Harness Conditioned Racing System Guide
How does it work?
There are two parts to the conditioned racing system.
The first part relates to the grouping together of horses based on the stakes they have earned for WINNING races with allowances made for races won as a 2 or 3 year old and limits placed on higher staked races for all ages. This part of the system is referred to as Handicap Win Only Earnings (HWOE) Racing and is explained in detail in point 2 below.
The second part of the system relates to the grouping of horses based on the TOTAL stakes they have earned in their last 5 starts. This part of the system is known as L5$ Conditioned Racing as is expanded upon in point 3 below.
1. Race circuits, scheduling and philosophy
The conditioned racing system reflects the following philosophy to race scheduling;
- A horse should, where possible, race against horses with similar earnings, either winning stakes in the HWOE stream or total stakes earned in their last 5 starts in the L5$ stream
- Where possible, fillies and mares should race against fillies and mares and if pool sizes don’t allow for this then concessions should apply in races open to both sexes
- Race fields should be framed to ensure competitiveness
- Trainers/Owners should have options where to place their horses where they believe they will be the most competitive
- Juveniles should be granted some dispensation before reaching open class status
- Concessions for novice drivers should apply
- A horse should have a legitimate racing opportunity once in every 10 days
- Horses out of form need to be provided racing opportunities outside of their allocated class
- Programs need to be dynamic and reflect the current population of horses
- Stake levels should reflect the relative class of horses racing by venue and be tiered
2. Race Handicapping – HWOE
Part 1 of the conditioned racing system groups horses together for the purpose of handicapping, based on the stakes they have earned for WINNING races. Put simply, each time you WIN a race the dollar value paid for first is accumulated as your WOE (Win Only Earnings). Place money and payments back to last do NOT get counted in this calculation and Westbred and other Bonuses are also not included.
It is acknowledged however that two and three year olds should be treated differently to ensure that when they progress into open company that they are not overly penalised. That said, we do not believe that horses that win a considerable number of races, particularly group races, should enter the open class system as a maiden. Accordingly, the grouping of horses is based on Handicap Win Only Earnings or HWOE.
This calculation is like the WOE EXCEPT the dollar value paid for winning is normalised back to a Win Value using a formula to take into account various situations such as 2YO/3YO earnings and also Feature Stakes Wins.
The discounts for races are:
- 2yo wins in races less than $100,000 then 25% of win stake to be considered towards the handicap win only earnings to a maximum of $3,750 per race
- 2yo wins in races $100,000+ then 25% of win stake to be considered towards the handicap win only earnings to a maximum of $7,500 per race
- 3yo wins in races less than $100,000 then 75% of win stake to be considered towards the handicap win only earnings to a maximum of $11,250 per race
- 3yo wins in races $100,000+ then 75% of win stake to be considered towards the handicap win only earnings to a maximum of $22,500 per race
- 4yo+ wins in races less than $100,000 then 100% of win stake to be considered towards the handicap win only earnings to a maximum of $15,000 per race
- 4yo+ wins in races $100,000+ then 100% of win stake to be considered towards the handicap win only earnings to a maximum of $30,000 per race
By placing these maximum limits on the races we ensure that successful horses are not overly penalised for winning Group races with large stakes and at the same time protect genuine maidens from having to meet these more successful horses as they progress.
The collection of these stakes against a horse are known as the horses HANDICAP WIN ONLY EARNINGS or HWOE.
3. L5$ Conditioned Racing
L5$ races are designed to allow horses to find a level at which they can win. Unlike HWOE which is only affected by winning and is non-reducible, in L5$ races horses are grouped together by way of their TOTAL Earnings in their past 5 starts. A win in a L5$ Conditioned race will make a horse ineligible from starting in that class for its next five starts however will allow it to go back into its established HWOE Grouping or UP to the next level of L5$ Conditioned race. Consistent placings will not result in horses having to go up to the next level of L5$ race but will allow them to keep racing at the same level and importantly keep earning money. Horses will be eligible to race at the next lower level when their total earnings in 5 starts fall below the applicable threshold. To stop horses dropping down to a lower level too quickly within this stream restrictions are enforced by way of the inclusion of Not Eligible Conditions.
This stream of racing is also a valuable tool to place horses which are progressing UP the HWOE stream.
Example of a L5$ Race
Race would appear in program as:
L5$ LT $25,000 (Level 12)
(CONCESSIONS L5$ LT $27,500)
NE Winners of Level 12+ Last 5 starts
Starters Level 15+ Last 5 starts
In this example the race is for Horses that have earned less than $25,000 in their last five starts. This is total stakes not just win stakes.
