The range of different race types held on Australian tracks varies from maiden class at the low and mid level circuits to Grade 1 Weight For Age races held on the major circuits.

To explain in detail the numerous class types would be very confusing but as a general rule the class structure starts at a maiden and works up as follows;

• maiden class (restricted to horses who have not won a race)
• class 1 (restricted to horses who have not won more than one race)
• class 2 (restricted to horses who have not won more than two races)
• class 3 (restricted to horses who have not won more than three races)
• class 4 (restricted to horses who have not won more than four races)
• class 5 (restricted to horses who have not won more than five races)
• class 6 (restricted to horses who have not won more than six races)
• restricted class races based on number of major circuit race wins (age and sex restrictions also apply)
• Two years old horses (colts & geldings, fillies & combined)
• Three years old horses (C&G, Fillies & combined)
• Three\Four years old horses and older
• special conditions based on the number of major circuit race wins
• welter/Transitional handicaps
• open class & quality handicaps
• Grade 1-2-3-4 (Handicap & weight for age/set weights)

Age restricted races are run for Two years old and Three years old horses for a specific sex or combined sexes.

These can be run under handicap conditions or set weights.

The highest level of this type of race is Grade 1 for example the Golden Slipper Stakes (worlds richest Two-years-old race run under set weights) or the various Derbys also Grade 1 level at set weights.

Also races confined to just mares or fillies and mares are also run. These can have no restrictions (open) or be restricted i.e based on number of major circuit wins.

The important point to remember is that a class 1 is a lower grade than a class 2 and so on. A class 1 on a low level circuit track will be lower in standard than a class 1 on a mid level circuit track.

Class 6 and class 5 races are run occasionally at major circuit tracks and these races are of higher standard than similiar races run at the mid or low level tracks.


Australian Terminology

Lbs	weight horse has to carry in pounds
PP	Post position eg starting gate as distinct from weight order.
W%	Lifetime win record of the horse expressed as percentage
ITM	Lifetime in-the-money percentage
S	number of career starts for horse
LES	Lifetime earnings per start
Crs	ITM percentage for horse at todays course
Dis	ITM percentage for horse at todays distance
Dry	ITM percentage for horse on dry turf (Fast, Good, Dead)
Wet	ITM percentage for horse on wet turf (slow or heavy)