Horse Racing In Australia And Its Future

June 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Horse racing has seen many changes over its long history. The introduction of fixed starting gates, and the Totalisator are just two examples of technology that has changed the nature of the sport in more recent times. Horse Racing in Australia though faces a deal of challenges in the coming years.

The traditional funding of racing by punters is one area that has changed dramatically in Australia following the privatisation of the TAB’s. This has opened the market to far more gambling products and increased competition to horse racing for the gambling dollar. The situation is unlikely change in the foreseeable future. Current moves to amalgamate racing clubs are a direct result of economic rationalisation in the industry. Many clubs are situated on land that has grown significantly in value, and are now in the midst of highly sought after residential areas. racing will go on and be under pressure from a range of things including greater than before competition for finance.

Funding has also put a deal of pressure on the grass roots home of racing in the country. No longer supported by Government distribution, traditional tracks now play host often to only a small number of marquee style events that are receiving massive local support. Race meetings like the Ipswich Cup and Cairns Amateur Carnival clearly show the communal service that racing clubs provide.

Racing is not immune from other pressures, and climate change plays a part in the future direction of Australian horse racing. Financial pressures have seen Australian horse breeders find the best possible return on their investment in the sales ring. As a result, there is a move that is internationally growing and moving towards the introduction of all weather racetracks. Not only do they require little watering, but they also reduce the risk of cancellation of meetings due to inclement weather. Many will also argue the benefits to horses of galloping on these surfaces. With pressure on water supply, this is a luxury that is harder to guarantee for the racing industry.

No matter what happens with the global economy in coming years, the centre of horse racing always must be the thoroughbred. Racing is not immune of other stresses, and weather change plays a big part in the future direction of. Horse Racing is not immune from other stresses, and weather change plays a big part in the future direction of. This has had the effect of not only reducing the number of commercially viable stallions standing in Australia, but also a significant reduction in stallion numbers. Veterinarian advancements have also increased the rate of conception meaning that stallions can cover larger books of mares. Modern technology will go on to enhance this ability, and minor horse studs will find it getting more and more difficult to compete. A narrowing of the gene pool appears a probable result. The introduction of shuttling of stallions so as they can serve mares in both hemispheres has further contributed to a narrowing of the gene pool.

As society focuses on quicker gratification, we see the result clearly in other sports. Cricket has seen the remarkable growth of the 20/20 game, while horse racing is tending towards shorter distances. Already, the French Derby has been reduced in distance, and there are calls for many other races to follow suit. Inevitably these reductions will come, making many of the characteristics of our past champion horses obsolete. The rise of sales companies like Magic Millions and their focus on the associated 2yo race for graduates is an example of a trend towards quick return within the industry.


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Karen Cummings has 1 articles online

For more about Australian Horse Racing, Jockeys Premiership,Horse Racing Tips, Bookmakers, Racecourses and more, visit Pro Group Racing and download your free E-Book on How to Win at Horse Racing. ==> http://www.progroupracing.com.au

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Horse Racing Personalities

June 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment
With cold weather and heavy snow having gripped much of the UK in December 2010, the King George VI Chase which is normally held on Boxing Day has been delayed until 15th January 2011. There promises to be some horse racing personalities making the headlines in the new year race.

One famous jockey to have won the King George VI Chase and the only jockey to have won the Sports Personality of the Year in 2010, is the 15 time champion jockey Tony McCoy. He won the award ahead of (the 15 times world darts champion) Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor with 41% of the votes. Tony McCoy has a 25% win rate based on his 3,383 wins from 13,664 rides, he admits to dreaming of reaching 4000 wins. Tony McCoy won the Grand National in 2010 on Don’t Push It and the Champion Hurdle on Binocular is a very self disciplined professional (being noted for not drinking or smoking) said of winning the award “I am dazed. To stand in front of the great athletes I was standing in front of is not something you think is ever going to happen in your life”.

Having won the King George VI Chase on the much loved Best Mate in 2002, along with his friend Ruby Walsh who rode Kauto Star in to victory in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 there are plenty of horse racing personalities in the new year race to make it an exciting one. It can be argued that Kauto Star has surpassed the much loved Desert Orchid’s achievement as the most successful horse at Kempton Park. Having won the King George VI Chase four consecutive times, if Kauto Star wins the race this year it will be an incredible five wins in a row! With an exceptional team of trainer Paul Nicholls (who has trained six champions) and jockey Ruby Walsh he was firm favourite for the 2009 race, it is therefore not surprising Kauto Star is favourite again.

