Horse racing is pure excitement. The intensity of man and beast hurtling down the track at break-neck speed never fails to get people on their feet. It also gets people betting, but they usually do not take the time to properly research the horses they stake money on. Making intelligent bets is a matter of researching, and researching well. To that end, here are a few tips to help you make the most of the mountains of available information.
Make the form your main source of information and gain an understanding of how it works. While the many abbreviations found on it can confuse a novice better, it's really not that complicated. A "T" marking tells you that this horse once won a race at this track, but a race of a different length. "D" lets you know that the horse has won at this same distance, but on a different track. "C" means the horse has won at this distance and on this track. "B" refers to a "beaten favorite", "H" signals that the horse is on his own territory, and "W or M" indicates that this horse does well on wet tracks. This is a plus if the sky is cloudy.
A great rule to follow is to look at horses who won in their last start. No rule is perfect, and you should always consider a number of factors in forming your opinion, but this one is a favorite guideline for expert punters.
Horse tables in the papers will show numbered ratings next to the horse's names, with 100 being the highest chance of winning and all other horses in the race at numbers below 100. While these are a good guide for novices, do not be fooled into thinking that 100s are always winners. Again, look at these numbers for an idea, but do further research as well.
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 dropped in class can be a great deal, if the situation is right. On the form, keep an eye out for an arrow going up or down (or a U or D), which will indicate if they have recently changed classes.
The conditions of a track are much-watched factor in determining how certain horses might perform. Track conditions are indicated on a scale from one to ten, or with words, either "fast," "slow," "dead" or "heavy." One (fast) indicates a hard dry track and ten (heavy) indicates a wet track. A recent winner may not be a good bet if he did not win on a track of the same conditions. Do not be afraid to avoid certain tracks altogether. Many experts find that if a track beats you time and time again, it is best to leave it alone and choose tracks on which you have had better luck.
As race day approaches, odds on a horse will change. Keep an eye on the odds for sure, but do not make bets based solely on them.
A firmer is a horse whose odds have moved in its favor, and a blower is one for which the odds have worsened. While these are good things to pay attention to, do not be so foolish as to think that all firmers are winners and all blowers are losers.
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.
Make the form your main source of information and gain an understanding of how it works. While the many abbreviations found on it can confuse a novice better, it's really not that complicated. A "T" marking tells you that this horse once won a race at this track, but a race of a different length. "D" lets you know that the horse has won at this same distance, but on a different track. "C" means the horse has won at this distance and on this track. "B" refers to a "beaten favorite", "H" signals that the horse is on his own territory, and "W or M" indicates that this horse does well on wet tracks. This is a plus if the sky is cloudy.
A great rule to follow is to look at horses who won in their last start. No rule is perfect, and you should always consider a number of factors in forming your opinion, but this one is a favorite guideline for expert punters.
Horse tables in the papers will show numbered ratings next to the horse's names, with 100 being the highest chance of winning and all other horses in the race at numbers below 100. While these are a good guide for novices, do not be fooled into thinking that 100s are always winners. Again, look at these numbers for an idea, but do further research as well.
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 dropped in class can be a great deal, if the situation is right. On the form, keep an eye out for an arrow going up or down (or a U or D), which will indicate if they have recently changed classes.
The conditions of a track are much-watched factor in determining how certain horses might perform. Track conditions are indicated on a scale from one to ten, or with words, either "fast," "slow," "dead" or "heavy." One (fast) indicates a hard dry track and ten (heavy) indicates a wet track. A recent winner may not be a good bet if he did not win on a track of the same conditions. Do not be afraid to avoid certain tracks altogether. Many experts find that if a track beats you time and time again, it is best to leave it alone and choose tracks on which you have had better luck.
As race day approaches, odds on a horse will change. Keep an eye on the odds for sure, but do not make bets based solely on them.
A firmer is a horse whose odds have moved in its favor, and a blower is one for which the odds have worsened. While these are good things to pay attention to, do not be so foolish as to think that all firmers are winners and all blowers are losers.
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 earned a reputation for accuracy in horse betting tips. This is due to his highly respected and brilliantly priced weekly horse racing form guide, for the Australian horse races.
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