Fake Handicapping System

JayJay · November 2022

It is now four years since the HWOE based system was introduced. Amongst great angst (changes is always confronting), there was great promise of reform and progress in providing exciting, high turnover, like against like competitive racing with far fewer short priced favorites, I think you would have been hard pressed to find anyone opposed to the suggestion that the old M/C/R system with its proliferation of penalty free races had done it's time and that change was needed. HWOE was the solution we were told (although I don't think anyone foresaw the progression to the $L5 Conditioned racing that is fundamentally what we have today).

The much celebrated story of previous year's Derby winners rocking up, and beating up, a field of very moderate open aged maiden horses in a CO at Pinjarra or wherever perhaps more than anything crystalised everyone's view that the magical realignment of a successful juveniles handicap, to that of a battle weary outer country maiden 1 second after midnight on August 30 of each year, was unacceptable. Many 3 year olds, and their owners, got a huge free kick with the realignment to classification C0 the second they turned 4, effectively handing them retrospective penalty free racing as a 2 and 3 year old that had our counterparts in the thoroughbred world rolling on the floor in laughter every time anyone from harness even mentioned the word "handicapping". Successful owners and breeders of quality juveniles were in "handicap clover', a position that 4 years later with HWOE handicapping has changed very little, and may in fact have been enhanced.

With mounting complaints from some that horses were moving through their levels too quickly (and hastening their departure to North America), and we are talking about successful, talented, winning horses here, not loyal old country scrubbers, win penalties have been adjusted so that instead of incurring your full winning stake against your HWOE (Harness WIN only earnings), there is now only a part penalty to pay. There was always a concessions applicable for 2 year olds (25% win penalty) and 3 year olds (75% win penalty) from the get go but the recent changes have handed out even bigger free kicks left right and centre. The applicable penalties across all stakes levels for 3 year olds (incorporating the 75% discount) are now as such:

Community/Country/Mid Week races

$6000 stake race Win Stake $3167 , HWOE penalty $2249.25. Penalty percentage is 71%

$9,000 stake race Win stake $4993 , HWOE penalty $3375 Penalty Percentage 67.5%

Metro Races:

$20250 stake race Win Stake $11,745 , HWOE penalty $6750 Penalty Percentage 57%

$50,000 stake race Win Stake $29,000 HWOE Penalty $10,125 Penalty Percentage 35%

$100000 stake race Win Stake $58,000 HWOE Penalty $10125 Penalty Percentage 17.5%

$150,000 stake race Win Stake $87,000 HWOE Penalty $13,500 Penalty Percentage 15.5%

$200,000 stake race Win Stake $116,000 HWOE Penalty $13,500 penalty Percentage 11.6%

So, the higher the quality of your horse, the better the concessions with battling horses and their owners copping win penalties at Busselton or Collie that are, for assessment purposes, seven times higher than the Derby winner. Hugely encouraging for the big end of town but devastating for most horses and owners. Just how absurd has this system become that a horse that has won potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars emerges as a 4 year old with an artificially low HWOE. Great work if you can get it, and a benefit that I don't foresee the current beneficiaries giving up without exercising every bit of influence they can muster. It would take another 3 posts to divulge the nonsense going on in the $L5 races where plodders at all levels keep getting dive bombed by quality horses (granted out of form) such that good types with $350k in life time earnings can over time drop back into a $L5 $4k race and beat up $20k life time plodders at Narrogin, and in many cases, have the chance of drawing gate 1 in a RBD.. So much for "like against like" competitive racing. Michael Radley and friends can rave on all they like about Gloucester Park and it's brand being "turnover central" in WA but the reality is that it is turnover central for five eights of bugger all as harness turnover shrinks into oblivion as a percentage of overall betting. The decline in the last 10 years is far more than alarming, it is way beyond that, and the snorefest leader biased racing at this out out of date, undersized metro track is a major contributing factor.