This race also allows mares or horses utilising a novice concession that have earned less than $27,500 in their last 5 starts to enter. The NE clause protects eligible horses by not allowing winners of this level race or higher within their last five starts. This condition ensures a winner in this class of race in their past 5 starts goes back to the standard HWOE races for their class.
The NE clause also prevents a horse which has raced in OPEN/FFA’s (Level 15) without winning in their past 5 starts from dropping into this race even if that horse’s Total earnings in their past 5 starts is less than the threshold for this race($25,000 or $27,500 with a Concession).
4. Standing Starts
Levels are assigned from the Front Mark as a Base and then to each Handicap Mark until the top Level is reached at which stage all further marks will be the same level. Standing Starts Handicaps are formulated on a Conditioned basis, grouping horses in similar fashion to the mobile groups in 10 metre increments. As is the case in mobiles, the lower marks are protected from dropdowns by excluding concessions and Also Eligible Letups.
The higher marks however, allow for both concession and Also Eligible letups on their natural handicap mark. A variety of front mark standing start races are available to be programmed to allow a natural progression via a front mark handicap. In the higher front mark races it is possible to use a concession or an Also Eligible Letup to gain a front line handicap.
Nominating into a higher class in order to get a front line handicap mark is allowed but a Preference in field selection will be to horses on their true handicap mark to ensure these horses are not excluded from racing in their proper handicap group by lower assessed horses with better form points.
Not Eligible Clauses will be in place at Metro Prime to restrict lower classified horses gaining the opportunity to win off a front mark excessively. Preferences will be used in higher front mark races to ensure horses in their legitimate class aren’t denied a start by a horse nominating higher than its legitimate class.
5. Steps for Harness Web
- Open Harness Web and Log on as normal
- Go to MY STABLE
- The HWOE Assessment will be shown for each horse. Displayed as H$0.00
- To determine what races your horse is ELIGIBLE for, click VIEW RACES. This will give you a list of races your horse is eligible for.
- There are drop down menus options to view race programs for the next 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks. Please note race programs may change to better reflect the horse population at the time and will be sent out as part of the rolling 6 week programs
- The base conditions for races will be displayed under CLASS and the level of the Race will be displayed under RACE NAME.
- Once you have selected the race you wish to nominate for you press the NOMINATE button which will bring up the normal Nomination Screen.
There are a number of conditions and concessions available to you which may mean you are eligible to nominate for more races that you initially realise.
When nominating for a race via the Harness Web there are icons next to the races which indicate the following;
- A little ‘I’ means other conditions exist click on it to see what they are. The other conditions may allow higher assessed horses into the race albeit they be out of form or with a novice driver on. You might not wish to race your horse in that sort of race.
- A green tick means that they are a preferred runner and would get a start ahead of a non-preferred runner on the same or higher points.
- A red cross means that they are a non-preferred starter and would only get a start if there are not enough preferred starters nominated.
- A blank means there are no Preferred Starters so the field will be picked purely on form.
6. Concessions
Mares or Novice Drivers may be offered a Concession on some races within a program.
The concession applied for HWOE races, where advertised, will be one HWOE level.
If for example there was a HWOE LT $70,000 (RL11) race at Gloucester Park with concessions for Mares and Novice drivers then a mare or a horse utilising a novice concession with LT $85,000 HWOE (Level 12) would be eligible for that race.
For a HWOE race LT $18,500 (RL 6) at another venue the concession to be applied would be for mares or horses utilising a novice concession with HWOE LT $25,000 (Level 7).
In a L5$ Conditioned race, the concession to be applied will be applied according to the venue where the race is to be held. For Gloucester Park Prime meetings, the concession will be $2,500; at Country, Provincial and mid-week GP meetings $1,500 and at Community meetings $1,000.
This means that in a L5$ LT $25,000 race at a GP Prime meeting with concessions for Mares and Novice drivers the concession would apply to mares and horses utilising a novice concession with L5$ LT $27,500.
In a L5$ LT $4000 at a Provincial or Country venue with concessions for Mares and Novice drivers the concession would apply to mares and horses utilising a novice concession with L5$ LT $5,500. The same race programmed at a Community venue would apply to mares and horses utilising a novice concession with L5$ LT $5,000.
Only ONE concession can be used in a race.
If you have any concerns or are having trouble navigating your way through Harness Web please ring 94455 268 and we will endeavour to assist you