# Conditions race

> A conditions race sets weights by fixed entry conditions, not a rating. How it differs from a handicap and why the label affects place terms.

Source: https://eachwayatlas.uk/glossary/conditions-race/
Updated: 2026-11-07

A conditions race is a race where the weights and entry rules are fixed in advance by stated conditions, such as the age or past wins of the horses, instead of an individual rating. It differs from a [handicap race](https://eachwayatlas.uk/glossary/handicap-race/). In UK betting the label appears on racecards, next to the race name that the place terms refer to.

## What a conditions race is

The organiser publishes the conditions before entries close. They say who may run and what weight each type of horse carries.

No handicapper adjusts the weights horse by horse. The levelling that a handicap tries to do is not the aim here.

Why it matters: a card that says conditions race and one that says handicap describe different fields, and place terms may be written differently for each.

**The short version:** in a conditions race the stated conditions, not a rating, set the weights.

## Conditions race against handicap

**Two ways of setting weights · Editorial working, definitions to be rechecked against the BHA · checked 7 November 2026**

| Question | Conditions race | Handicap race |
|---|---|---|
| Who or what sets the weight | The published conditions of the race | A handicapper's rating of each horse |
| Aim of the weights | To apply the stated rules | To bring chances closer together |
| Place terms | Not verified | Not verified |

The two place-terms cells stay as they are until we have read at least two operators' wording.

**The short version:** the difference is who sets the weights and why.

## Where you meet the label

Racecards and racing websites show the race type next to the race name. The place terms for your race still come from the operator's own wording; see [find the place terms before you bet](https://eachwayatlas.uk/each-way/read-place-terms-on-a-racecard/).

The longer comparison is on [handicap and other races each way](https://eachwayatlas.uk/racing/handicap-and-other-races-each-way/).

**The short version:** read both the race label and the place terms for that race.

## What we have and have not checked

The definition is a general one and is marked for a recheck against the BHA or the organiser. No named race has been used as an example.

**Conditions race facts · checked 7 November 2026**

| Fact to read | Where to read it | Status |
|---|---|---|
| The BHA or organiser definition of a conditions race | BHA publications or organiser pages | Not verified |
| Operator place terms for conditions races | Operator rules, at least two, dated | Not verified |
| A named conditions race from a programme | Organiser programme page, dated | Not verified |

**The short version:** general definition shown; sourced facts marked Not verified.