Top Free Racing Picks

Today's pick

2012-10-26T10:00:00.002+01:00

12:30 NEWCASTLE Novice Hurdle (Class F) (4yo+) 2m G/Sft (Sft places) ->Time Out
1:30 NEWCASTLE Handicap Chase (Class B) (4yo+) 3m G/Sft (Sft places) ->Poker De Sivola
2:05 NEWCASTLE Novice Handicap Hurdle (Class F) (4yo+) 2m4f G/Sft (Sft places) -> Locked Inthepocket
3:15 DONCASTER Handicap (Class B) (3yo+) 6f Soft (G/Sft places) -> Mehdi
3:50 DONCASTER Handicap (Class D) (3yo+) 1m6f132y Soft (G/Sft places) -> The Betchworth Kid 1:50 NEWBURY Maiden Stakes (Class D) (2yo) 6f110y Soft (Hvy places) -> Carry On Sydney
2:20 NEWBURY Maiden Stakes (Class D) (2yo) 6f110y Soft (Hvy places) -> Sea Shanty
2:50 NEWBURY Maiden Stakes (Class E) (2yo) 1m Soft (Hvy places) -> World Record
3:40 FAKENHAM Handicap Chase (Class D) (4yo+) 3m110y G/Sft (Gd places) -> Helpston
4:50 FAKENHAM Handicap Chase (Class G) (4yo+) 2m5f110y G/Sft (Gd places) Farewellatmidnight

The Top Horse Racecouses in The UK That Attract The Classiest Runners

2012-03-20T00:00:00.000+00:00

The Top Horse Racecouses in The UK That Attract The Classiest Runners
By Paul John Coleman

image: depositphotos

The unique thing about horse racing tracks in Britain is that every course is different from each other. Some have steep uphill finishes such as Cheltenham or Towcester. Some are very tight tracks such as Chester. Some of the National Hunt tracks have stiff fences or undulating tracks.

Here is a list of tracks where a previous course win would be a big advantage in the UK because of the unique characteristics of the course.

Ascot, Carlisle, Chester Epsom, Newcastle, Beverly Catterick, Goodwood, Newmarket, Brighton, Pontefract and Lingfield for flat racing.
Ascot, Fakenham, Kelso, Newcastle, Carlisle, Fontwell. Leicester, Plumpton, Catterick, Haydock, Lingfield, Sandown, Cheltenham, Aintree, Towcester for National Hunt racing.

Most trainers will run their horses within a certain class according to the horse's ability. If a horse shows very good form the trainer may up it in class to a better grade of venue. Most of the top grade racing with the biggest prize money is run at eight courses. These are Ascot, Epsom, York, Newmarket, Goodwood,
Doncaster, Sandown, and Newbury. Obviously a horse moving up from a low-grade track to one of these top venues would have to be out of the ordinary to win a race there.

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Older Horse Stakes

2012-03-19T00:00:00.000+00:00

Older Horse Stakes
By Navshin Chatur

image: depositphotos

While most of the racing world will be focusing on the three-year-olds at Gulfstream, Santa Anita and Tampa, there are two important races going on for the older horse division. First is the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap at Gulfstream Park.
The one-turn, one-mile drew a field of only six, but it is a deep field. Of the six there are three graded stakes winners including a Grade 1 belonging to Jackson Bend, who is not even the favorite.

Instead, favoritism landed with Mucho Macho Man, who will be cutting back a furlong in distance after winning the Sunshine Millions classic in his last start. Prior to that, MMM won a mile race at Aqueduct.
As a three-year-old Mucho Macho Man was one of the top prospects in the country. He won the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds then was third in the Kentucky Derby, sixth in the Preakness and seventh in the Belmont.

It will be interesting to see if jockey Ramon Dominguez hooks up with Tackleberry, who drew to his outside. Tackleberry was a beast at Gulfstream Park winning three of four including this race. He is likely to be on the front-end when the gates open for jockey Rajiv Maragh, who rode MMM in four starts before being taken off in the Belmont.

