How Horse Racing Ratings Work
Why ratings matter
A horse’s Official Rating (OR) is a shorthand for its ability – expressed in pounds.
One point equals 1 lb on the scales, so if Horse A is rated 100 and Horse B 97, the handicapper believes Horse A would beat Horse B carrying 3 lb more. Ratings guide which races a horse can enter, how much weight it carries, and ultimately how punters and traders frame a book.
Who sets the ratings?
In Britain, a dedicated team of handicappers employed by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) monitors every run. They produce a performance figure for each horse in every race, then convert those figures into official ratings that are published every Tuesday.
When does a horse receive its first rating?
Most horses must run three times (or win once) before the handicapper is confident enough to allocate a mark. Lightly‑raced novices can be made to run again if their form is too sketchy, or the handicapper may defer a mark until stronger evidence appears. Handicaps therefore start with a level playing field of verified ratings.
The rating scale explained
- Flat racing: everyday handicappers range from 45 (the minimum) to ~120; anything 110 + contests high‑end pattern races.
- National Hunt: the scale extends to the mid‑180s; 170 + is Gold‑Cup calibre.
- Ratings move up for strong runs (even in defeat) and down for poor efforts; each Tuesday’s list reflects the very latest collateral evidence.
Handicap races – levelling the playing field
A handicap is a race in which each runner carries a different weight, calculated from its rating so that, in theory, every horse has an equal chance. The principles are:
- Weight = rating difference – 1 lb on the scale equals 1 lb in the saddle.
- Race bands – e.g. 0‑65, 66‑85, Class 2 Heritage Handicaps etc., ensure horses meet opponents of similar merit.
- Weight‑for‑age and sex allowances still apply; a three‑year‑old filly gets the same concessions she would in any other race.
Handicaps are popular with bettors because compressed ability bands create bigger, more competitive fields and attractive prices.
Group races – pure tests of class
At the sport’s summit sit the Pattern or Group races, run at level weights (bar age/sex allowances) so the best horse on the day should win:
| Status | Typical features | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | Highest prestige & prize‑money; no penalties | Derby, 2,000 Guineas, Gold Cup |
| Group 2 | High quality; winners of recent Gp 1/2s carry small penalties | Hardwicke Stakes |
| Group 3 | Stepping‑stone grade; penalties for higher‑grade winners | Gordon Stakes |
A race keeps its status only if its three‑year rolling average rating for the first four finishers stays within strict thresholds set by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. (British Horseracing)
How ratings are updated
Every run is reassessed in light of subsequent form. If new evidence shows a horse (or the horses it beat) is better or worse than first thought, the handicapper collaterally adjusts that earlier figure – sometimes dubbed “raising a horse for standing in its box”. Roughly two‑thirds of these collateral moves are downwards, reflecting the BHA’s aim of ensuring horses remain competitive.
Practical pointers for punters & traders
- Watch the Tuesday list – fresh ratings drive market moves, especially for weekend handicaps.
- Target class droppers – a horse falling from a 0‑95 into a 0‑85 band often finds life easier.
- Respect upward movers – the data show horses whose marks rise after a defeat win more often next time than those whose marks are cut.
- Treat Group races differently – with level weights, focus on raw ability, sectionals and pace rather than handicapping angles.
With a grasp of how ratings are created, adjusted and applied, you can read a racecard with far greater insight and spot value where others see only numbers.