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Orchid Box1 has 1 articles online

Kempton Park is a premiere horse racing venue and a good place for a fun day out, with a winning combination of events and horse racing fixtures that make days at the park exciting. The potential to witness memorable horse racing with fine race horses that have included the amazing Desert Orchid and of course, Kauto Star, Ruby Walsh and Tony McCoy.

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Horse racing system advice – 13 key elements

May 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment

1 – Knowledge is king

Before anyone does anything successfully in life (excluding lottery winners etc) they must learn about their subject – this takes time but is absolutely vital. I strongly urge anyone who wants to make a success of following horse racing systems to first ensure they know the basics, not only about systems themselves but also about horse racing in general. You can read the information on our site or of course search on the web, read books etc. Whatever you do, make sure you dont start while you have any niggling questions in your head – there is no harm in asking or delaying slightly while you investigate further.

2 – Avoid lies

No great elaboration is required here, quite simply if there is a chance your efforts are going to be based on a lie or a myth, there is no point continuing. If you believe someone simply telling you to back something or to follow a system makes it worthwhile, I am sorry to say you will more than likely end up losing.

3 – Avoid hype

There are two forms of hype – namely the obvious and the more subtle. Lets say you stumble across a website with flashing pound signs and a testimonial explaining they have won their members ?20,000 in the last 8 days using an unbeatable system. The results are verified to a tipping league and they claim they just want to help you out, its a limited offer and if you dont sign up now you will apparently miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime. You read the forum and see 8 or 9 messages stating all their dreams have come true. This is obvious hype – if you are taken in by this you need to seriously consider whether you should be betting at all!

When people overreact to a snippet of information without fully researching what they have been told, this is also falling victim to system hype. For example during the build-up to a big race the trainer is interviewed and announces he will retire following the race and he hopes to go out with a bang. Before too long someone mentions a different trainer who in the past retired and won a big race. People then back the horse based on this and in doing so fall victim to hype albeit of a slightly subtler nature.

4 – Beware of randomness

From my viewpoint if there is no possible feasible reason to explain the profit/loss of a horse racing system then it is open to randomness. Its the name of the game that we all have different interpretations of what may or may not be valid, but if you cant write down in a couple of sentences what the rules are and make logical sense, then in my opinion its impossible to believe historic results can be trusted. This is a huge reason to always ask for system rules prior to parting with your cash on a supposed system selection. A ridiculous example (i havent checked this!) but if its profitable to back any horse with its 4th letter being G on a Monday after 4pm while its sunny then you can be pretty sure it is totally random!

5 – Ensure accurate data

Something I have suffered from and a key reason I built our site. Your results show you may have found something special, the reality is its very ordinary. Find a source you trust and spot-check a few selections and searches you carry out.

6 – Adequate testing period

Its vital to ensure the results set you have backtested against are sufficient. But its also vital to ensure once you start backing you give the system a fair chance to perform – many people give up after a few losers. The number required varies depending on the system but whatever your criteria you should initially create a bank with which to test your theory. There are many suggestions regarding the size of this bank but my own thought is to take the longest losing run and multiply by 3. If it does run out with this size of bank, its fair to assume you have given it a fair shot but its time to rethink or look elsewhere.

7 – Public awareness

What I refer to here is how long your system will remain profitable. Its important you do your bit to try and keep it this way. If you stumble across something and then post it in forums all over the web its likely others will follow suit and soon your system will have lost its edge. This is another reason to be weary of services selling you systems. How many people have they sold it to? When they compiled the results its likely nobody was following it!

8 – Betting Exchange Price Variance

This can work in a positive way for backing systems but in terms of laying systems you MUST be aware of the difference between exchange prices and SP. Its very hard to give a definitive percentage difference because it varies wildly, but if your system is throwing up lays at 50/1 i can assure you it will be almost impossible to lay at these prices on the exchanges. Depending on your system you will need to take this into account before attempting to start laying as a couple of losers and you could really get your hands burnt.

