Understanding Track Ratings: How They Affect Race Day
Track ratings are an essential part of horse racing. They help trainers, jockeys and punters gauge the condition of the racing surface, influencing strategies and predictions. We’ve developed a straightforward guide to help you interpret track ratings and what they mean for race day.
1. The Basics of Track Ratings
Track ratings provide insights into the firmness and quality of the turf. They are determined by a mix of visual inspections and specific measurement tools, giving a comprehensive view of the racing surface conditions.
2. How Track Firmness Is Measured
Two main tools are used to assess the track surface:
Penetrometer: Measuring Firmness
– The penetrometer measures how firm or soft the turf is by recording the depth it sinks into the ground.
– It gives a numerical value, with lower numbers indicating a firmer surface and higher numbers suggesting softer, wetter ground.
– It is widely used in Australia and New Zealand to gauge surface moisture and firmness.
Going Stick: Measuring Firmness and Stability
– The Going Stick is a more advanced tool, commonly used in the UK and Europe (and increasingly in Australia).
– It assesses both penetration (firmness) and shear strength (turf stability):
o Penetration measures how firm the surface is, similar to the penetrometer.
o Shear Strength measures the resistance of the turf when twisted, giving insights into how well the ground holds together.
– This dual measurement provides a more detailed view of the track condition, considering both the surface hardness and the deeper structure of the turf.
3. Interpreting Track Rating Scales
The Australian Track Rating Scale helps to interpret the measurements:
– Firm 1 to Firm 2: Hard, dry surfaces, ideal for speed horses but rarely seen due to risk of injury.
– Good 3 to Good 4: Ideal racing conditions, with slight give in the surface for balanced racing.
– Soft 5 to Soft 7: Increasing softness, slowing race times, favouring horses that handle yielding ground.
– Heavy 8 to Heavy 10: Very soft, waterlogged surfaces with deep footing, challenging even for strong horses.
For the Penetrometer, the scale typically looks like this:
– 2.0 or less (Firm 1): The track is extremely hard and dry, almost like a road. This is rare as it poses a high risk of injury.
– 2.1 to 2.5 (Firm 2): The track is very firm with minimal give, ideal for speed horses but requires careful handling.
– 2.6 to 3.0 (Good 3): Slight give in the surface, offering a balanced and fast racing surface. This is considered optimal for most horses.
– 3.1 to 3.5 (Good 4): The track is a bit softer, providing more cushioning while still maintaining fast conditions.
– 3.6 to 4.0 (Soft 5): The track has noticeable give, and starts to feel soft underfoot. Favours horses comfortable on yielding ground.
– 4.1 to 4.5 (Soft 6): The track is significantly softer with increased moisture content. Race times begin to slow down.
– 4.6 to 5.0 (Soft 7): The track is very soft, approaching heavy conditions. Horses with strong stamina and a preference for softer ground perform best.
– 5.1 to 5.5 (Heavy 8): The surface is waterlogged and deep. Race times are slow, and only horses proven on heavy tracks excel.
– 5.6 to 6.0 (Heavy 9): Extremely soft and saturated track with little stability. The conditions are very testing for all horses.
– 6.1 or higher (Heavy 10): The track is deep, heavy, and almost unfit for racing. Expect very slow times, and there is a high risk of cancellations for safety reasons.
For the Going Stick, the scale typically looks like this:
– 0.0 to 4.0: Heavy going, very soft, and waterlogged.
– 4.1 to 6.0: Soft going, with noticeable give in the surface.
– 6.1 to 8.0: Good to Soft, a balanced track condition.
– 8.1 to 10.0: Good going, ideal for fast racing.
– 10.1 to 12.0: Good to Firm, firmer track with minimal give.
– 12.1 to 15.0: Firm to Hard, very firm, almost road-like conditions.
4. How Weather Influences Track Ratings
Weather is a major factor in track ratings:
– Rain softens the surface quickly, increasing the likelihood of a “Soft” or “Heavy” rating.
– Dry and warm conditions make the track firmer, often requiring irrigation to maintain an ideal surface.
5. A Real Example: Rosehill Gardens Track Data – 13 November 2024
Let’s put this information into practice with the latest data (day prior) for the Rosehill Gardens meeting on Wednesday 13 November 2024:
– Penetrometer Reading: 5.08
– This reading suggests a Heavy 8 condition on the Australian scale.
– It indicates a very soft and moisture-heavy surface, with significant give, likely slowing down race times.
– Going Stick Rating: 10.4 with Shear 13.1
– The Going Stick score of 10.4 suggests a Good to Firm condition, which might seem at odds with the penetrometer.
– The high shear strength (13.1) indicates a stable underlying turf structure, suggesting firmness below the softer surface layer.
Interpreting These Results:
– The surface layer is soft and wet (as shown by the penetrometer), and is likely to be as a result of irrigation or rain prior to the reading.
– The underlying firmness (as indicated by the Going Stick and shear values) might favour speed horses that perform well on a firmer base.
– If the surface does not dry prior to racing, this mixed condition could make the race outcomes less predictable, requiring flexible race strategies.
– If there is no overnight rain or irrigation, you could expect to the Penetrometer rating return score to return closer to a good rating prior to racing tomorrow.
– You can see the latest readings for all tracks through the Racing Australia or state/territory racing websites.
By understanding how these measurements work together, you’ll be better prepared to understand racing strategies and how tracks can change between the surface and underlying conditions. We hope this helps you confidently interpret track ratings.
Happy racing!