Automatic Field Selection System

Fields for all meetings (except for Metropolitan meetings and other chosen feature events) are selected in accordance with the Queensland Automatic Field Selection System.

Horses will be awarded field selection points based on their finishing order in any race they contest. The amount of points awarded depends on the meeting type and tiered prizemoney level structure (Refer table below).

Place	Metropolitan TAB	TAB $6,000	TAB $5,000	TAB $4,000	TAB $3,001	NON-TAB (Redcliffe)	NON-TAB (Marburg)
1^st	16	13	12	11	10	8	8
2^nd	14	11	10	9	8	6	6
3^rd	13	10	9	8	7	5	5
4^th	12	9	8	7	6	4	4
5^th	11	8	7	6	5	3	3
6^th	10	7	6	5	4	2	2
7^th	9	6	5	4	3	1	1
8^th	8	5	4	3	2	0	0
9^th	7	4	3	2	1	0	0
10^th	6	3	2	1	0	0	0
11^th	5	2	1	0	0	0	0
12^th	4	1	0	0	0	0	0
DNF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
DISQ	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

The point scores for each horse are calculated on points they have earned over their last five engagements. Of the five point scoring runs the worst point score is removed and the remaining four are accumulated to give the total point score. (See example below)

Date Track Place Points

06/09/2011 Albion Park Ballot 7

27/08/2011 Albion Park 11^th 5 ← removed

19/08/2011 Gold Coast 7th 6

11/08/2011 Gold Coast 1^st 11

02/08/2011 Albion Park 4^th 8

Total 32

A horse will be awarded 7 field selection points if it is balloted from a race selected using the Automatic Field Selection System. These ballot points are treated as a points scoring performance and will replace such horse's fifth previous points scoring performance. This will not be applicable under the following scenarios:

a) When a horse has an unfulfilled engagement;

b) When a horse is a late nomination;

c) When a horse is deemed ineligible at acceptance time;

d) When a horse is balloted from a race having gained a start in another race on the same day.

e) When a horse is balloted from a race having already been balloted from another race on the same day.

f) If the horse is declared an emergency but is scratched.

g) If the race is declared a 'no-race' or is abandoned.

h) When the race field selection is based from lowest to highest point score order.

i) When the total number of field selection points will decrease if seven (7) points are awarded, though,

1) Upon written application from a horses registered trainer, a horse's performance points are to be manually adjusted by RQ when its 5th last point scoring performance is higher than seven (7) points and it has received two (2) ballots for low points at two (2) consecutive meetings (Albion Park Saturday night, unfulfilled engagements, ineligible acceptances, deleted and abandoned races are not included).

2) In accordance with allocating race field selection points, manual adjustments cannot be made until the second consecutive meeting has been conducted.

Ballot points are to be credited to a horse's field selection points total after the running of the race meeting from which the horse has been balloted.

When a horse qualifies to race it will be initially allotted a points score of 28 points (4 'gifted' starts x 7 points). The points score of a newly qualified horse will then be calculated in the same manner as for a horse with a racing history, that is, by considering the horse's last five points scoring performances and discarding the least points scoring performance so that the total of the remaining four points scoring performances becomes the points score used in the Automatic Field Selection System.

In the event that a ballot is required from horses on the same point score as horses that have not yet had a race start (ie: 28 points), the horse which has not yet started will be considered as having 7 'gift' points at its last engagement which may provide the opportunity to gain a start over a horse which has only had one start but earned less than seven points at that start. (Refer example below)

First starter Horse with one start

7 Gift points 3 points at only race start

7 Gift points 7 Gift points

0 points 7 Gift points

28 points total 28 points total

In the above example the first starter will gain the run over the horse which has had only one race start considering the points at the last engagement (7 vs 3).

For all races selected in accordance with the Queensland Automatic Field Selection System, in the event of two or more horses being equal with the same points score, a count back will determine which horse gains a start, with preference given to the horse which earned the highest points at its last start. If both/all horses earned the same points, this procedure will be repeated through each previous start. If both/all horses cannot be separated, the computer will implement a random ballot to determine which horse/s gain a start.

A horse that has an engagement as a starter in a race at Acceptance Time for a given meeting will be deemed as having an Unfulfilled Engagement. Horses with an unfulfilled engagement will only be selected after horses without an engagement.

If a horse is nominated for two different meetings conducted on different days but acceptances close on the same day, the trainer may indicate that he is willing to start the horse on both days if circumstances permit. Should the horse gain a start in its preferred event it will be deemed as having an unfulfilled engagement when being considered for the other race meeting.