9 – Nothing lasts forever

Every system will have a lifetime and its important to regularly monitor for changes in the performance of the system or circumstances, which may affect it. As an example imagine you were backing a jockey who was consistently profitable. Eventually this will change and the sooner you catch on the better- it could be because the bookies catch on and the odds are affected, maybe he was an apprentice and loses his claim, perhaps he got a lot of rides from a certain owner and falls out of favour or it could just simply be he gets old and his ability begins to decline. Any system can be wiped out instantly and although we can not always control all of these things in advance we can watch for the change in performance.

10 – Dont be greedy

So you find something and get excited. It doesnt matter, this needs to be treated the same as any other system, compile a strategy in terms of how much you will wager on each selection and stick to it. The bookies are in dreamland as a result of over-eagerness to get one over on them. If you normally work on a basis of ?5 per point, stick to the same or if you must increase alter your bank and strategy accordingly. NEVER get so excited by the figures before you and lose control, if the system is as wonderful as it seems then in time you will make a profit by sticking to your plan.

11 – Be disciplined

Imagine you have found a system that involves backing second favourites in a certain type of race. You wake up and view your qualifiers only to discover one of them runs against a horse you like. If you are following the system rules and have a bank set aside accordingly, the horse you like is irrelevant – the bet should be placed. Otherwise you are allowing personal opinion to affect your system and the rules have changed. It is no longer a system with the rule “back second favs in race types xyz” and has became “back second favs in race types xyz when i feel like it”.

12 – Separate banking

If you dont have a separate bank and you are human its likely your money will get spent on something else. I also recommend having a separate account for each type of system, even if its only on an excel spreadsheet. Too many people have lost out and given up due to not having a tight grip on their staking bank.

13 – Common sense

Probably the most important thing in any walk of life, common sense can get you very far. In your approach it is absolutely imperative you apply common sense – this can summarise every other point i have made. This means knowing your limitations, being aware of the basics in whatever you are doing, taking sufficient steps to accurately analyse the past and keeping a close eye on progress. But above all common sense will stop you from falling victim to losing money as a result of stupidity, being mis-led, indiscipline, lack of awareness or downright greed.

Conclusions

Following horse racing systems can be either a very profitable practice or a complete disaster, how things turn out is reliant on your approach. At HorseRaceBase we can help you with everything systems related, including an astonishingly powerful system builder. Try a free trial.

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bagnallc has 1 articles online

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Secret Horse Racing Betting Strategies – The Overhyped Horse

May 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Often one of the best betting opportunities is to avoid betting on an over-hyped horse. Examples would be Zenyatta in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup and Smarty Jones in the 2004 Belmont Stakes. Both were formidable rivals and yet most veteran handicappers agree they were overbet. Yet passing over an overbet horse certainly gives the bettor an advantage, but it still doesn’t pick the winner.

There is no question that Zenyatta was one of truly great mares of all time, and comparisons to Ruffian, Winning Colors, Personal Ensign, Go for Wand, and Bayakoa are not without merit. However, such was the degree to which her reputation preceded her going into the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic that any reasonable handicapper would say that no matter what her chances, she would be taking more money than was justified. Certainly a great deal of casual money was bet by spectators that were just looking for some fun, and in the absence of any real handicapping, casual bettors tend to go with name brand value – that is they tend to go with whichever horse gets the most media coverage.

Any reasonable assessment of the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic field would suggest that the eventual winner Blame, ought to have been a bit shorter price than the 5-1 odds he went off at. Zenyatta went off at even money come post time. This means that about three times the betting money wagered on Blame was placed on Zenyatta, suggesting that she had about three times the likelihood of winning. Blame was a multiple Grade 1 winner and had and had even won the Grade 1 Stephen Foster and the Grade 2 Clark Handicap the previous fall, both of which were run at Churchill Downs, which would seem to give him a horse for course advantage.

The ultimate result as history has shown, was that Zenyatta came up a head short to Blame at the wire. It is easy to say after the fact, but Blame really was a logical value bet at 5-1 that day. Basically, if you can isolate that race where a horse that is given excessive media attention is running (a Kentucky Derby winner, for example), and you can find a reasonable alternative to that hyped horse, that is a formula for success.

