Handicap Rules and Regulations

1. All racing under BHRC rules must adopt the following system from 1st January 2012.

2. System is based on monies won, and includes any place money or prizes (all non-monetary prizes above £100 in value to be included).

3. Prize money.
a) Maximum of 70% of total purse per race, including non-monetary prizes, to be allocated to the winner.
b) Balance of 30% to allocated as the promoter sees fit.
c) All non-monetary prizes to be allocated a retailers retail price,
and if total value is in excess of £100 this is to be included as prize money. (e.g. sulky)
d) Non monetary prizes with value of less than £100 to be
disregarded. (e.g. Rug, Feed Voucher).

4. Grades.

5. Cap
There is no cap on the amount of penalty imposed.

6. Juvenile Racing
[a] Two Year Olds competing in Two Year Old races within the UK will have the penalty value imposed reduced by 70% (this reduction to be applied after Rule 2)
[b] Three Year Olds competing in Three Year Old races within the UK will have the penalty value imposed reduced by 50% (this reduction to be applied after Rule 2)
[c] Four Year Olds competing in Four Year Old races within the UK will have the penalty value imposed reduced by 50%. This applicable only to races organised, set-up and advertised with clear conditions before the first race of the season (this reduction to be applied after Rule 2)

7. Condition and claiming races
a) A race card with more than 10 races must offer at least one conditional or claiming race.
b) Conditioned racing can apply to any grade or mixture of grades, as per Rule 8. It may refer to races won, monies won or race times.
c) Race conditions will dictate any handicap or gate position.
e.g.(i) Race for horses in grades 5 to 10 that have not won £500 in last 10 starts. All horses on the gate. Preferential draw to be given to horses with lowest earnings in this period.
e.g.(ii) Race for horses in grades 2 and 3 who have not won a race in last 6 starts. All horses on the gate with open draw for gate position.

8.Mixing of Grades and Gait
a) Any seven consecutive grades may race together, with a ten yard trail from one grade to the next. This gives a maximum trail of 60 yards.
b) The maximum trail may be deviated from in Finals not exceeding £1,000 first prize.
c) Maiden, Novice and Grade 1 Trotters are permitted to race with Pacers at the Promoters discretion (this to be reviewed when considered necessary)

9. Draw for starting position. When the draw for position at the start within a grade is made, promoters have the option:
a) Draw for position regardless of money won.
b) Horse with least money won is placed inside horse with more monies won.
Promoters must state on their entry form which draw system will be used.

10. Imported and Visiting horses.
a) Imported or horses visiting the UK for the purpose of racing, will need to provide a detailed lifetime history of races and monies won, and will be graded as per Rule 4.
b) Horses from America, Canada and Australasia. All earnings will be included in working out a handicap mark. The horses total earnings will be converted to £ sterling, and this will determine the horses position within the handicap system.
c) Horses from mainland Europe (generally speaking Trotters) - All earnings will be included in working out a handicap mark. The horses total earnings will be converted to £ sterling, then divided by 5, and this will determine the horses position within the handicap system.
d) Horses from b or c above that have not won a race, enter the system as Grade 0 (Maiden) but the figure calculated using b or c will be banked. This figure will then be added to a horses mark when it wins its first race to determine its future handicap mark.
e) For the purpose of conversion the current rate of exchange on the 1st January in the year of racing will be used.

11. Horses Previously Running with Other Organisations.
Horses previously running with other organisations will need to provide a detailed lifetime history of races and monies won, and will be graded as per Rule 4.

12. Exhibition, Young Drivers, Driving Championships.
In races of this nature the prize money will be disregarded if:
a) no prize money is offered, and/or
b) the same expenses are offered to all participants in the race, and this is below £100 each.

13. Allowances.
a) All horses on reaching their 10th year (and subsequent years) will have their handicap reduced to the middle of the grade below. This to be applied before 13[b]
b) All horses will receive a relief per run based on the Grade that the horses finishes the season in:
Grade 1 - £25 per run
Grade 2 - £30 per run
Grade 3 - £30 per run
Grade 4 - £40 per run
Grade 5 - £50 per run
Grade 6 - £70 per run
Grade 7 - £100 per run
Grade 8 - £125 per run
Grade 9 - £145 per run
Grade 10 - £165 per run
Grade 11 - £200 per run
Grade 12 - £250 per run
Any lift will be capped at a maximum of two grades

14. Horses must retire by 31st December of their 14th Year. (Owners/ Trainers can request, in writing to the BHRC, an extension to a horses racing career).

15. 'Mercy Drop'
When a horse owner feels their horse has become uncompetitive, but still wish to race, they can apply to the Handicap Panel for a 'Mercy Drop' for their horse setting out their appeal
Criteria for assessment to include, but not be restricted to:
[a] Age
[b] Performances in the past two or three seasons
(preferably with the same owner/trainer/driver to check consistency - minimum five races per season)
[c] Times of races over the past two or three seasons on both hard and grass
An allowance of one or two grades may be granted for successful applications
Applications must be made in writing only, with only written submissions to be considered

16. The Handicap Panel have attempted to cover all possibilities in the above rules and regulations. Should a situation arise that is not covered, the Raceframer should contact a member of the handicap panel for clarification.