Weight For Age Scale

 

By Paul Segar

 

 

The weight for Age (WFA) scale has been in use for many years now. Learn about the basic scale as adapted by Pureform.

 

The weight for age scale on thoroughbred horse racing has been in existence since the 19th century and was devised originally by Admiral Rous, a handicapper with the English Jockey Club.

The theory goes that by the age of two a horse has achieved 95% of its mature height and weight, and by the end of its third year will be fully mature.

During this time the horse has gained its size but in terms of galloping speed and endurance it has not truly matured completely until perhaps five years of age. Perhaps older.

So the weight for age (WFA) scale was created to adjust or make some kind of allowance for younger horses.

Now the big difference for the high quality races, the weight for age races run for huge prizemoney compared to a normal handicap race is that the weight carried has no bearing on the previous success or failure of the horse.

So the mighty Winx for example with so many wins can carry the same weight as a same aged mare that may not have even won a single race.

Clearly the best performing horse is extremely well handicapped in a WFA race compared to a normal handicap event that uses benchmark or other figures to determine the weight to be carried.

The benchmark figure on the official website is shown for most races and from this number you can see the advantage/disadvantage compared to other runners.

The benchmark handicapping system is loosely based on the WFA scale and you can see the well handicapped runner, eg Winx when comparing her benchmark rating against her rating using the WFA scale

Race 7 - 3:50PM TATTERSALLS CLUB CHELMSFORD STAKES (1600 METRES)
Of $250,000 GROUP 2 Standard WFA 3yo+
No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating	Adjusted Wt
1	4x12x3361x	SENSE OF OCCASION	Kris Lees	Corey Brown	2	59kg		113	62
2	13311255x4	RED EXCITEMENT	Gerald Ryan	Joshua Parr	5	59kg		108	59.5
3	7255x3642x	WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ)	Chris Waller	Christian Reith	1	59kg		108	59.5
4	112x8746Px	LIBRAN (IRE)	Chris Waller	Glyn Schofield	8	59kg		107	59
5	x5543321x8	ALLERGIC	James Cummings	Tim Clark	12	59kg		106	58.5
6	112x1240x5	ANTONIO GIUSEPPE (NZ)	Chris Waller	Tye Angland	10	59kg		103	57
7	121x37301x	CHOCANTE (NZ)	Stephen Marsh	Rory Hutchings	9	59kg		101	56
8	3x1412x3x5	SARRASIN (GB)	Chris Waller	Michael Walker	4	59kg		98	54.5
9	1841x122x2	LIFE LESS ORDINARY (IRE)	Chris Waller	Kerrin McEvoy	11	59kg		92	51.5
10	1212652x57	HARPER’S CHOICE	Gerald Ryan	Brenton Avdulla	6	58.5kg		89	50
11	111x1111x1	WINX	Chris Waller	Hugh Bowman	3	57kg		132	71.5
12	1x027530x0	LASQUETI SPIRIT	Lee Curtis	Jay Ford	7	56.5kg		102	56.5

The previous table shows a WFA race won by champion mare Winx. Her weight as shown in the table is 57kg. If she were to carry her weight according to her benchmark rating, she would have carried 71.5kg!

Red Excitement, actually gave her 2kg and was run down after leading fast. In a handicap race he would receive more than 10kg. Pretty clear Winx would not be winning with that weight and probably not either if it was a set weight race (all carrying say 57kg and mares 55kg).

The top trainers place their horses to best advantage which is why they are the top trainers and why they have short priced runners, that often win.

So from this example, clearly some horses have a huge advantage in set weight events. Winx in this race had 10kg.

 

(May need to widen the screen or scroll for the complete tables)

WFA Scale (Australia)

	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL
1000m-1200m
2yo						44.0	45.0	46.0	47.0	48.0	49.0	50.0
3yo	50.5	51.0	52.0	52.5	53.5	54.0	54.5	55.0	55.5	56.0	56.5	57.0
4yo	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5
5yo	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5	57.5
1200m-1400m
2yo						43.0	44.0	45.0	46.0	47.0	48.0	49.0
3yo	49.5	50.0	51.0	52.0	53.0	53.5	54.5	55	55.5	56.0	56.5	57.0
4yo	57.5	57.5	57.5	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58
5yo	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58
1400m-1600m
2yo						42.5	43.5	44.5	45.5	46.5	47.5	48.5
3yo	49	49.5	50.0	51.0	52.0	53.0	54.0	55.0	55.5	56.0	56.5	57.0
4yo	57.5	57.5	57.5	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58
5yo	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58
1600m-2000m
2yo						41.5	42.5	43.5	44.5	45.5	46.5	47.5
3yo	48	48.5	49	50.0	51.0	52.0	53.0	53.5	54.5	55.5	56	56.5
4yo	57	57	57	57.5	57.5	57.5	58	58	58	58	58	58
5yo	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	58
Fillies and Mares allowed 2.5kg from 1 August - 31 July

Weight For Age racing as run at the major carnivals is for most people the highest level of horse racing with only the best horses capable of winning. The WFA scale grades weight carried according to the age and sex of each performer with no regard for number of races won or prize money or anything else.

A true weight for age event is run at reasonably high speed but typically climaxes with a breakneck sprint home leaving only the strongest and fastest "standing".

From a spectacle viewpoint, watching a WFA race live in the grandstand is a truly epic sporting experience with tactics of both horse and rider, luck and bad luck, the dash to the line shapes the scrap almost like a collosal action movie, the punters cheering for their charge, the atmosphere, electric. It's the reason why major carnivals still overflow with eager patrons.

From the table, a 2yo is handicapped to carry 44kg in January over 1200m.

A 4yo or older male horse is set to carry 57.5kg.

Essentially the scale suggests the equivalent older horse is over 13kg better than the early 2yo. The exact figure may not be so accurate but the level of weight difference appears correct with the baby 2yo's being totally outclassed at this time of year.

By July, the 2yo has, according to the scale made 6 kg improvement up to a 50kg weight 'rating'. Any 2yo can pretty much be eliminated in a WFA event when running against older horses.

 

Female horses receive an allowance compared to their male counterpart which is why many a top mare has performed well at WFA, eg Winx, Black Caviar and Makybe Diva.

3yo's can and do improve greatly during the racing season and in WFA races get a significant weight advantage.

It is interesting to note that perhaps two of the best 3yo's to race recently, All Too Hard and Pierro were both unable to win the Cox Plate of 2012 with the older Ocean Park giving both 3yo's 8kg weight advantage and a caning.

The Cox Plate is a great example supporting the validity of the WFA scale.

The WFA scale is useful when considering younger horses competing in better class races (and the advantage afforded to some older horses compared to the scale).

Refer to the scale to see when horses are well/badly handicapped. Often that big weight drop from a WFA race back to a major handicap is enough to snare that elusive long shot winner.

There are very few modern day horses capable of weight carrying records of yesteryear with weight being, as always, the great equaliser. Use the scale to compare the age and the weight when looking at the form of younger horses.

If you are interesed to learn more about weights, WFA and betting on horse racing try the Introduction to Dutch Betting, Introduction or Benchmark Courses

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