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SportsTranscript
00:00The class structure for racehorses and the racers themselves in Hong Kong,
00:03especially compared to other racing jurisdictions, is a streamlined one that allows for a far more
00:08simplistic understanding of the proven ability of gallopers and where they fit into the system.
00:13Every horse that races in Hong Kong has a numerical rating.
00:16The higher the rating, the better proven quality of the horse.
00:19Those ratings, of course, can move up and down depending on current performance levels.
00:24This in turn affects which races they are eligible to compete in,
00:28because races in Hong Kong have a class rating.
00:30At the top we see what's referred to as pattern races,
00:33or what US audiences may know as stakes or graded races.
00:37Then class 1 races are next, down to class 5 events.
00:40The horses competing in these have comparable ratings to be eligible to race in them,
00:45with specific racing levels dictating what grade they can run in.
00:48Class 3, 4 and 5 make up the bulk of races in the jurisdiction.
00:53Almost every race outside of some of the pattern races is a handicap event,
00:57so the highest rated horse in the race will carry the most weight,
01:00and that is benchmarked down to the lowest rated horse who will carry the least.
01:04This makes for very competitive and even racing,
01:06which in turn contributes to the value in betting markets and the size of the betting pools.
01:12The spread in weight compared to what the US racing fans are used to in local handicap events
01:16is far greater, and is worth taking into account when assessing a runner's chances.
01:21The other class of races in Hong Kong are referred to as Griffin events.
01:25These races are for horses that have been imported to Hong Kong as unraced horses,
01:29or perhaps in other circumstances that have been purchased by the Jockey Club at overseas auctions.