And the solution doing the rounds this week, unconfirmed of course but it has been on the grapevine for a while now, is that there is a proposition floating around the Halls Of Power to further "rationalise" Harness Racing by reducing racing to just 5 tracks.....with the outer clubs (Busso, Collie, Williams etc) being granted a single boutique meeting each season. Racing only at GP, Pinjarra, Bunbury, Northam and one of Narrogin, Wagin and Albany will please some but others will signify the move as time to call in the Harness racing undertakers. "RWAA...Growing The Industry". Bah humbug.

getthechange · December 2022

https://www.rwwa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/NEW-LIMITS-ON-WIN-EARNINGS-UPDATED-22-FEBRUARY-2022.pdf

the link is what I believe jay jay is referring to

Personally I think 3yos shouldnt receive free kicks a position i have taken for over 30 years in a number of handicapping submissions but they continually become a stumbling block - another contributor tried at HRA level for many years without success to get the non penalty 3yo races removed.-=' he may comment

So when the HWOEsystem was put together they were built in so that horses went up after each win and not back to C0 as happened under MCR

the change to limits that jay jay mentions dont apply just to 3yos like he mentions it is applied to 4yo+ horses as well to slow down their movement as well

eg awaitinginstructions last three wins since this was introduced has had winning stakes of

$11745 $12241 $8519 (total $32505) and has taken HWOE penalties of

$9000 $9000 $6750 (total $24750) and if he had been a 3yo he would have had

$6750 $6750 $5062 (total $18,562)

3yo figure of $18562 is 75% of the 4yo+ figure of $24750

awaitinginstructions has $7755 less than he would have if he took the 1st stakemoney penalty

jay jay appears to be endorsing that the winner of the 4yo classic should take a penalty of $72,500 instead of the capped figure of $13,500

JayJay · December 2022

What JayJay is endorsing is that a penalty of $13,500 on a winning stake of $72,500 is as far away from handicapping as you can possibly get....well, almost, you could make it penalty free.

And furthermore, the percentage penalty as outlined above (3 year olds was the chosen class but it applies across the board) is so biased towards the "more able, more likely to win a bunch of races horses" and so heavily skewered against the lower ability less able horses as to define the system as "fake handicapping".

To disappointingly quote figures for my horse by inserting calculations as if he were a 3 year old (which he patently isn't) is both disingenuous and unworthy. Yes, like every other horse in the system that has won a race since the reduced penalties were implemented, he has been advantaged but I never denied that or resiled from the fact that his advantage comes at the expense of the less able horses and their owners. I chose 3 year olds as an example (knowing that you and others previously fought against "free kicks" but got blown out of the water by certain all powerful interests) because of the abiding concern that M/C/R saw them return as C0 classification after highly successful juvenile careers, a clearly untenable position. A slight step forward has far from righted an extremely unfair situation.

As it currently stands, the winner of the 4 year old classic takes a HWOE penalty ($13,500) that is the equivalent of 3 country or midweek $9,000 races . How can that possibly be interpreted as as being a fair outcome for someone belting around Northam or Narrogin week in week out trying to lob a few wins ?

Markovina · December 2022

Jay Jay has put a bit of effort in - so it is worth a reply on my behalf - because this forum - most of the members must have terrible arthritis in their typing finger - because they contribute fuecken nothing

Just quickly on the track closures - as ive mentioned in NSW they have got a great Country Cup circuit - so even far flung places get 2 TAB Meetings a year - heats of a cup and derby and then the finals the folowing week with excellent prizemoney

Thats not the situation in WA - you are not afforded that luxury - thus Kal is shut - and i reckon they rolled over meekly - so thats their problem . So the other clubs - where the gun is held to the head - it is up to the participants/enthusiasts in that area to keep your track open - go to your local council - go to the Sports minister - go to whoever - fight like hell and you might keep your track open

The handicapping system is a dogs breakfast everywhere - Ben Yole has set up a satelite stable at Kilmore - and he has sent absolute scrubbers from Tassie - who were on their mark - couldnt get out of their way -aged horses - even a 12 yr old and hes knocking up winning low class races in country Vic with them - the motto their and today - owners have to be nimble flexible and opportunistic

Im from the old school - and i did study micro and macro economics - and i know all about the multiplier affect

Thus if someone puts their hand in their pocket and buys a yearling - say 30k - well the breeder gets money - someone has to break it in - they get money -there is a chain reaction thus you want to encourage that system - and encourage people to buy yearlings

And guess what - if they get a good one - they can win as many 2year old races and 3 year old races as you like -like Nikalong Shadow in nsw - won 10 two yr old races and 10 - three year old races- good luck to them - they put their hand in their pocket - and everyone knows buying yearlings is a very dicey proposition - so if they get a good one - good luck to them - and let them profit

And guess what - when it turns 4 - it does go back into maidens - i can remember them like the alphabet - 2.28 was Beginners 2.27 was Improvers 2.26 was Progressive 2.24 was Advanced 2.22 Transition

