Hong Kong Racing: Class Structure

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Transcript

00:00The class structure for racehorses and the racers themselves in Hong Kong,

00:03especially compared to other racing jurisdictions, is a streamlined one that allows for a far more

00:08simplistic understanding of the proven ability of gallopers and where they fit into the system.

00:13Every horse that races in Hong Kong has a numerical rating.

00:16The higher the rating, the better proven quality of the horse.

00:19Those ratings, of course, can move up and down depending on current performance levels.

00:24This in turn affects which races they are eligible to compete in,

00:28because races in Hong Kong have a class rating.

00:30At the top we see what's referred to as pattern races,

00:33or what US audiences may know as stakes or graded races.

00:37Then class 1 races are next, down to class 5 events.

00:40The horses competing in these have comparable ratings to be eligible to race in them,

00:45with specific racing levels dictating what grade they can run in.

00:48Class 3, 4 and 5 make up the bulk of races in the jurisdiction.

00:53Almost every race outside of some of the pattern races is a handicap event,

00:57so the highest rated horse in the race will carry the most weight,

01:00and that is benchmarked down to the lowest rated horse who will carry the least.

01:04This makes for very competitive and even racing,

01:06which in turn contributes to the value in betting markets and the size of the betting pools.

01:12The spread in weight compared to what the US racing fans are used to in local handicap events

01:16is far greater, and is worth taking into account when assessing a runner's chances.

01:21The other class of races in Hong Kong are referred to as Griffin events.

01:25These races are for horses that have been imported to Hong Kong as unraced horses,

01:29or perhaps in other circumstances that have been purchased by the Jockey Club at overseas auctions.