• Ratings based handicaps are in operation in most leading racing nations includingGreat Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, South Africa, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.
• Rating Bands are appended to handicaps in order that only horses within those setrating bands are eligible to enter.
• The Rating Based Handicap system is designed to produce competitive racing bygiving horses opportunities to race with horses in the same class, with the weightcarried corresponding to the horse’s rating.
• The Ratings based system allows horses to move up and down the rating bands andenables horses to remain competitive.
• The Ratings give an indication of the weight a horse may receive in rating bandhandicaps.
• Horses will have their Rating reviewed after each performance.
• A winning performance in a handicap will normally give a horse an increase in ratingsubject to the guidelines. The re-assessment will depend on many factors including but not limited to, previous form, ease of the win, strength of the field, going conditions, the winning margin and the surface.
• Horses which have been placed second or third and, in some instances fourth, mayhave their Rating increased, depending on the merit of their performance.
• Horses not earning Prize money will have no rating increased.
• The maximum rating increase in handicaps is set out in the Guidelines.
• A winner of a WFA (Weight for Age) or Conditions race may not necessary havetheir ratingincreased. If their rating is considerably superior to that their opponents orfavoured by conditions of the race.
• Unplaced horses may have their rating reduced. The re-assessment will depend onmany factorsincluding, but not limited to, previous form, strength of the field, goingconditions, distance and surface of the race.
• The system is designed to produce maximum field size which will give increasedwageringopportunities and will be suitable for the popular Hi – Five races.
• Ratings can be used as a guide for customers to assessing horses running in non-handicap races.
• Previously raced horses imported into Trinidad will be allotted initial ratings as set out in the Guidelines.

The structure of the Rating Bands have been divided into Classes from 1 to 10 with Class 1 forthe higher rated horses and Class 10 for those horses rated at the lower level.

These bands would usually be in a rating range that would allow the majority of horses to run off their allotted weight.

Classes 2 to 6 have defined rating ranges but for Claas1 handicaps the upper rating
limit can be varied.

For example a Class 1 handicap could have a rating range from105 and over or 110 or over.

The allotted weight for each horse in a rated handicap is linked to its rating.

EXAMPLE:
Class 4 Handicap for 4-year-old’s and over rated 80– 50.

A horse rated 80 will receive the maximum top weight of 57.0KG whilst a horse rated 75 will be allotted a weight of 54.0KG. In effect each rating point is equivalent to0.5KG in weight.If a horse rated 80 is not entered then the highest rated entry will be given the top weight.

A horse is eligible to be entered for a handicap for which it has the required rating. For example ahorse rated 75 is eligible to enter a Class 4 (85-65) race.

QUALIFICATION RATING

Ratings will be published in the Horse Rating Listfollowing each race day and these ratings will be the qualification ratings to enter handicaps. Handicaps will be calculated at the time of closing of entry using the qualifying rating.

PUBLICATION OF RATINGS
The Horse Rating List will be updated and published no later than 24 hours following each race day so that horses will run off their most recent revised ratings and Owners and Trainers will be aware of the horse’s qualification ratings before they enter horses in a handicap. The Horse Rating List will show a rating for each eligible horse along with the rating re-assessment for those horses whose rating has been changed since the previous Horse Rating List.
In addition a list of eligible horses under each class/rating band will be published. The Arima Race Club will make suitable arrangements to release and publish the Horse Rating Lists.

ENTRY DAY FOR HANDICAPS
Entries for all races including handicaps will under the new Rating Based Handicap systemclose on the same day.
Handicaps will no longer close a day earlier than the non-handicap races as Owners and Trainers willbe aware of the horse’s qualification rating before entry.

RATING RE-ASSESSMENTS
Following each race day the Handicappers will examine the results of each race and then make rating re-assessments.

RE-ASSESSMENT OF HANDICAP WINNERS
There will be a minimum increase of 4 rating points and a maximum increase of 10 rating points for awinner of a Class 2,3,4,5, 6 and 7 rated handicaps and West Indian bred 3-year-old handicaps. There is no minimumincrease for winners of a Class 1 handicap.

RE-ASSESSMENT OF PLACED HORSES IN HANDICAPS
Placed second – Maximum increase of 3 rating points.
Placed third – Maximum increase of 2 rating points
Placed fourth – Maximum increase of 1 rating point

RE-ASSESSMENT OF HORSES WHICH DO NOT EARN PRIZE MONEY IN HANDICAP AND NON HANDICAPS
There will be no upward increase in ratings for horses that do not earn prize money.

RE-ASSESSMENT OF NON HANDICAP WINNERS
There is no minimum rating increase for a non-handicap winner. The reassessment of a horse’s rating takes into account the Rating of that particular horse going into the race and the Ratings of the otherrunners.
It is possible that a horse placed in a non-handicap race may have it Rating increased but the winner’srating may remain unchanged when there is a large difference between the rating of the placed horsefor example if placed horse is rated 70 and the winner’s rating is 85.

RE-ASSESSMENT OF PLACED HORSES IN NONHANDICAPS
Placed or earned prize money – maximum increase of 5 rating points

RE-ASSESSMENT OF UNPLACED HORSES
Horses which finish unplaced and/or a significant distance from the placing horses are eligible to have their ratings lowered. However horses, no matter how far they have finished behind the winner, will not automaticallyhave their rating decreased.

OVERWEIGHT
In making the re-assessments the Handicappers will take into account any overweight carried whenreviewing a race and adjusting Ratings.
Overweight carried can be added to the maximum and minimum increases as detailed previously.
This also applies to horses that have had their weight raised as they were originally below the minimum stipulated weight.
Apprentice overweight will only be taken into account when the weight carried is greater than theoriginal weight allotted prior to any apprentice claim.

HORSES MAY NOT HAVE THEIR RATINGS LOWERED
DESPITE HAVING FINISHEDWELL BACK IN A RACE IN THE
FOLLOWING CIRCUMSTANCES: –

1. Previous form.
2. If the horse is racing at an unsuitable distance.
3. Where the horse is racing on an unsuitable surface.
4. Where a horse loses significant ground at the start.
5. Where the horse suffers interference in running.
6. Subject to a stewards enquiry.
7. Any other fact thatthe Handicappers may consider significant