Class Handicapping

[the_fat_man]

I'm as big a critic of pace/speed figures as there is. However, I don't think that class handicapping, either individually or in combination with numbers, offers an advantage over numbers alone. This is not about whether class handicapping can result in more winners but, rather, about the extra time invested in producing those winners. A combined approach would pretty much limit one to a single circuit, as there are just so many hours in a day. On the other hand, a well developed (and thus automated) numbers system would allow one to play multiple tracks, allow one to pick out horses with clear advantages, and thus result in not significantly more plays but more plays where one has an advantage. This results in more plays, less chasing of plays where one doesn't have a strong advantage, and makes it easier to overcome tough beats (given the increased number of plays). It's about mismatches today: the more the better.