Once the general public and the media get involved in the world of horse racing, the betting opportunities really do open up, as it did in the 2004 Belmont Stakes. By any reasonable measure, Smarty Jones was the best of a mediocre group, and didn’t stack up with the great horses of history. And yet the media built him up as the next superhorse – one that was invincible. Any reasonable analysis should indicate that at best he should have been even money, which indicates a 50% chance to win. He actually went off at odds of 1-5, which means that five of every six dollars bet were placed on Smarty Jones. In other words, the betting public felt there was an 83 percent chance that Smarty Jones would win. The smart bet in this race would have been to bet all the other horses in the race, or perhaps pick four or five other logical alternatives to Smarty Jones and bet them.

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Lee Lane-Edgar has 234 articles online

Lee Lane-Edgar

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The Horse supplements business

May 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

These days the horse breeding business is thriving because of the demands of people having use for these majestic animals that are increasing in number day by day. They are required for things such as police training as well as army training. Many people used them in games like polo etc. and horse racing is altogether a separate stream of game which is popular because of betting. Many who can afford to own their own horse like to ride them as a hobby or to train in preparation for competitions.  

For all these purposes, horse breeders as well as sellers have to maintain the quality of the horses so that they can derive good money. This is one of many of the reasons that they use horse supplements, so they can keep their horses in good health.

The business of horse supplements is equally profitable and requires less labor then that of horse breeders of course. All you need to do is to open a place to store these supplement and to learn about various types. Finding out which are of good quality and which out of these are of poor quality is essential. You would only feed yourself the best so will do the same for your beautiful horse. If you are also keeping hay for sale then you have to see that they are sold when they are green and should be free from fertilizers. Another important thing is to keep a check on the expiry dates of the supplements so that you do not sell it to the customer after its expiry date. Just like in a supermarket with food, keeping an eye on what you sell is imperative. If you think there are more competitors in this business then you should employ marketing strategies like door to door services, and easy discounts or cash points. This way your business will thrive in no time but you have to maintain your quality at all cost.

These days some supplement vendors are becoming wise and have transformed their business into wholesale business where they sell to small vendors instead of breeders directly.

However keeping horses is fun because you get the chance to train them and also you get the opportunity to make friends with them. Like dogs they are also faithful friends and they never let you down. When a horse grows old they need to be taken care of more and stronger supplements will be beneficial at making sure they stay healthy.

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Zoe Robinson has articles online

Zoe Robinson is an enthusiastic writer in the subject matter of pets and their supplies. The websites recommended by Zoe Robinson have been thoroughly researched and come highly acclaimed from direct experience. Take a look at a range of horse supplements today.

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Betting On Horse Racing: General Terminology

May 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Horse racing is a major industry, and spawns billions of dollars of investments each year. No matter who you are though, horse racing is a lot more fun if you can pick a winner. Here are a few basics on finding that elusive animal.

Favourites – these are the horses that most people think will win and start at the lowest odds. While sometimes they represent value, many times they won’t. No matter what you think of the return, it is a simple fact that favourites win a third of all races. If you are going to bet on them, or against them, you have to know this. Like all statistics, this relates to an overall picture of horse racing for an extended period and not the next three races.

Tracks – different racetracks suit different horses with different styles of racing. Often this will be termed bias and you will often hear comments like “there was a real leader’s bias today.” This means that the winners all were near the lead on the home turn. Overall in Australia especially, most races will be won by horses in the first six on the home turn, so a so-called leader’s bias may not be anything out of the ordinary. Do your homework and find out what horses should be near the lead as this will often improve their chances of winning.

Speed Maps – these are projections of where each horse is likely to be in the running of a race. They are obtainable from some internet sites, and also you can buy from some tipsters.

Tipsters – they are people who make their living out of telling you what horse will win. Some have a great strike rate, while others don’t. They often measure their success by different methods, so be careful when backing someone else’s judgment rather than your own.

Barriers – the starting gates for a race. The barrier each runner has is written in brackets after a horse’s name in Australian form guides. In the US, the barrier is shown by the saddlecloth that the horse carries. Barriers can be very important in determining where a horse is positioned throughout the race. Some tracks, and even starting points on a track, can affect the chances of a horse starting especially from wide barriers.

Tracks – you have heard the old saying of “Horses for courses.” It really was written about horse racing and some horses perform better on some tracks than others. Many form guides will have the number of starts for a horse at the track they are running on today.

