Punters enjoying themselves at KZN’s flagship racecourse, Hollywoodbets Greyville. (Picture: Wayne Marks)
KZN racing has always been a popular jurisdiction for punters and they might have been confused lately by the new descriptions of races such as A Stakes, B Stakes, Class 2, Class 3, Open Maiden etc.
They might have assumed that both the “Class” races and the “Stakes” races are handicaps, but in fact the “Stakes” races are merit rated band races, which makes them the equivalent of Pinnacle Stakes races.
Open Maidens are handicap events with various conditions also attached.
The KZN program, initially covering the period 1 January to 28 February 2025, has introduced the stakes-boosted class racing structure to the province, while unveiling financial incentives via the RaceCoast incentive scheme.
This article explains the conditions of the various new types of race and also reveals the incentives in place as per the RaceCoast Incentive Scheeme (RCIS).
The ultimate aim of these changes is to improve racehorse ownership and to achieve enhanced field sizes with the knock-on effect of increased betting turnovers.
The “Class” races are the handicaps and the higher the class the higher the stake money to be won.
5% of the stake of each race is put into the RaceCoast incentive scheme (RCIS).
Class 2 handicaps have a merit rated benchmark of 112, meaning a horse merit rated 112 will carry 60kg and the weights are worked out using that horse as the pivot.
Class 2 races have a total stake of R150,000 with R7,500 of that going to the RCIS.
Class 3 races have a benchmark of 96 and total stakes of R135,000 of which R6,750 goes to the RCIS.
Class 4 races have a benchmark of 80 and total stakes of R120,000 of which R6,000 goes to the RCIS.
Class 5 races have a benchmark of 66 and total stakes of R90,000 of which R4,500 goes to the RCIS.
For fillies and mares handicaps the benchmarks are the same, but the total stakes are R135,000, R125,000, R110,000 and R80,000 respectively and the RCIS contribution is R6,750, R6,250, R5,500 and R4,000.
The A, B, C and D “Stakes” races and Middle Stakes races are merit rated band races.
A Stakes Races:
Benchmark at 61,5 kg = 113 merit rating and above
Benchmark at 60,0 kg = merit ratings of 110 to 112
Benchmark at 58,5 kg = 107 to 109
Benchmark at 57,0 kg = 104 to 106
Benchmark at 55,5 kg = 101 to 103
Benchmark at 54,0 kg = 98 to 100
Benchmark at 52,5 kg = 95 to 97
Benchmark at 51,0 kg = 94 & below
For B Stakes races the 61,5kg benchmark is for 94 to 96 merit rated runners and the weights per merit rating will go down by the same proportions as in Class A.
For C Stakes races the 61,5kg benchmark is 76 to 78 and will also go down by the same proportions.
For D Stakes race the 61,5kg benchmark is 62 to 64 merit ratings and the weights per merit rating also go down by the same proportions.
The Middle Stakes race have a different structure, which will be to the benefit of the higher rated horses, because the weights are compressed, as shown below:
MIDDLE STAKES
For All Horses with a nett rating of 102 and below
Benchmark at 61,5 kg = 99 to 102 merit ratings
Benchmark at 60,0 kg = 95 to 98
Benchmark at 58,5 kg = 91 to 94
Benchmark at 57,0 kg = 87 to 90
Benchmark at 55,5 kg = 83 to 86
Benchmark at 54,0 kg = 79 to 82
Benchmark at 52,5 kg = 75 to 78
Benchmark at 51,0 kg = 74 & below
For A, B, C, D and Middle Stakes races the winner of this race will not incur a penalty of more than 6 Rating points.
There will be no rating increase for placed & unplaced horses.
Sex allowance of 2.5 / 3.0 / 3.5 kg for Fillies and Mares, subject to a minimum weight of 50 kg.
In C, D and Middle Stakes races maidens will receive a 1kg allowance.
The Open Maidens will have the below structure:
OPEN MAIDEN
For all Maidens
Weights:
61.5kg to be determined by the highest nett rated horse.
For all merit rated horses below the highest nett rated horse, weight to be determined from
61.5kg downwards, using 2 merit rating points = 1 kg
Unrated horses to carry 60.5kg
2-year-old Allowance of 4kg will apply to unrated horses
2-year-olds to be weighted as unrated horses
Sex Allowance of 2.5 kg for all Fillies
Minimum Weights:
4-year-olds and over C&G – 53.5kg / Fillies 53kg
3-year-olds C&G – 52.5kg / Fillies 52kg
Open Maidens for females will have the same structure, except of course for the gender allowance.
The incentive schemes include a R2250 rebates for the owner of every runner and a R500 saddling fee to the trainer of every runner and also a R250 fee to the jockey of every runner.
However, these incentives are excluded if the horse wins or if it finishes last or if it is scratched.
There is also good stakes money for the KZN Juvenile Series and for juveniles in general.
The KZN Futurity Plate at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday, which was leg 1 of the series, carried a total stake of R300,000; leg 2, The Hollywoodbets Greyville Futurity Plate on March 2, also has a R300,000 stake; and leg 3, the Gr 3 Godolphin Barb on April 27, has a total stake of R500,000.
Juvenile Plates will all carry a total stake of R150,000 and Restricted Maiden Juvenile Plates will carry a R200,000 stake.