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Happy St.Patrick's Day - E/W picks

2012-03-17T10:27:00.000+00:00

1:35 » Down Royal (IRE)371/3-   Touchthewood

3:15 » Down Royal (IRE)P21/     Dices Loaded

3:50 » Down Royal (IRE)4-3F12   Yes Tom

4:20 » Down Royal (IRE)0-U424   The Shepherd

4:55 » Down Royal (IRE)023      Six Stone Ned

2:55 » Wexford (IRE)8-3      Mctaggart

3:30 » Wexford (IRE)P2117     Isobella Blue

4:00 » Wexford (IRE)P33U30    Wilde Wit Pleasure

4:30 » Wexford (IRE)P-13PF    The Fonze

Cheltenham Festival 2012

2012-03-16T00:00:00.000+00:00

Cheltenham Festival 2012
By Jason Millward

image: depositphotos

The festival features a total of 27 races including 14 chases, 12 hurdle races and 1 flat, or bumper, race. Cheltenham takes place every March and almost always coincides with St. Patrick's Day, making it a very popular choice with Irish visitors and Guinness drinkers!
Cheltenham's official title is the National Hunt Meeting, going all the way back to 1860 when the National Hunt Chase was held at Market Harborough. The Betfred Gold Cup is the undoubted jewel in Cheltenham's crown and was first established in 1924. For the vast majority of its history Cheltenham has been a three-day long festival, however all this changed in 2005 with the introduction of a fourth day; meaning there would be one championship race on each day, with the Gold Cup taking place on the final day of the event.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the jewel in the crown of the Cheltenham Festival and is one of the most anticipated races of the National Hunt season as it showcases the best race horses that Britain and Ireland have to offer. It is run over the new course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3miles and 2.5 furlongs, and with 22 fences to be jumped it's a fantastic spectacle.
With this being such a prestigious event in the racing calendar there will be an estimated �25million spent on betting for the event. With no shortage of free bet offers from some of the world's leading bookmakers Free Bets Online brings you a handy guide to Cheltenham Gold Cup Free Bets to help you make the right choice.

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The Implications of the Size of Fields to Betting

2012-03-15T00:00:00.000+00:00

The Implications of the Size of Fields to Betting
By Himanshu Joshi

image: depositphotos

There are many Jockey Clubs in many horse racing areas. Some of these clubs have been in existence for many years. There are Jockey clubs that were established more than 100 years ago and they are still in operation. The clubs' main role in the horse racing industry is to improve the racing arena. The main categories addressed by these horses are the thoroughbred and the breed races. These Jockey Clubs are actively involved in research programs, whose findings are published and shared in horse racing news papers and websites. Research programs include the study of aspects that would lead to enhanced performance of the horses in readiness for the races.

One of the recent findings by Jockey Clubs revolved around the size of field and betting done by the racing enthusiasts. The findings that were relayed through the horse racing news channels have generated interest in the betting circles especially during major events. Among the areas highlighted during the research, the size of the field stood out very well. Observations made included the fact that the sizes of the fields have gone down. The fields are much smaller today than they were only a few decades ago. Horse racing news reporters have also taken interest in the research findings. They have reported that whenever a new horse is taken up in a racing field, the value of the average handle improves by at least $100000.

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Horse Racing Systems and Betting Angles to Find Winners

2012-03-14T00:00:00.000+00:00

Horse Racing Systems and Betting Angles to Find Winners
By Paul John Coleman

image: depositphotos

Some pro punters use speed rating some use systems based on weight. Others go on trainer form and jockey form. Others base their selections on class or recent form.
Many use a mix of different strategies to find value bets. To become good at picking horses requires years of study but you can make the process easier by using horse racing methods or systems for picking winners.

Many punters have asked me if horse racing computer software works. I tend to find that using software does not take into account things such as the changing going conditions or a trainer suddenly going through a bad patch. Most computer software is based on the current form of a horse so it may be worth trying in the higher class non-handicap races or group races. Some online racing websites even have a race simulator based on data from past performances to see what the most expected results of the race are.