Everyone knew how that system worked - and it encouraged people to buy yearlings

Over East - NSW - 2 year olds who might only had 2-3 starts are annihilating open age horses - i dont like that -2yr olds should race against 2 yr olds - like they use to - have a Sires sysystem with good prizemoney - a further encouragement to buy yearlings - ditto 3 yr olds - and you can win as many as you like as a 2 year old or a 3 year old

Ivorytrunkey86 · December 2022

I can assure you marko Kalgoorlie did not roll over,the mayor of the town was involved with all meetings that rwwa officials held in town and they were told and shown figures s of local businesses and mining companies ready to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars,it seems you like to sling mud around without doing any research or having any facts or figures,rwwa were just hell Bentley on closing the track down no matter what was put forward.some people may not contribute a lot but that’s better than just making up crap.rockets assessment of your posts may be correct.

JayJay · December 2022

So Marko, you are advocating that its okay for Nikalong to win 20 races as a 2 and 3 year old....and then the second it turns 4, it can start in a maiden? 20 completely penalty free wins?? Starts in a maiden against genuine scrubbers? That is not handicapping, it is hand outs.

Seriously, that was what was so wrong with the old M/C/R system and HWOE was supposed to be a fix but it isn't, as illustrated above. Owners of high quality juveniles already have a performance advantage and you are advocating a walk up start for them with penalty free 2 and 3 year old racing? Honestly, I surrender.

Markovina · December 2022

Yeah - but Jay Jay - the point your overlooking

Parkes in NSW on a Friday night - we have a race for maidens - and guess what - a 2 yr old with say 2 starts - maybe a couple of them - they will run 1st and 2nd and beat the rest of the field by 20 metres

Thats what i suggest should be banned

Markovina · December 2022

Ivorytrunkey86 said:
I can assure you marko Kalgoorlie did not roll over,the mayor of the town was involved with all meetings that rwwa officials held in town and they were told and shown figures s of local businesses and mining companies ready to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars,it seems you like to sling mud around without doing any research or having any facts or figures,rwwa were just hell Bentley on closing the track down no matter what was put forward.some people may not contribute a lot but that’s better than just making up crap.rockets assessment of your posts may be correct.

Im not slinging any mud around - but surely Kal with their rich history = Mount Eden and all the rest of it - should have got a TAB Cup meeting - Broken Hill and Griffith get 2 TAB meetings per year

Like they say - there are 3 sides to every story - yours - theirs and the truth

And maybe the Kal Trots Club and or the council - when Aldo took a team based up their ( simply to earn some money ) Rocket did the same thing - and a few others - so maybe they should have offered or given incentives - free rent or whatever - and if they kept big teams their - guess what you might still have racing their

Gilgamesh · December 2022

Markovina said:

Ivorytrunkey86 said:
I can assure you marko Kalgoorlie did not roll over,the mayor of the town was involved with all meetings that rwwa officials held in town and they were told and shown figures s of local businesses and mining companies ready to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars,it seems you like to sling mud around without doing any research or having any facts or figures,rwwa were just hell Bentley on closing the track down no matter what was put forward.some people may not contribute a lot but that’s better than just making up crap.rockets assessment of your posts may be correct.
Im not slinging any mud around - but surely Kal with their rich history = Mount Eden and all the rest of it - should have got a TAB Cup meeting - Broken Hill and Griffith get 2 TAB meetings per year

Like they say - there are 3 sides to every story - yours - theirs and the truth

And maybe the Kal Trots Club and or the council - when Aldo took a team based up their ( simply to earn some money ) Rocket did the same thing - and a few others - so maybe they should have offered or given incentives - free rent or whatever - and if they kept big teams their - guess what you might still have racing their

Other than the conversations that you have in your own head how do you know that none of what you suggested and a whole lot more wasn't done to try and get keep the club going???

JayJay · December 2022

Markovina said:
Yeah - but Jay Jay - the point your overlooking

Parkes in NSW on a Friday night - we have a race for maidens - and guess what - a 2 yr old with say 2 starts - maybe a couple of them - they will run 1st and 2nd and beat the rest of the field by 20 metres

Thats what i suggest should be banned

Overlooking the point that maidens can start against maidens without producing their birth certificates???? Umm....Yes. I am battling to see what is wrong with that. By definition, none of them have won a race and if the 2 year old or 3 year old or 10 year old for that matter happens to win, it ain't a maiden anymore and can't start in the maiden next week. I am searching for the flaw in logic here, unsuccessfully I might add. Bizarre.

