HOW TO READ THE RACECARD

26 CORACH RAMBLER (IRE) (34) 10-P544 7 11-0

Br B g Jeremy (USA) - Heart N Hope (IRE)

O The Ramblers

B P. Hillis

TIMEFORM VIEW Leaped

1. Form

C = Has won at this course

D = Has won over this distance

CD = Has won over this distance at this course

BF = Was a beaten favourite

- = New racing season

/ = Missed racing season

P = Was pulled-up and didn’t finish the race

F = Horse fell

U = Rider unseated

R = Horse refused to race

CO = The horse was forced out of a race by a loose horse

B = Horse was brought down

S = Horse slipped r = The horse ran around a jump or took the wrong course in a flat race d = Disqualified

Bold form figures = performance in all-weather (Flat) or Point-to-Point (Jump) races

2. BHA Rating

3. Timeform View & TFR Rating

4. Saddlecloth number

5. Owner’s colours worn by the Jockey

6. Horse’s name

7. The horse’s breeding – father (sire) and mother (dam)

8. Birthplace of horse (outside GB)

9. Days since the horse last run

10 Horse’s age

11. Jockey’s weight (stone and Ibs)

12. Jockey

13. Horses Trainer & Their Location

14. Horse’s owner 15. Horse’s breeder

16. Sponsor

Star Ratings Explained

Each horse has been given a star rating, these are defined below:

HHHHH Selected to win the race

HHHHI Good chance of being placed.

HHHII By no means out of the reckoning but at least one or two hold stronger claims.

HHIII Unlikely to win but not totally without hope

HIIII Can be given little or no chance.

Handicaps

Derek Fox J

Lucinda Russell, Kinross T

Ian Macleod & Co Ltd

Once a horse’s ability has been assessed by the Official BHA Handicapper it is given an official rating This is an assessment that determines how much weight it shall carry compared to the other runners. In simple terms a horse rated 100 carries 2lbs less than a horse rated 102. A rating over 130 is well above average and the winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup is normally rated over 160 Most handicap races have an upper rating limit to encourage runners of similar ability to take part and make a competitive race e.g 0-110, and a 28lb weight-range

Hurdle Races

One Fit Padded Hurdle: The ‘One Fit’ design is a modified hurdle frame with a custom fitting close-cell foam pad replacing the traditional birch. The hurdle was developed with the objective of reducing both the faller rate and the risk of injury as the result of a fall. They are 3ft high and placed in the ground at an attractive angle to encourage horses to jump them fluently At Perth there are five flights of Hurdles on the course Eight are jumped in a two mile race, nine in a race over two miles and five furlongs and eleven in a race over three miles.

Steeple Chase

Steeplechase fences are made from hardwood frames stuffed tightly with birch. When making a fence the birch is packed in at a height of approximately 6ft, then cut down to a maximum height of 3ft 6” There are five ‘plain fences’ on the course at Perth and two ‘open ditches’. An Open Ditch is the same height as a plain fence but has a small ditch in front of the fence to make them a

Bigger Test For The Horse And Rider

At Perth there are two open ditches on the course, the first fence in the straight and the first down the back straight. Perth is one of the last remaining racecourses to have a Water Jump, this is situated in front of the main Grandstand and is much smaller than the other fences, with a 6ft wide water jump behind a small birch fence. There are eight steeplechase fences on the course. Twelve are jumped in a race over two miles, fifteen over two miles and four furlongs and nineteen in races over three miles.

Weight For Age Races

These races are designed to provide a fair and competitive contest before a horse is allocated a weight, according to his ability, to run in a Handicap These races are therefore normally for young horses aged from 3 to 5-y-o. As a 5-y-o is deemed to be stronger than a 3-y-o he/she will be made a to carry a little more weight. Once a horse has won a weight for age race he/she will be asked to carry a ‘penalty’; this is normally an additional 7lbs. Once a horse has won or run three times in a Weight for Age race he can be assessed and given a weight in a Handicap Race.

Points scoring: Points are awarded to the first, second and third in all races run at Perth throughout the season. 1st = 10 points, 2nd = 5 points, 3rd = 3 points. Winning Champions of each category will be presented with a prize provided by Edinburgh Gin.