Conditions races are
horse races
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...
in which the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving weight from older runners to allow for relative maturity, referred to as
weight for age; and the quality of the runners, with horses that have won certain values of races giving weight to less successful entrants.
Conditions races are distinct from
handicap races, for which the weights carried are laid down by an official handicapper to equalise the difference in ability between the runners. In Great Britain, for example, the
British Horseracing Authority's rules define a conditions race as being one "which is none of the following; a Handicap Race or a Novice Race, a race restricted to Maiden Horses, or a race governed by Selling or Claiming provisions."
Conditions races are staged at all levels of horse racing. As all of the most important races in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
are conditions races, the term may also refer to races for the very best horses, known as
Group races
Group races, also known as Pattern races, or Graded races in some jurisdictions, are the highest level of races in Thoroughbred horse racing. They include most of the world's iconic races, such as, in Europe, the Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l ...
. That is not the case in North America and Australia, where handicaps are included in the Group race/Graded race system.
See also
*
List of horse races
*
List of British flat horse races
*
List of French flat horse races
*
List of Irish flat horse races
*
List of Australian Group races
This List of Australian Group races is recognized as a list of Australia's classified Black type thoroughbred horse races.
The Pattern Committee of the Australian Racing Board (ARB) recommends which races shall be designated as Group and Listed ...
References
{{Reflist
Horse racing