Why can't we scrap it but deal with it on an individual basis? The top 5-10 trainers don't get to use it except if they left space in their stable, then maybe they can add 2 horses, new horses, but not if they have to delete. Any completely new stables are allowed to upload. And anything like what's happened with gray can be dealt with on an individual basis, surely no one would begrudge someone who's not been able to play till after the start time uploading some horses when they could

It doesn't need to be a straight scrap it completely or keep it as is surely?

I second this, the comms were a major part in me deciding to give it another go. At the time it was mostly down to yourself, Doug an Stu. They're a massive addition to the league an make it a lot more enjoyable.

I think maybe sometimes things get dismissed way too quickly, and as in all things in life now, there's no proper discussion about the pros an cons. It's just whoever shouts the loudest. Refusing to close down the window seems a little mad to me. Why cant we do it, anyone inside the top 10 can't upload any more horses. New trainers can upload a stable. That would have meant |i didn't have Xinyi Player last season mind you.

I also massively agree there's too many group races at the minute. Especially over the middle distances. We could definitely cut a few, either cutting down on the number of races completely, or adding in a few lower races. There does seem to be a lot of people missing this season as mentioned

yeah agree replace some group with lower level handicaps

Just done a quick math and there is roughly 189 horses rated 80 and below and they make up 33% of the horses.

In Week 4 there is 39 races and I'd say there is 9 races for them.

In week 5 there are 39 races and I'd say there is 10 races those horses can win

In week 8 just 9 out of the 43 races

So they make up 33% of the horses but only get around 23% of the races.

Handicap bands will be dropped next season so there will be more. The problem is they not very subscribed even though it's 33% of horses. At present there are number of races with 1 entry and quite a few with 2

The numbers are in I love a good stat I think 0-80 h'capp horses are only good enough to win 0-85 races . When they have to take on 90 plus rated horses they have little chance unless well h'capped.

Weeks 4 43 races 9 for them
Week 5 39 races 10 for them
Week 6 40 races 10 for them
Week 7 43 races 5 races for them
Week 8 43 races 8 races for them
Week 9 43 races 12 races for the,
Week 10 43 races 9 races for them
Week 11 43 races 11 races for them
Week 12 43 races 12 races for them
Week13 43 races 12 races for them.

I think there should be around 12 races up to 0-85 each week after the maidens

Has before each season i had messages with Volunteers i knew Flat handicapping was going to be a problem and did get in touch with Sirius and he kindly replied laying out his reasons why it was not possible to do them at this moment in time.

Doug was asked to handicap Week 1 and 2 Then go with the Race Kit Doug went into Lockdown and he was unable to do them Craig was good enough to volunteer last season but trainers wasn't happy with the way ratings was going it has come to a point Guys Nothing we do will be perfect be it Manual or Race kit the only Fix is is the way the Game Handicaps the Horses correctly and that can only be done by Mark.

Last thing i want to see is Martin leave he and Doug even Stu have made this league what it is with the Com's Stu get your Mic Out and now Both Ryan's Have joined in Leon of course with his Work on Tom without him no league.

This constant unhappy trainers every season moaning about the schedule and it's mostly the flat schedule although tough handicapping on the jumps this season has shown us a Handicapper in uture leagues and this is my opinion is a must until the game Handicapping is Fixed.

I have spent many season's with race runners, Handicappers and commentator's asking them to carry on although they are not happy with the way things are going be a top Trainers or lower tier Trainer you must realise if your stable is full of Stars you are not going to get all your stable to race every week.

It is up to you to look at the schedule and work out what Stable you want pick your best two horse's for the Gold Cup but dont moan to me that your best 3m to 3m 5f horses dont have enough graded races may be pick the horse that finished sixth in your trials and have a Handicapper or Hunter it is up to you to structure your stable to the Schedule not the Schedule to be structure to your stable.

Keep the window instead of Uploading Horses better than you got or on par maybe upload a Handicapper or Hunter and this can happen with the top Flat guys maybe bring in handicappers not group horses.

