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Split second

twmills

twmills

Colt
Can anyone share how the Sporting Life used to calculate speed ratings, I think it was called Split Second.
 
Ken Hussey was the originator of Split Second speed ratings when he worked for The Sporting Chronicle and the Handicap Book
before it was taken over by Raceform in 1983.

His apprentice at the time was Dave Edwards "Top Speed" who took over the role and ended up working for the Racing Post.

The Split Second speed figures today are a totally different concept and are compiled by Dave Bellingham of Raceform, whereas the speed figure method
use by Dave Edwards is exactly the same format as used by myself, except he uses a different set of lbs per length figures and uses WFA.

I have never been able to take the Dave Bellingham's modern Split Second speed figures seriously, because his class pars keep on making me laugh:gotcha:

Group 1 112
Group 2 111
Group 3 108
lst 107
2 108
3 105
4 103
5 100
6 99
7 96
 
Thanks BB. How did Ken Hussey compile the original split second, because thats what I am looking for the old split second method, if anyone knows and is willing to share.
 
As far as I am aware Dave Edwards is still using the same method, except in the old days WFA wasn't used as it corrupted the speed figures.

One of the first posts I did on the forum was an example how I compiled speed figures, this is the same method as Dave uses today.

You could email Dave Edwards at the Racing Post and ask him, but as he is busy all the time as he keeps on telling me, he just doesn't reply to emails,
I wonder sometimes what he does all day, I can do what he does in a couple of hours, I would like a job where you only have to work two hours a day.
 
I use the rating tool in Racing Post's members results section, it's just a simple process of putting in a lbs per length figure,
allocate a speed figure to the winner and click calculate, it will calculate a 30 runner handicap in a millisecond.
 
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Multiply the lengths beaten by the lbs per length for that distance.

A horse being beaten 5 lengths by a winner rated 100 over 5f at Ascot (lbs per length = 3.36)

100 - 5x3.36 = 83

This is an exact method, and unlike the ratings tool at the Racing Post it does not allow for any 3yo allowance to be added, when beaten by an older horse.

An example of this was at Meydan last week, when a 2yo ran in a race with older horses and received a 2yo WFA allowance, although finishing 5th
he ended up with a speed figure of 75, I subtracted the 18lb allowance and he finished up with speed figure of 57.

I always accept the 3yo WFA allowances as is, but not the 2yo allowances as they are far too generous making a mockery of your speed figures,
again this is just my own personnel preference.
 
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The Split Second ratings are an expression of a horses speed in terms of lengths per Mile as opposed to LBS per Length. Basically, if one horse has a top speed figure five points superior to another and both horses run to their best form over a mile, the first horse should beat the second by five lengths.

You cannot use them to compare with BHA Ratings

Good Luck

Chesham
 
Thanks BB, with weight do you adjust the beaten horses to 9st, or just adjust the winner only, and then do the beaten lengths adjustment.
Do you also keep the allowance for NH as you do the flat.
 
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