What does weight mean in horse racing?
In today’s educational guide, I’m tackling the topic of horse racing weights. I’ll explain what they mean, discuss their importance, and clear up some industry jargon for you.
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The relevance of weight, why it matters and jargon explained
By the end of this article, I want you to understand the relevance of weight in horse racing, and how it can affect the outcome of a race. I also want to make sure you have a clear understanding of the industry jargon related to this topic.
Back to basics - What does weight mean in horse racing?
For any given horse race, if you look at a racecard, or scroll through the runners on a bookmaker’s site, you’ll see a weight next to the name of each horse. This refers to the weight the horse will carry in the race. Most of it will be the jockey’s body weight, but the weight of the horse’s equipment, like its saddle, gets factored in too.
The jockey and equipment are weighed prior to the race. If the correct weight hasn’t been reached, thin lead weights, which are carried in a special saddle cloth, are added to make up the difference. Once the jockey has ‘weighed out’ at the correct weight, they will hand the saddle to the trainer, or their representative, to saddle up the horse. The ideal scenario is for the jockey to weigh as close to the allocated weight as possible. It’s better for the horse to carry mobile, balanced weight than dead lead weight.
After the race the jockey is weighed again to ensure that the horse carried the correct weight. Once confirmed, the jockey is said to be ‘weighed in’. Once all of the jockeys in a race have weighed in, the racecourse commentator will announce it over the tannoy as
“Weighed in. Weighed in”. That announcement makes the result official. However, if there are any issues during the post-race weigh-in, it may affect the final result.
Does the weight a horse carries affect its chance of winning?
The simple answer is yes. The weight a horse carries during a race can certainly affect its chances of winning. Think of it like this, the chances are that you could comfortably walk two miles in around 30 minutes. However, if you were wearing a weighted vest, or carrying a heavy backpack, then it’s quite likely that the same two mile walk would take you longer. It’s pretty much the same for racehorses, who are carrying a jockey, and other equipment.
For races at the highest level, the horses all carry the same weight, and the best horse should win. However, under the UK handicap system the horses in a race are intentionally given different weights. The idea is to level the playing field, and allow horses of different ability levels to compete against one another. Carrying a bigger weight won’t stop a horse from finishing a race, but it will naturally get tired more quickly than those racing at lower weights.
Beyond the weight being carried, there are other factors that can affect how a horse performs, such as the distance of the race and the ground conditions. To give you an example, a horse running in Flat race over 5f on Firm going, and carrying 8st 12lb, will be affected less than a Jumps horse carrying 12st over the Grand National distance of 4m 2.5f on Heavy going.
In this section, I will explain some of the common industry jargon that’s used in relation to racing weights, which I hope you’ll find useful.
- Top weight
- The horse carrying the most weight in a Handicap race. Considered the best horse in the race by the handicapper.
- Bottom weight
- The horse carrying the least weight in a Handicap race. Considered the least talented horse in the race by the handicapper.
- Penalty
- If a horse wins a race and is declared for another race before the handicapper has adjusted its mark, it must carry a penalty in order to run. The penalty varies according to the type of race, and is detailed in the race conditions.
- Well in
- Conversely, if a horse is raced again before its new handicap mark kicks in, it may be at an advantage. For example, if the pending rise is 10lb, but the penalty for the race is 7lb, the horse would be 3lb “well in” i.e. have a 3lb advantage.
- Out of the weights
- All Handicap races have a minimum weight assigned. If a horse is rated to carry less it can still compete, but it would be at a disadvantage. For example, a horse rated to carry 9st 13lb, where the race conditions specify a minimum of 10st 2lb, would be 3lb ‘out of the weights’, or ‘out of the handicap’.
- Allowance
- There are several different types of weight allowance in horse racing. They sometimes apply to the horse in relation to its age of sex. For example, mares carry 7lb less than their male counterparts in Graded races. Allowances can also apply to the jockey. For instance, apprentices and conditional jockeys are granted a weight allowance due to their inexperience.
- Level weights
- You will often see top races e.g. Grade 1s over Jumps, run at level weights. This means all of the horses in the field carry the same weight. In theory, all of the horses are considered equal and the best horse will win.
- Overweight
- If a jockey does not make the required weight, they can still ride, but it will be announced ahead of the race. E.g. (jockey name) is putting up 3lb overweight.
The importance of weight in horse racing
Weight is a huge part of the sport. Every pound of weight carried by a horse potentially means the difference between winning and losing a race. However, it’s more important in some situations than in others. For example, if one horse is carrying 1lb more than another, it may not have too much of an impact, especially over short distances. Conversely, a horse carrying two stone more than a rival is already at a disadvantage.
Before you back any horse it’s important to pay attention to the weight it will carry, in comparison to its rivals. Make sure you take any allowances or penalties into account as well. You’ll find both detailed in the racecard. There are other, less tangible, considerations too, as each horse will carry the weight differently. Smaller and younger horses, or mares, may struggle more than bigger, stronger horses, for example. Ultimately, it’s a case of factoring in as many variables as possible to get a true picture.
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