If Martin does leave I might need to pass this on i know Leon relies on me and i must say i do Rely on Martin to sort the coms out has he as always been someone who will jump in and make sure we get those com's in and its one side of the league i know that has had a safe pair of arms i hope he stays i want him to. WE just have to put up what we got this season Guys and wait until the season is over.

I will Consider after the break to Monitor the NH Handicapping and go in and adjust where i think its gone to far like it did this week in that graded Chase.

Gray

Thats all very well but entries are what matter. This week flat race 19 and 23 1 entry Race 10, 37, 28 2 entries race 38 4 entries. I added mostly handicaps to the schedule this season but mainly 0-100s to sort out some of the issues That's just on the flat Nh has similar issues with low field numbers. Now if you compare those to 0-100s you will see very large fields. Not all smaller trainers have only lower rated horses, they have some decent horses as well. The decent horses need to be catered for and tatt's why there are so many 0-100's which is too low for group horses.

I don't think low field numbers are bad thing though as it gives trainers an opportunity for a win but just putting things in perspective as your figures are misleading. Week 7 for example has a low number of handicaps because that is the upload window and new horses need to get marks so handicaps are no good. ( schedule for week needs to be looked as a whole and not like this)

This will most likely change next season to fit the race kit handicapping

Hi Gray,

I will help out with the handicapping next season. But I think we need 4 volunteer to cut down the work load. 24h is way to much time for me to commit too.

Martin done leave you are a a great team member of this league and your comms along with the other guys are top drawer.

You'll have myself an Vinny onboard next season for handicapping.

If we can find 2 other volunteers? This will lighten the load throughout the season.

Plus we will have back up if someone cannot do it that week.

I read somewhere previously that the maidens are causing a lot of the issues with handicapping? Why even run them as maidens if that is the case?

Or have I misinterpreted something...

Can someone explain in detail why the racekit handicaps badly?

Is it specific race types or situations that it struggles with or is it generally that it changes ratings too slowly to make up for initial misjudgements/errors?

There has been a mix of manual and race kit handicapping and it hasn't worked too well. The current schedule doesn not quite fit how the race kit handicaps However it seems as we may have a solution for next season and possible even this season.

There have been a lot of positive ideas on here and that may lead to a solution for next season

Agreed Gray, let’s just enjoy the fact we have a league that creates some fun and banter and competition rather than a standalone game we just play on our own.

I’ll keep helping out with comms and agree Martin is ace to work with on it.

Maybe we can even look at the ratings given at the end of a race as I agree the racekit can’t handicap NH, it’s much worse than flat.

Let’s enjoy this season and make some tweaks to make next season even better

I'm not sure I fully understand all the issues but will throw a few thoughts to consider:

1. Leave the racekit to do the majority of the handicapping, then every trainer has a maximum of 3-5 appeals per week for a horses handicap to be reviewed by the "VAR handicapper", a human being.
Trainers lodge their appeals by posting in the thread in the forum.
Appeals should be lodged at least 48 hours before a deadline, to give time for the VAR handicappers to do their jobs. Any appeals lodged after the 48 hour deadline will be reviewed the week after.
It is up to the VAR handicapper to decide whether a rating should be reduced and by how much, maybe cap the reduction at 15 pounds per appeal.

2. The VAR handicappers will review the rating of all horses that have won a handicap race that week and may increase their rating if they feel necessary.

3. Reducing the number of new horses existing trainers can upload during the window to 3, no matter how many spaces they have in the stable. Any new trainers using the mid season window can only upload 12 horses per stable. These new horses could be reviewed by the VAR handicappers that week.

4. Reducing stable sizes from 25 to 20. The less horses the big trainers have, the less chances they have of winning and it gives more of a chance to the smaller trainers that their best horses can win races.


Martin, your commentary is great, it would be a big loss for the league to lose yourself and the other commentators. Hopefully compromises can be found here to keep the majority of trainers and contributors happy.

i like that idea dan