The demise of harness racing's classification system has been deferred by four months, Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) announced yesterday.
HRNZ said a major reason for the delay was that more time was needed to implement enhancements to its computer system to accommodate a replacement handicapping system.
The classification system was to have ended at the finish of this season on July 31 but will now happen on November 30.
The classification system is based on races being rated from class one to nine which basically relates the number of wins a horse has had. For example a class one race is generally for a one-win horse and a class nine race for a horse with nine wins. The classification system is to be replaced with a conditioned handicapping.
Conditions will be based upon criteria such as winning stakes, stakes won in recent races, number of races won, number of unplaced starts in recent races, sex and age.
For example race conditions could be: "For horses that have won twice with winning stakes of less than $5000 and horses that have won up to four races and have earned less than $1500 in their last five starts."
The new system is seen as more flexible in that it should provide more opportunities for horses who would have reached "their mark" under the classification system.
- NZPA
Racing: Change to handicapping delayed for four months
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