Hi,

Just wondered if apprentices actually claim weight or not? Obviously if they did, I'd be much more inclined to put a 7lb claimer on a top weight but I just didn't think they actually did take weight off. Just a query as it'd be quite a good thing for SO5, but only if the apprentices wern't as good as pro's, as then you may as well constantly have apprentices.

Cheers

apprentices take weight of your horse in handicaps and maidens not listed or group races though

I'm not so sure if they do PJ, I have to say that o have never notice my claimer taking 3lbs off any horse I run no matter the race... I don't look that hard but I don't think they actually take their weight off!

have to agree with you TopCat, have never noticed a weight concession

Course they do, that's the number in brackets after the jockeys name, if you look in the racingpost it shows exactly the same style

It is not possible for us to 'see' an apprentice taking weight off. As with real life horse racing, horses still have their unadjusted weight against them on the race card but they actually carry that weight adjusted by the claiming weight in brackets next to the jockey's name. Only Mark could confirm for sure that in the underlying code horses race with the adjusted weight.

It'd be good if Mark could confirm this because there is no way to tell.

On another note apologies for the poor English in my last post, using my phone and rather failed!

i think they do take the weight off
why would apprentices be in the game

i have won the melbourne cup many times using apprentices on top weight that would not win unless the weight was off

Just entered a horse in a 0-100 and she was allocated 10stone. Booked my 7lb apprentice on board and checked the racecard result after and the horse still carried 10stone, so no, the apprentices don't appear to claim anything at all! Little point in getting one then!

it will show 10 st on race card and result page

they do take the weight off

i put a horse in a 0-110 handicap 1 with normal jock 1 with claimer

normal jockey 7th claimer 1st won by 2 lengths same race same day same horse
the claimer took 7lbs off and made all the difference

This is what you would expect to see on a usual race card isnt it? eg:

My Horse 9-0 Ann Apprentice (7)

This means that although My Horse is allocated 9 stone, my 7lb claimer would mean the horse runs with 8st 7 lbs on his back?

I'm sure the game acounts for it in this way too.

ya spot on

True, unless you are At The Races who take the weight off!

Would like confirmation of this weight off situation but if it is true, might make top weight a bit easier!