses leg action what ground it likes. If they bend, then yes it can run

[Profit Seeker]

But the problem is knowing what the ground is before it runs, as published goings are usually inaccurate.

[Win2Win]

But the problem is knowing what the ground is before it runs, as published goings are usually inaccurate.

No they are not, just ask the clerk of the course, 90% of ground in the UK is always Good .....even during the floods....

[dances]

thanks guys very helpful again. ive a lot of work ahead of me . i realy enjoy the art of backing horses though.