The Weight Allowance

[barjon]

Is anyone else as totally confused as I am by the current arguments to remove the 3lb Covid allowance and increase the minimum weight by 2lbs??

There we are studying form and relative merits of hoses with, say, 2lbs between them when as far as I can see not a horse on the card is carrying the weight that is designated. For example, the jockey for a horse set to carry 10stone 5lbs can weigh out at 10stone 11lbs at the moment because of the 3lb equipment allowance and the 3lb Covid allowance. My first question is does the jockey have to weigh out at 10:11 or is it anything between 10:5 and 10:11?

Question also about the rise in minimum weight by 2lb. Doesn’t that just mean that the horses on previous minimum weight are disadvantaged by 2lbs, or do all weights rise by 2lbs?

got lots more questions, but don’t want to upset Slim by writing an essay

 

[Desert Orchid]

I imagine it only has an effect when the jockey is rising close to his natural minimum weight.

Obviously there are Flat jockeys who struggle to do 9-0 but I think for the majority they'll be riding within their natural comfort zone.

Where this system is entirely wrong, imo, is that the form book is supposed to state the actual weight carried and clearly this isn't happening, which is putting form students, especially nuts-and-bolts number crunchers like me, at a disadvantage.

The official form returns historically show when jockeys have put up overweight but now that the subject has been mentioned it occurs to me that I can't remember the last time I saw this in print.