Form Guides – these inform you the prior or past results of the runner. Most will have at least the past three starts. Better guides will give a lot of information about a horse’s form including how far they were beaten and the time that the winner ran.

Times – times can be your greatest friend or your worst enemy. They depend on a number of factors like how the race is run, and how far away from the winner a horse finished. A general rule of thumb is that 1 second equals six lengths.

Weight – a horse being handicapped is by the amount of lead weight that they will carry in an event. If they jockey is lighter than the handicap, lead weights are added to the saddle bags. Jockeys are weighed prior to the start of the race and then weighed again after the race to ensure the correct weight was carried by the runner. This is known as weighing in or out.

Stewards – these are the policemen of horse racing. They look at the race from a range of vantage points around the racecourse. Their job is to make sure that the jockeys obey the rules of racing, and to ensure that every horse has a fair chance of winning.

Protests – when an incident occurs in a race that is suspected to be illegal in terms of the rules of racing, either the connections of the horse, or the stewards, are able to lodge a protest. Like a small court case, the parties give evidence before the chief steward and review the footage of the race. The steward then gives his decision, and has the power to change finishing positions, or even disqualify horses from a race.

Weight For Age – this is the top form of racing when all horses are handicapped by way of a long standing allocation of weight for the age that a horse is. Older horses carry more weight than younger horses, and male horses carry more than female horses.

There is always something new to learn about horse racing, but this might give you a start along the way to being successful in betting.

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Karen Cummings has 1 articles online

To read more about Australian Horse Racing, Jockeys Premiership, Horse Racing Tips, Bookmakers, Racecourses and more, go to Pro Group Racing and receive your free E-Book on How to Win at Horse Racing. ==> http://www.progroupracing.com.au/group_races/CoxPlate/cox_plate.htm

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Horse Racing Handicapping Angle Horses That Fade Now Going …

May 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

One of my favorite horse racing angles seems to defy logic.  In the world of betting on horse races and finding value in your wagers, however, you’ll find that if something is logical and seems to make a lot of sense, it is usually over bet.  When something is over bet, it means that the crowd has latched onto some piece of conventional wisdom and hammered so that even if the horse wins, it is a lousy bet over the long run.

An example of one of these horse racing “isms” that everybody and his brother seems to know is “Lone Early Speed in the Race.”  I’ll bet that as soon as you read that phrase you knew exactly what I was talking about.  It is one of those situations handicappers look for where only one horse has early speed and will easily make the top and win the race.  Everybody knows about it and when it occurs, it is usually bet down below fair value odds.

Fair value odds simply means that if you bet a horse under those conditions at those odds ten times you will lose money in the long run.  Let’s say you spend $10 per race for a total of $100, but the payoffs are so low that you only take back $90, you’ve lost money despite cashing tickets.  That is an example of a horse below fair value odds.

Sometimes you have to either sit a race out or go against the wisdom of the crowd.  Cases where you sit races out are typically where you don’t have a strong opinion about a horse and therefore don’t want to risk money on any of the runners.  Here is a bit of conventional horse racing handicapping wisdom that is still good no matter how many people know it, call it a principle of wagering.  If you don’t have a strong opinion about a race, don’t bet the race.

One bit of conventional wisdom that you can cash in on if you have the courage to go against the crowd and what seems to be common sense is the horse who faded in a race that is shorter than today’s event.  An example would be a horse who took the lead at the half mile marker in a $5,000 claiming event at six furlongs who is now in a $5,000 claiming race at a mile.  Obviously, if he couldn’t go three quarters of a mile without fading he certainly won’t be able to get a mile, right?  Well maybe, but not necessarily.

The problem is pace and how he handled it in the last race and what the pace of the race may be today.  If this is a horse that needs to settle and run off the pace and gradually make his move he may have expended too much energy in the earlier stages of that sprint and consequently burned himself out.  In a longer race where the pace may actually be slower and he may have time to get his stride and run his own race, that fader may actually hold on.  

Many people will be shaking their heads after the race when that type of horse wins, but if you’ve looked at the pace and determined the horse was used hard in the early part of that race and therefore compromised his chances of winning, you’ll be heading for the windows to cash your ticket.  Don’t just assume that a horse that faded in its last race can’t go a longer distance and be competitive.  Always look at the pace scenario of the race that any horse faded in and then make your decision about its chances today, no matter what the distance.

