Irish handicapper does an Arkle

Maxbet

Maxbet

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On His Own has had his weight raised to 12st (4Lb rise) in the Thyestese chase to give the horses that would have been out of the handicap proper a better chance.
This probably means Mullins wont run him, but surely the wider implications lie in the fact that this precedence will scupper future plots of trainers who boss the handicaps with one of their horses to the benefit of a stable mate.
Quite frankly I like this angle. Thoughts chaps....
 
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I'm not in favour. A lot of those at the bottom will have been put away while those at the top will have been campaigned largely honestly. Taking weight off a horse might not quicken it but adding weight will slow it.

I think it is a dangerous precedent. At least in the UK we have the 'weights raised' system to allow adjustment where the top weights come out.
 
I don't agree with it either, the good horses shouldn't be discouraged from going for big handicaps.
 
Since the weights were made for the Thyestese, On His Own has ran to a mark 4Lb better than he was carrying, does the handicapper leave it alone, lower the others, or raise him like he has done. If he lowered the others then Mullins could manipulate the race by pulling him, this way everything stays the same.
 
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Maxbet said:
Since the weights were made for the Thyestese, On His Own has ran to a mark 4Lb better than he was carrying, does the handicapper leave it alone, lower the others, or raise him like he has done. If he lowered the others then Mullins could manipulate the race by pulling him, this way everything stays the same.
Click to expand...

That's just how it is with early-closing races. That's how here in the UK we talk about a or b having x or y lbs in hand of its OR.

Am I right in believing that in Ireland they do have a 'handicapper's discretion' adjustment which is what has kicked in here? If so, then it isn't a precedent after all and that's how it is so there can really be no complaints. If not, then it is unfair.
 
It's hardly the handicapper doing an Arkle who was allotted as much as 12st10lbs to let horses in.

A quick look and you can see why he has done it in the interest of racing

Terrible entry for a 60k handicap with only 4 horses 10st or above.

We could have ended up with a 3 horse affair and no punter wants to see that.........unless they own one of them:)
 
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