KINGSTON, Jamaica - The regulatory arm of horse racing in Jamaica, the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC), has changed the maximum weight to be carried by any horse in a handicap or condition race to 57.0 kgs or 126 lb. This rule change by the JRC has been gazetted and will come into immediate effect.
The September 6, 2021 publication of the Jamaica Gazette regarding the rule change states as follows:
“In exercise of its power under section 22 (1) of the Jamaica Racing Commission Act and of all other powers thereto enabling the following amendments are made by the Commission to the Racing Rules 1977 as amended: -
“In any handicap, the allotment of weight in respect of the highest weighted horse declared to start in the race shall not be more than 57.0 kg and the allotment of weight for the lowest weighted horse declared to start in the race shall not be less than 46.0 kg.”
“Rule 175 of the Racing Rules 1977 as amended is hereby further amended by deleting Rule 175 entirely and replacing it by the following rule: -
“Rule 175 –
(1) The top weight to be allotted in a condition race shall not be more than 57.0 kg.
(2) The bottom weight to be allotted in a condition race shall be not less than 46.0 kg.
(3) No horse shall carry less than 46.0 kg in any race unless an apprentice or a jockey allowance is claimed.
(4) Where the condition applicable to a race causes adjustments to be made to the weights allotted to all horses in the race, to permit the bottom weighted horses to be allotted a weight of 46.0 kg, such adjustment to the top weighted horse shall be made only to the extent that it is equal and proportionate to the adjustments made to the weights allotted to the other horses in the race provided that such adjustment shall not exceed the top weight of 57.0 kg.
Chairman of the JRC, Clovis Metcalfe, commenting on the weight rule change, said it came about after consultation with stakeholders in the racing industry.
“We had discussions with especially trainers who voiced their dissatisfaction with the top weight being 59.0 kg or 131 lb. There was no issue with the bottom weight being 46.0 kg or 101 lb.
“We said to them that a document with the signatures of those opposed to the 59.0 kg rule would have to be submitted before the matter could be discussed by the JRC board of commissioners.
“That document with the signatures was submitted and after due consideration was given, the decision was taken to make the amendment to reduce the top weight to 57.0 kg or 126,” Metcalfe said.
