For an exciting sport, horse racing can't be beat. There is just something about a stallion galloping down the rail at 40 miles an hour that gets people jumping to their feet. Of course, it also gets people to put money on the line. When this happens though, these people often don't take enough time to conduct any research. A well-placed bet is usually the result of digging through some data. Here are some tips to get you started on the right track.
The form should be your bible, learn to understand what it says and how to use it. Its many abbreviations can be confusing, but here is a brief explanation of the most common ones: "T" tells you that the horse won in the past at this track, but in a race of a different distance; "D" indicates that the horse, in the past, has won at this distance, but not on this track; "C" tells you that the horse won at the same distance on the same track as today's; "B" is an indication for "beaten favorite;" "H" means "home track" for that horse; "W or M" tells you that this horse has won on wet tracks, rated either slow or heavy.
As a starting point, look to the horse's recent history and go with winners. While controversy rages on regarding what is the most important influencing factor, many very good punters will tell you that they look first to a horse that has won in its last race and then go from there.
The papers have ratings on each horse; the horse with the best chance of winning is given a 100, and the others all follow behind depending on their likelihood of crossing the line first. Of course, these numbers aren't set in stone,100 horses don't finish first all of the time. You're better off using this as a tool rather than the end all and be all of your decision making.
Statistically speaking, favorites win somewhere between 28% and 35% of the time-keep that in mind before getting too excited about a "sure thing."
Keep an eye out for comments referring to blinkers, lugging bits, or nose rolls. These are pieces of equipment that trainers use to correct problems the horse may be having and can have a significant impact on its performance from one race to another.
Horses that have recently dropped in class may be good bets, in the absence of other negative factors. On a racing form, look for either an arrow up or down, or "U" or "D" next to the horse's name to know whether or not it is moving class.
Environmental factors are also a crucial part of betting. Some horses do better in certain conditions, so keep an eye out for words like "fast", "dead", and "heavy". Numbers from one to ten indicate the condition of the track from dry to wet.
Do not be fooled into thinking that firmers are necessarily good bets because the odds have improved, or that a blower will necessarily lose. As with other factors, the change in odds before the race is only one amongst many of which you should take note.
To elucidate, a horse for which odds improve is known as a firmer, while the opposite is known as a blower. Remember all firmers do not win, and all blowers do not lose.
The current price of a horse is the product of people's opinions, not of some concrete reality. Knowing this, look for horses for which your opinion differs significantly from the prevailing one. Take time and do your research, but stick to your opinion.
The form should be your bible, learn to understand what it says and how to use it. Its many abbreviations can be confusing, but here is a brief explanation of the most common ones: "T" tells you that the horse won in the past at this track, but in a race of a different distance; "D" indicates that the horse, in the past, has won at this distance, but not on this track; "C" tells you that the horse won at the same distance on the same track as today's; "B" is an indication for "beaten favorite;" "H" means "home track" for that horse; "W or M" tells you that this horse has won on wet tracks, rated either slow or heavy.
As a starting point, look to the horse's recent history and go with winners. While controversy rages on regarding what is the most important influencing factor, many very good punters will tell you that they look first to a horse that has won in its last race and then go from there.
The papers have ratings on each horse; the horse with the best chance of winning is given a 100, and the others all follow behind depending on their likelihood of crossing the line first. Of course, these numbers aren't set in stone,100 horses don't finish first all of the time. You're better off using this as a tool rather than the end all and be all of your decision making.
Statistically speaking, favorites win somewhere between 28% and 35% of the time-keep that in mind before getting too excited about a "sure thing."
Keep an eye out for comments referring to blinkers, lugging bits, or nose rolls. These are pieces of equipment that trainers use to correct problems the horse may be having and can have a significant impact on its performance from one race to another.
Horses that have recently dropped in class may be good bets, in the absence of other negative factors. On a racing form, look for either an arrow up or down, or "U" or "D" next to the horse's name to know whether or not it is moving class.
Environmental factors are also a crucial part of betting. Some horses do better in certain conditions, so keep an eye out for words like "fast", "dead", and "heavy". Numbers from one to ten indicate the condition of the track from dry to wet.
Do not be fooled into thinking that firmers are necessarily good bets because the odds have improved, or that a blower will necessarily lose. As with other factors, the change in odds before the race is only one amongst many of which you should take note.
To elucidate, a horse for which odds improve is known as a firmer, while the opposite is known as a blower. Remember all firmers do not win, and all blowers do not lose.
The current price of a horse is the product of people's opinions, not of some concrete reality. Knowing this, look for horses for which your opinion differs significantly from the prevailing one. Take time and do your research, but stick to your opinion.
About the Author:
David Gately has built a reputation for excellence in horse racing tips. This is due to his highly respected and brilliantly priced weekly horse racing form, for the Australian horse races.
0 comments:
Post a Comment