Apprentice Claim

The apprentice claim is a weight allowance — commonly 3kg, 2kg or 1.5kg in Australia, reducing as the rider's winners mount — deducted from the horse's allotted weight when an apprentice rides. It is a real physical advantage, not a formality: 3kg is worth roughly a length and a half over a middle distance. Claims are not available in every race, with most Group and Listed events excluded.