Rocket_Reign · December 2022

The problem with what you’re arguing against JayJay is that if you cop the whole $ penalty for winning a feature race they’re just not worth winning and almost career ending, running second in those big races when you were taking the full $ for winning was the best thing possible.
Having the $ added at a discounted rate adds some incentive to winning those races

JayJay · December 2022

Just where have i advocated applying the full $ penalty? No where is the answer to that. But just an 11.6% penalty in a $200k race is for mine "anti" handicapping. Somewhere in the middle would surely be fairer especially when the battler is copping a 71% hit.

Another consideration may be to widen the bands or levels. Are they too narrow and if the L15 grouping far too low. Good quality horses (not star quality) reach L15 pretty quickly if they jag some nice draws on the way through and then hit a brick wall running against the very seasoned top FFA horses......and they disappear out of the system courtesy of IRT Airways.

Gilgamesh · December 2022

Rocket_Reign said:
The problem with what you’re arguing against JayJay is that if you cop the whole $ penalty for winning a feature race they’re just not worth winning and almost career ending, running second in those big races when you were taking the full $ for winning was the best thing possible.
Having the $ added at a discounted rate adds some incentive to winning those races

I think there needs to be more heat/final races where the HWOE is heavily discounted, have a nights of thunder type event every 6 weeks or so.

JayJay · December 2022

Would that not be simply adding more "penalty free" races to the mix, providing further advantage for the better horses? I reiterate the point that penalty free races are the direct opposite to handicapping. Can you imagine this happening at the gallops, free hits, no extra weight for the good horses who just keep winning? I couldn't ever support that.

Heats and finals, well, I have been harping on about their reintroduction for years. We had such a great product in the past surrounding the bigger races with heats, points and finals building public interest and betting. However we dropped that extremely successful formula due to the conventional wisdom being circulated that people don't try to win heats, they just try to qualify or that Mr Empty Pockets's star horse gets interfered with and misses the final. Battler Bill's horse copping interference however, was not an issue, apparently his money is of a different colour. It's racing, it's competitive, there should be no entitlement, earn your spot in the final and ride the luck. Bringing back heats and or at least preludes is a no brainer and might go some way to solving the "why did he get a start and I didn't" arguments that inevitably surface surrounding field selection.

Having said that, if you want to kill your horse, start them in the Nights of Thunder, a peculiar concoction that has heat winners and placed horses missing out on a final based on fastest times alone. In risking giving your horse a lung buster to qualify, you can potentially lose your horse forever (personal experience).

Rocket_Reign · December 2022

I’ve been in the situation where I haven’t wanted to win a heat before can’t remember the horse but he was on 36k hwoe and if he won his country stakes heat he would of gone over the 40k level and cost himself a metro win

Gilgamesh · December 2022

JayJay said:
Would that not be simply adding more "penalty free" races to the mix, providing further advantage for the better horses? I reiterate the point that penalty free races are the direct opposite to handicapping. Can you imagine this happening at the gallops, free hits, no extra weight for the good horses who just keep winning? I couldn't ever support that.

Heats and finals, well, I have been harping on about their reintroduction for years. We had such a great product in the past surrounding the bigger races with heats, points and finals building public interest and betting. However we dropped that extremely successful formula due to the conventional wisdom being circulated that people don't try to win heats, they just try to qualify or that Mr Empty Pockets's star horse gets interfered with and misses the final. Battler Bill's horse copping interference however, was not an issue, apparently his money is of a different colour. It's racing, it's competitive, there should be no entitlement, earn your spot in the final and ride the luck. Bringing back heats and or at least preludes is a no brainer and might go some way to solving the "why did he get a start and I didn't" arguments that inevitably surface surrounding field selection.

Having said that, if you want to kill your horse, start them in the Nights of Thunder, a peculiar concoction that has heat winners and placed horses missing out on a final based on fastest times alone. In risking giving your horse a lung buster to qualify, you can potentially lose your horse forever (personal experience).

My theory behind it is you draw the better horses to those races so the other horses should be able to find weaker races during that time.

Chariotsonfire · December 2022

I am reluctant to enter the handicapping debate and must admit that I have made no attempt to study or understand the current system.

As getthechange suggested I tried extremely hard to have penalty free races for three year olds removed from the national system from around 2005 to 2010. At the time Harness racing Victoria was being influenced by a very strong breeding and sales lobby who had an agenda to protect their breeders and sales companies. At the time the debate became very heated particularly at a meeting at the Gold Coast during Mr Feelgood's Inter Dominion.

