To prevent the publication of the Czech General Handicap (GH) arousing great amazement, we would like to inform trainers, owners and the horseracing public in advance about the harmonization of the Czech handicap with the German handicap (GAG). We have been preparing this step in collaboration with the senior German handicapper, Harald Siemen, and the handicappers in the other central European countries (within KMET).

The most important item in the seminar for central European handicappers in Bratislava in March 2015, led by Harald Siemen, was how to harmonize the handicaps in the central European countries with the international ratings. A clear definition of the relation between the Czech handicap and the handicaps in the western European countries is an absolute prerequisite for better alignment of Czech racing with the international context. It is thus an important step in the early stages of obtaining black-type status for certain Czech races. A further motive for this step is the opportunity, since the 2015 season, to compete in handicap races in a neighbouring country without the horse having a handicap rating awarded by that country.

The changes in handicap level will affect only three-year-olds and older horses. We have already been rating 2-y-os according to the new criteria in the course of the 2015 season. The changes in handicaps also do not affect jumps racing, because the handicap ratings of jumpers in the major horseracing countries (France, the UK, Ireland) are higher. We have chosen to use the Czech General Handicap [i.e. the handicap ratings announced after the end of the season] to synchronize our handicaps with [German] GAG. 

Our guideline for the correct approach was given by the performances of the best Czech horses in races abroad (e.g. Trip to Rhodos, Autor, Mikesh). Horses in lower categories run abroad only from time to time, except in Slovakia [due to the shortage of racecourses in the eastern part of the Czech Republic, racing in Slovakia is an attractive option for all Moravian-based trainers. In addition, major trainers, even from western parts of the country, regularly run their horses in the big races at Bratislava]. It has been more complicated to find the right conversion key for lower category horses. For these horses, we drew inspiration from a comparison with Slovakia, where the local handicapper has been attempting for a number of years to harmonize with GAG. This year, there have been 130 horses with both a Czech handicap and a Slovak handicap, and this is a sufficiently representative sample. The attached table http://www.dostihy.cz/zpravy/domaci/zprava-handicaperu-o-harmonizaci-handicapu-s-gag/ shows that the differences between Czech and Slovak handicap ratings become smaller as the rating becomes lower.

Due to the changes mentioned above, the range of the Czech handicap is being reduced, in comparison with the situation until now. At the same time, this step has been taken in order to achieve better blending of the categories. Due to the considerable stretching of the Czech handicap in past years, this has not been possible, and there have often been cases where a horse had to carry an excessively high weight, but would be out of the handicap in a higher category. A smaller range of handicap ratings therefore provides better opportunities when managing horses. At the same time, we are coming closer to Germany and Slovakia in this matter, as the attached table shows http://www.dostihy.cz/res/archive/008/004195.pdf?seek=1449663560

For a better idea of how the changed handicap will correspond with the handicaps in neighbouring countries, let us give as examples Mikesh (CZE 87 kg, GER 87 kg) and Lysyan (CZE 79,5 kg, SVK 78,5 kg, Austria 79 kg).

From next year, we plan to abandon the concept of a General Handicap (GH), and replace it by the Czech analogue of the international classification – i.e. horses will be rated on the basis of their top form. In following seasons, horses will begin with their latest provisional handicap (PH). Simply put, each horse that in our view deserves a PH will have one, and so it will not be necessary to make adjustments at the end of the season. The first two racing days this season called into question the concept of the GH, as three races, including two handicaps, were won by horses that had had their GH reduced by at least 4 kg in comparison with their latest PH. In synchronizing handicaps with GAG, we have therefore set out from the latest PH and made a mathematical calculation.

Official handicappers of the Jockey Club of the Czech Republic

Jaroslav Fabris and Jan Žid

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This article by the official handicappers, who took up their posts before the beginning of the 2015 season, has appeared on various websites – originally I think on Dostihy.cz.  http://www.dostihy.cz/zpravy/domaci/zprava-handicaperu-o-harmonizaci-handicapu-s-gag/

The attempt to harmonize the handicap ratings in the central European countries clearly makes good sense, and is long overdue. We have only a limited number of races in the Czech Republic, and anything that makes it easier for our horses to run in handicaps in other countries, and for horses from other countries to run in handicaps here, is a good thing. Dostihový svět English pages welcomes the handicappers’ good efforts.