What does maiden hurdle mean?

It is a term assigned to a horse that has never won a race in its career — and it is also a term for a race featuring only these unlucky horses!

What is a novice hurdle?

A novice in National Hunt horse racing is a horse which has not won in a particular type of race prior to the start of the current season. A novice hurdler has not won a hurdle race before the start of the current season, while a novice chaser has not won a steeplechase before the start of the current season.

What does maiden mean in racing?

horses that have never won a single race
By definition, maiden races are for “maidens” — horses that have never won a single race. Many of the runners in such events are lightly-raced or even unraced.

What is a maiden chase?

Races for younger horses. A maiden race is a race for horses that have not previously won. They are held over a variety of distances and conditions with the right to run based on the sex or age of the horse.

What is a horse handicapper?

Handicapping is the process of identifying and finding a winning horse using available information, and individuals who master this process are known as handicappers. Many factors must be considered when handicapping horses. And some use a variety of handicapping techniques to improve their ability to select winners.

What is a maiden claimer?

Maiden claimers represent the lower rungs of the maiden ranks. In maiden claimers, each horse is available to be claimed (purchased) for a predetermined amount. On major racing circuits, the amount can be as high as $150,000, and the competition is correspondingly strong.

What is a weight handicap?

The long handicap is shown when one or more of the horses competing in the race has a handicap mark so much lower than the highest rated horse that the actual weight they should carry according to their official rating is lower than the minimum weight allowed in the rules of the race.

What does claiming a horse mean?

Advice from a winning owner and trainer in Quarter Horse racing for claiming a racehorse. Claiming, the act of buying a horse out of a race for a pre-designated price, is one way to enter into the ownership of a racehorse. (

What is a maiden special weight race?

MSW – Maiden Special Weight. These races are reserved for horses that have never won a race. They are not eligible to be claimed. The term special weight is derived from the fact that arbitrary weights are assigned to horses by age. (e.g. 3 year olds 118 pounds, older 122 pounds.)

What is flat horse racing called?

National Hunt Flat races – commonly known as bumpers, these are for horses bred for jump racing. No obstacles are jumped and the races are seen as a building block to a future career over hurdles or fences.

What is the meaning of hurdle?

Kids Definition of hurdle (Entry 1 of 2) 1 : a barrier to be jumped in a race 2 hurdles plural : a race in which runners must jump over barriers

What is a maiden in horse racing?

Maiden: This is where the majority of horses start their racing careers. Maidens are races for horses who have never won a race and are predominantly races for two-year-olds. Any horse who wins a maiden is automatically given a rating making them eligible for handicaps.

What is the meaning of Maiden?

Definition of maiden. (Entry 1 of 2) 1 : an unmarried girl or woman : maid. 2 : a former Scottish beheading device resembling the guillotine (see guillotine sense 1) 3 : a horse that has never won a race.

What is the difference between a maiden and a handicap?

Maidens are races for horses who have never won a race and are predominantly races for two-year-olds. Any horse who wins a maiden is automatically given a rating making them eligible for handicaps.