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Bill Peterson has 1 articles online

If you want to learn how a horse owner and insider handicaps just go to http://williewins.homestead.com/truecb.html and get the truth. Bill Peterson is a former horse race owner and professional handicapper. To see all Bill’s horse racing material go to Horse Racing Handicapping, Bill’s handicapping store.

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Horse Racing Betting Strategy to Win

May 24, 2012 By 1 Comment

The horse racing betting is one of the easiest ways to make profits. In order to do so you do not need to leave the comfort of your own home anymore. There are lots of opportunities due to the internet, including the horse betting.

On the World Wide Web have lots of the horse betting websites where you can place your bet. In fact there are betting systems that will help you to find the winner. The systems are well prepared and developed by experienced horse betting punters in many years of practice. 

I can give you at least one system name which will tell you exactly the horse you have to bet in order to win. Well, these kinds of systems can quickly set up the winner for you and give you a personal income well developed system.

During my horse race betting experience I follow a few simple principles in order to have the best chance to win. In the following paragraph I will share them to you.

How do you make your plan?
This method comprises your betting budget and the structure of your bets in order to place them to all of the interesting horse races of the day. It is just like when you set up a start up business. So stick with the plan and the budget in order to clearly know all the actions you take. You will get the ability to not bet on every race.

How to prepare and set up your funds? 
This plan should be the first to do. In the stock market or betting places there is a saying which tells to bet the money that you can afford to lose. So in any gambling activity, there is a risk element. For instance, after you have planed your budget, it is important to select just a part of it to bet on a specific result. You can apply the Pareto rule. You can choose to lay 80% on one specific result and save the 20% in case you do not have that result.

How to experience different types of bets?
You can perform the combination bet for a bigger risk, but with a bigger stake to be won. On the other hand a normal bet will give you a smaller risk, but with a smaller stake to win.

How do you inform yourself?
Know everything you can about the horses and their previous performances. You will also have to keep in mind the condition of the soil, or the going and who the jockeys and trainers are involved. It is important to take into account the performance of the jockey in addition to that of the horse. There are many factors to take into account when it is about choosing a winning horse.

How can you persist and resist?
For sure you will fail sometimes. This is why most of the gamblers give up. This is the reason just few of them win. If you are not on the game how is it possible to win? If you would like to know more about using an automated horse racing betting system, that will show you the route to take by an experienced punter, then visit http://www.besthorseracingbettingsystem.info

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gabi urse has 1 articles online

The Best  Horse Racing Betting System Ever to Make Money created by an experience and successful punter Grey Samules. In order to see the betting system explained, visit http://www.besthorseracingbettingsystem.info

With more than 15 years experience in horse betting arena, he created the best automated betting system.

 

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Horse Racing Betting Tips for Small Bets With Big Payoffs

May 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

If you are seriously trying to make money on your horse racing bets, but don’t have much money to make your wagers, you’ve probably figured out that you’re in for some tough sledding.  Being under funded is one of the major reasons that small businesses fail.  It is also one of the reasons that many gamblers fail.  The less you have the more critical your money management plan, and yet, if you tighten up too much, you’ll miss the opportunity for a big score and a big score is exactly what you need.

While the well funded bettor who can make a $1,000 win bet without breaking into a cold sweat can grind it out and be content with a 10$ return, the small timer who wagers a total of $100 in a day is wasting his or her time trying to make 10% on total wagers.  The $10 profit, if you’re lucky enough to make it, just isn’t going to cover your expenses and make a difference in your life.

Small timers need smart wagers that have a good return and also a good strike rate.  Otherwise the effort is wasted.  Now don’t get me wrong, everyone who handicaps horse races wants a good return and a good strike rate, but keeping those two factors in mind will help you when choosing your bets.

Let’s start with the strike rate first. Which bets are you best at picking?  Do you do well handicapping maiden races and picking winners?  If you have the highest strike rate with maidens then that is where you should start looking for your wagers. It all comes down to knowing your own strengths and weaknesses and then building on your strengths and avoiding weak spots in your play.