I always thought it was in the best interest of the industry to have a workable national system to allow the free flow of horses between states. There were hundreds of examples where penalty free races advantaged a minority at the expense of the majority.

All that aside WA was progressing nicely with increased stake money and turnover from RWWA's inception. The switch was turned off when the then Harness Racing Manager overuled the Handicapper and introduced a plethora of random barrier draw races into the system. Within a very short period odds on favourites went through the roof and turnover started to decline.

It must be said the turnover figures were clouded somewhat during this period by the influx of new corporate bookmakers and the explosion of fixed odds betting.

My final comment on the issue (and I am yesterday's man) is that preferential barrier draws iare the only available tool to rectify the current dog's breakfast.

getthechange · December 2022

Rocket_Reign said:
The problem with what you’re arguing against JayJay is that if you cop the whole $ penalty for winning a feature race they’re just not worth winning and almost career ending, running second in those big races when you were taking the full $ for winning was the best thing possible.
Having the $ added at a discounted rate adds some incentive to winning those races

spot on Rocket - that is why the races have caps on them so that it is worth winning a higher stake race whether that be a pacing cup or a country cup or a Warwick - Schrader feature or a country feature

MCR races had caps on them as well

winners of an M0 used to take a M penalty (lowest M penalty stake race)

winners of the pacing cup also took an M penalty (same as M0)

winner of the interdominion also took an M penalty (same as M0)

winner of the derby usually took an age penalty or a C penalty

winner of $200k open age race used to take an M penalty (same as M0)

metro bands are $15,000 ie $40k - $55k - $70k - $85k - $100k

winner of $200k open age race now takes $18,000 max penalty

if a 3yo $13500 max penalty

JayJay · December 2022

You have illustrated exactly what was wrong with the old system......an M Penalty for winning anything from a "qualifying stakes" through to a Pacing Cup ($450k race), a 3 year getting either an age penalty or woe betide a C penalty for winning a $200k derby. How ridiculous was that? Very in my view and outrageously biased towards the highly capable horse and supposedly to be addresses under HWOE.

Under HWOE, a handicap system based on WIN earnings, you win a $9k provincial or midweek race and get taxed $4.5k ......win the $450k Pacing Cup worth what, $280k to the winner, and you get "slugged" $18k? And you reckon that isn't biased? You're having me on if you don't reckon that is as close to penalty free racing as you can get away with without inciting a riot. So like many parts of the NBM, it has failed to correct past wrongs.

And finally, prior to retiring for the afternoon nap, Chariots suggestion on fixing the current "dogs breakfast"...his words not mine.....well, good luck to the administrator that runs the gauntlet of the Gloucester Park Owners Association in attempting (again) to handicap races by means of PBD. The last 3 month trial lasted 3 weeks amid predictions of the sky falling in, as the powerful influencers dealt with multiple outbreaks of hives.

getthechange · December 2022

chariots also said

I am reluctant to enter the handicapping debate and must admit that I have made no attempt to study or understand the current system.

one thing I think all three of us could agree upon is it would be better if 3yos didn,t get non penaltys but thats

a fight chariots and I have fought and lost too often

Markovina · December 2022

getthechange said:
chariots also said
I am reluctant to enter the handicapping debate and must admit that I have made no attempt to study or understand the current system.

one thing I think all three of us could agree upon is it would be better if 3yos didn,t get non penaltys but thats
a fight chariots and I have fought and lost too often

I just post my view - it would be better if 3 yos didnt get non penalty - which you - jay jay and Chariots agree on - i cant agree with that

Chariots even said the reason in Vic - to protect their breeding industry - and the proof in the pudding is in eating - the Vics have got a great breeding industry - they had a stand alone sires meeting not long ago - just for Trotters 2yr - 3yr - 20k - 30k -50k - they had about 100 horses on the night compete - they have got sensational numbers of Vic bred horses - both pacing and trotting

Contrast that WA - its hardly got a breeding industry - Ray Jones will put his hand in his pocket - and pay 30k or 35k for a yearling - WA need 100 blokes like Ray Jones - make it 200 - and if they get a good horse - they can win as many 2yr and 3yr races as they like - that is their reward for buying ( and taking the risk ) a WA Bred yearling

Contrast that to 4 yrs ago - there was a WA Pacing Derby -a 3 yr old classic race - 13 runners including the emergency - and you had the disgraceful situation of 11 of those runners being ex NZ horses

All these opinions about the handicapping system - and how many of those people with those opinions sitting up on their great white horse have bought WA bred yearlings recently - None

JayJay · December 2022

Factually incorrect yet again...am currently racing 3 horses, one Vicbred and two Westbred, one of those double Westbred....and no white horse either, great or otherwise.

