Fulcher's advise
Horse Racing Form - Handicaps V Non-Handicaps
Its important to understand the difference between a Handicap and a Non-Handicap - also called a conditions race. In a Handicap, the weights each horse is set to carry, are adjusted by the Official Handicapper, so as to give each horse an equal chance of winning a race. This means that the weights will ref
lect the relative form of each horse. As a horse improves - so its weight allocation will increase. Thats the theory at least!! In practice any good trainer will try and hide the true form of a horse and therefore get the most adventageous weight. In a Non-Handicap or Conditions Race, as they are also called, the weight is not adjusted for the form of a horse but rather 'conditions', in terms of weights, are set for the horses entered for the race. There are also other conditions e.g. a Maiden is for horses that have not yet won a race - in this case there is little difference in the weights. The important thing in a conditions race is that because weight carried does not necessarily reflect form a good horse may have drifted down the weights and bad horse may have risen up the weights!! By far the most important rule I would apply to racing is NEVER BACK IN A HANDICAP!! BUT ALWAYS back horses in conditions races which have form in a handicap. If you take previous top rated horses in Handicaps and back them ONLY WHEN:
They are running in CONDITIONS RACES
They are dropping significantly in prize money
They are dropping in class of race
They are dropping in class of course
These horses have an outstanding chance of winning and rarely fail to land the spoils!!
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