{"id":3745,"date":"2021-08-27T08:57:26","date_gmt":"2021-08-27T08:57:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ukgamblingsites.com\/?page_id=3745"},"modified":"2021-09-07T18:18:39","modified_gmt":"2021-09-07T18:18:39","slug":"horse-racing-classifications","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ukgamblingsites.com\/sports-betting\/horse-racing\/horse-racing-classifications\/","title":{"rendered":"Horse Racing Classifications: How Do Race Grades & Classes Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"HorseFor anyone new to the sport, horse racing can seem a little confusing with all its abbreviations and unfamiliar terminology.<\/p>\n

Part of the somewhat steep learning curve is knowing that every single race has a classification. These classifications allow more knowledgeable punters to quickly identify both the quality and the type of a scheduled race. Though it can be quite confusing at first, fear not because after reading through this guide, you will be able to understand what the various classifications in horse racing mean.<\/p>\n

We will look at both the grading and race types for flat and National Hunt racing.<\/p>\n

For those of you unaware, National Hunt racing covers hurdle and steeplechase events (jumps racing) as well as a small number of National Hunt Flat races. While flat racing, as the name suggests, includes only those races that do not have any obstacles for the horses to clear. Although the pair do have many similarities with regards to their structure, they do operate in a slightly different fashion when it comes to the classifications of the races.<\/p>\n

Flat Racing Classifications<\/h2>\n

\"Flat<\/p>\n

To begin, it is worth being aware that every single flat race belongs to a certain class. At the very bottom of the scale, you have the seldom-seen Class 7 races, and at the top you have those that fall into Class 1. The situation is not quite as straightforward as this though because Class 1 is divided into four-sub classes. At the very top, you have Group 1, which are the very best races in the country for the highest-rated runners (official ratings of 115 or more). Group 1 races include all the Classics of flat racing and a good number of the most prestigious races around with over 30 Group 1 races in the UK at present. Group 1 races also have the largest minimum amounts of prize money.<\/p>\n

Group 1 races are predictably followed by Group 2 races and there are almost 50 of those in the UK at the moment. The still highly-regarded Group 3 races are next up and there are more than 70 of those in the UK. Just underneath this you have what is known as Listed races, so not quite Group standard but still higher than any Class 2 affair.<\/p>\n

Although certain penalties\/allowances can apply in Group races, these are never run as handicap events so horses typically run at the same weight. Because they are reserved for more elite horses, Group races are focused on seeing the best horse win, rather than trying to create a well-balanced spectacle. Listed races were previously allowed to run as handicaps but this changed in 2018 as the British Horseracing Authority ruled that no handicap race could have Listed or Group status.<\/p>\n

The class of the race is always listed prominently on any racecard so you cannot miss it. Here are a couple of races at Newmarket to give you an example:<\/p>\n

For the 2:55 race, this is a Class 4 handicap (Cl4) reserved for horses that are three years old and that have an official rating no higher than 85. The 3:30 race is a higher-ability Class 2 contest in which horses with a rating up to 100 are eligible. The plus symbol by \u20183yo\u2019 means that any horse aged three years or older can take part in the contest.<\/p>\n

In these two instances, they are just a pair of straightforward handicaps but for some races, you may see extra terms included in the title such as \u2018maiden handicap\u2019 or \u2018fillies stakes\u2019. In the list at the bottom of this guide, you will find all such terms covered. Before then though, we will cast our attention to National Hunt racing.<\/p>\n

National Hunt Classification<\/h2>\n

\"National<\/p>\n

The somewhat confusing aspect about National Hunt racing is that although it does mainly refer to jumps racing, National Hunt Flat racing also exists. These races are designed for horses that are being prepared for life in jumps racing, typically those that have matured late, although there is a maximum age limit of seven years old. National Hunt Flat races are also restricted to horses that have never taken part in any other race before (excluding other bumpers \u2013 as they are also known \u2013 and point-to-point races).<\/p>\n

The races are known as \u2018bumpers\u2019 because in the past the combination of inexperienced horses and jockeys (only conditional and amateur riders were initially able to take part in these races) meant there was a lot of bumping into each other. Although the quality is better now, NH Flat events usually carry a low classification with the exception of the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival which boasts Grade 1 status.<\/p>\n

The heart of National Hunt racing though is of course hurdle and steeplechase events, the latter of which you will often see referred to simply as chases. For these, you will find races that follow a near-identical classification as with flat racing. At the very top, you have Class 1 races which are divided into Grades rather than Groups. Grade 1 is the cream of the crop followed by Group 2 and Group 3. Following just behind you have Listed quality races that are still considered to be within Class 1. As with flat racing, the remaining classes (Class 2 to Class 6) have no additional sub-groups to them (though there are various race types within the group, as detailed below).<\/p>\n

For National Hunt handicap races, much like with flat contests, the class of the race will dictate what quality of horse can compete. Take a look at the two examples below from Bangor-On-Dee.<\/p>\n

In this 2:10 handicap chase, for instance, horses with an official rating no higher than 130 can take part. With the 2:40 race being Class 4 rather than Class 3, this means the upper official rating limit is 115 instead. Note that you will find National Hunt ratings are generally much higher than flat ratings so you cannot make like-for-like comparisons.<\/p>\n

Horse Racing Glossary<\/h2>\n

\"Horse<\/p>\n

Here is a list of words and terms that relate to classifications of races. Should you ever give a puzzled look at a racecard, not knowing what something means, the list below is likely to provide the answer. It covers various race types and a few other terms you are likely to encounter.<\/p>\n