So find the race or races where you are most consistent and then start thinking about how you can turn little successes, like picking winners in maidens or turf races or whatever your specialty may be, into big payoffs.  The safety and security of win bets may be appealing, but grinding it out with win bets just won’t make enough profit.  You’re going to have to play exotics and in such a way as to score big.

Look at your choice.  If you typically win on horses in the 2-1 to 5-2 range, and you cash about 35% of the time, then you’re going to need some long shots behind that winner to make a good trifecta or exacta. The way that you have identified a good bet for win is not how you find a good horse or horses to back up your choice.

Now it is time to throw a lot of the rules out the window and start thinking about value.  There is usually very little value in playing the second and third favorites for second or third in an exotic bet unless you have a longshot on top.  If you have a short priced horse on top, then it is time to look at the hroses at longish odds and find a runner with a reason to make it into your exacta.

This is where one or two good angles, such as early speed in a race where early speed is important, or post position, or some other factor may help to move this long shot into your exotic bet.  Obviously, there must be a reason for the runner to be at long odds, so you’ll have to forgive it if the jockey doesn’t win very often or the horse has had a long layoff, etc.  You aren’t looking for perfection when making choices for second and third, you’re looking for angles and a horse that will almost win.  Some horses and jockeys are experts at almost winning.

Use your top choice in the win slot and back it up with flawed runners with at least one redeeming value and you will often find yourself cashing a generous mutuel.  Let the crowd bet the logical contenders for second and third.  They’ll cash often but not enough to cover the cost of their bets.  On the other hand, you’ll cash almost as often and make a profit.  That’s what it’s all about when you don’t have a big bankroll and need a good cash flow.

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Bill Peterson has 1 articles online

Bill Peterson is a former horse race owner and professional handicapper. To see all Bill’s horse racing material go to Horse Racing Handicapping, Bill’s handicapping store. If you want to learn how a horse owner and insider handicaps just go to http://williewins.homestead.com/truecb.html and get the truth.

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Britain's greatest horse racing events

May 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

In the UK, horse racing is much more than simply a pastime: it’s a tradition that’s steeped in history, and one of the country’s most watched and highly lucrative sports. With 60 licensed race courses across Britain and two in Northern Ireland, horse racing trophies are much publicised events and the formal dress code expected of spectators at these events adds to the overall atmosphere of ceremony. If you’re a complete newcomer to British horse racing cups, here’s a quick guide to three you cannot miss.

Perhaps the most famous horse racing event in Britain is the Grand National, a three-day event held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool every April. The first Grand National is generally believed to have taken place in 1836 (though there is some debate about this) and today it is one of the most lucrative National Hunt events in the country, with a prize fund of £950,000 in 2011. Despite starting as a local event, the Grand National is now a televised global phenomenon, with an estimated 500 to 600 million viewers across the world.

Another famous horse racing event is the four-day Cheltenham Gold Cup, which takes place at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire annually in March. The course declares itself as “the home of National Hunt racing” and boasts a scenic location in the Cotswold Hills. Although the Grand National may have a more illustrious global profile, the Gold Cup is actually the older event, first taking place in 1819 before being inaugurated as a jumps race in 1924. The prize fund, however, is around half that of the Grand National.

Nevertheless, while the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup are major fixtures on the British horse racing calendar, the event that usually stirs up the most excitement in the public and the media is Royal Ascot. Held at the Crown Estate-owned Ascot Racecourse near Ascot in Berkshire, the event is strongly associated with the Royal Family and was founded by Queen Anne in 1711. Even today, Queen Elizabeth II attends Royal Ascot in a horse-drawn carriage and a Royal procession take place at the start of each race day.

Royal Ascot takes place over five days in June (Tuesday to Saturday) and over £3 million is offered in prize money. However, while the actual horse racing is an important part of the event, this is often overshadowed in the news headlines by Ladies Day, slated for the Thursday of Royal Ascot week. Ladies Day is dominated by socialites in glamorous outfits and ostentatious hats – however some of them have been known to take it too far, to the point where it almost looks like they’re in fancy dress. That being said, in keeping with the centuries-old traditions of British horse-racing, there are strict rules governing ladies clothing, such as a minimum length for dresses and no bare shoulders or midriffs.

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Paul Buchanan has 1 articles online

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