How many you got in work Marko?

getthechange · December 2022

incorrect marko

my son has four westbreds in work - three owned b my cousin and one owned by my family - all bought at sales - two are rising 2yos

Rocket_Reign · December 2022

Yeah I’ve got 5 westbreds 3 from the sales and 2 bred so not sure who you’re pointing that at Marko

Gilgamesh · December 2022

WA bred horses have improved a mile in the last 10yrs or so thanks to the Charles family.

Ivorytrunkey86 · December 2022

Marco…….polo…….FISH OUT OF WATER.

cisco · December 2022

Hello Boys,

Hope you are all well. Just thought I would throw in my two bobs worth:

You have to admire Marko. He is obviously very passionate about the industry but until you have become an owner it is very easy to have certain ideas and opinions.

I must stress that I am only a little owner of a number of horses in Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and NZ. I will start with the yearlings that I am involved with. Currently I am pushing **** up hill to break even. My thoughts about purchasing yearlings is that you have to be very very lucky to get a return on your investment.

As to buying horses from NZ you have a good idea what you are getting and sure you may get a dud but at least you know and can take the appropriate action, rather than paying for a yearling to be reared and broken in, etc.

I have been lucky enough to meet a number of participants from Australia and NZ. I have great admiration and respect for all of their hard work. Believe me everyone I speak to says the game is "on its knees"

I believe You Guys over there have the best prizemoney in Australia. I am not including Menangle because I dont race horses there. As to the handicapping systems I reckon I am pretty cluey but I have given up trying to understand all the conditions. Here in Victoria you get rating points for running second which really is outrageous. Surely the winner should be the only horse that does.

I have been to many yearling sales and the disappointment on the breeders faces when the reserve price is not met is very concerning.

I wish I had the answers but unfortunately I dont. But I am sure that if there is not more support given to ALL participants the Glory Days we all remember will be a distant memory.

Cheers

cisco

Markovina · December 2022

Very good Cisco - and hopefully there will be more posts fromy ou in the future

As you said - re buying yearlings - you have to be very very lucky to get a return on your investment - and thats why i say - as a 2yr and 3yr old you can win as many races as you like - like you once could

JayJay · December 2022

And the winners from Friday Night? Well, undoubtedly the magnificent performance of Pinny Tiger who wins a glorious $72,500 and cops a HWOE win penalty of ....$13,500......versus Master Publisher, also a very nice winner of race 2 who pockets $10,730 and cops a win penalty of ......$9,000. 18.6% win penalty for Pinny, 83.9% win penalty for Master Publisher. Both are Level 11 horses sitting in the same handicap level. Beyond ridiculous.

getthechange · December 2022

for the last 50 years the winners of feature races have received the same penalty as the winners of non feature race winners whether those races were country cups run in the country or metro races run at GP they took either a C or M penalty. I took horses to non tab tracks like Wyalkatcjhem - trayning etc where the stake money was just over half of what on offer at Pinjarra and the penalty was the same (one assessment or one C penalty)

The winners at Wagin on Friday received $3178 handicap$ $2,999

The winners at Pinjarra received $4993 handicap$ $4,500

Under MCR there was no differential and they would both have taken a C penalty

the 'new' limits are not actually new jthey replace the original limits which were

JayJay · December 2022

Wagin races would have been R races??? Would they have not taken a R penalty?

However, the point is we moved to a Harness Win Only Earnings handicapping system yet we haven't. We have a part win only system that is a much bigger "part win penalty" for the scrubbers than it is for the elite. So, immediately, there is a built in advantage for those who least need a leg up.

Similar to the West Australian's obsession with AFL draft prospects from the very privileged PSA system....barely an article written without reference to Aquinas gun or Christchurch bull or whatever other cliche they can find. Ever see a push for a Gosnells High or Forrestfield product, kids that could really do with a bit of a boost?

So it goes with this system, regardless of what it historically was. It unashamedly gives a leg up to one component over the others...reverse handicapping when a scrubber cops an 80% plus penalty and a top liner around 10 to 20% depending on the race. The powerful further entrench their power under this system.

G'day Punter!

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