There is no simple method that will make you a fortune overnight but there are some systems that will allow you to beat the bookmakers on a regular enough basis to make a long-term profit from the game.
Some angles that systems are based around are looking at horses that have been heavily backed from their early morning price. I look for a horse has halved in price from say 10/1 into 5/1. Price movements at the bigger festivals are worth an extra look.

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Top Tips for Horse Racing

2012-03-13T00:00:00.000+00:00

Top Tips for Horse Racing
By Himanshu Joshi

image: depositphotos

Horse racing as a sport has existed since the Roman Empire and is often referred to as the "Sport of the Kings" due to its association with the British royalty and aristocracy. In recent times the sport has experienced exponential growth and expansion. Racing tracks have sprung up across several countries which were earlier not even on the fringes of the horse racing news circles. Internet has also played its role in abstracting horse racing from the elite circles of royalty and aristocracy and bringing it into the mainstream sporting industry.

Being the biggest medium of information distribution, internet has helped in making people aware more and more about racing and its ways. This sudden influx of awareness with regards to racing as a sport has ignited the interest of everyone from general public to the high-strung elite of the society. People can now access any and every information about horse races. Several websites dedicated to horse racing news, information, schedules and much more have come up in the past few years. The increasing popularity of races has given rise to several supplementary industries as well, such as breeding, betting and many others. As per the horsing racing news doing the rounds, the racing industry is also acting as a major employer and stemming several employment opportunities too. So if you are looking to participate in an upcoming race, here are some essential tips to help you ride your way to the top-

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How to Pick a Winner at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival

2012-03-12T00:00:00.000+00:00

How to Pick a Winner at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival
By Damian Carvill

image: depositphotos

Whether or not you're lucky enough to attend this year's Cheltenham Festival, you can still take advantage of adding extra excitement to the races by placing a bet. Whether you're a novice punter or seasoned better, picking a winner from a field of contenders isn't easy. First there's the different odds, then there's the jockeys, the form and of course, the horse's names.
So with so much to consider, how do you pick the winning horse? By the time you've finished reading this guide, you will be better placed to identify a horse that may win you the race.

Understand the Odds
Alongside the Grand National and Ascot, the Cheltenham Gold Cup attracts a huge amount of interest and bets from fans and non-fans of horse racing. However many see the process of betting, with varying odds and different stake options, to be too complicated and daunting to pursue. Understanding the odds and how to place a bet is the first step on the road to picking a winner and netting a tidy sum of money.
Regardless of what John McCririck might suggest, sporting odds are actually quite easy to understand. The two different numbers that you will see next to a horse's name relate to how probable that horse is to win that race. The shorter the odds, or the lower the numbers, the greater its chance of winning. These numbers are separated by a slash and referred to as being one number to another, for example 10/1 or ten to one.

When a horse is favourite to win a race, or odds on, a bookmaker regards its chances of winning the race as better than 50%. This is when you see larger numbers as the second number in the horse's odds, like 1/2.

How much will I win?
So let's say you have �10 to bet, how much will that win you, should your horse come home first? Again, this is quite easy to calculate. If, when you place your �10 bet, the horse's odds are 5-1, you will win �10 X 5, plus your original stake back to make a total of �60.
If your horse is described as evens, that means the bookmaker believes your horse has a 50:50 chance of winning the race, or 1/1. So with your �10, you will win �10 X 1 plus your original �10 stake to make a total of �20.
Sometimes you may see odds that don't end in a one, like 7/2. As odds are written as fractions, they don't include numbers with a decimal point. Therefore, 7/2 is actually 3.5 to 1.
When your horse is odds on, say 1/4, your �10 bet will win, as normal, your �10 back plus 10 X 0.25 (or a quarter of the evens odds), which is �2.50. Therefore you will take away �12.50 in total.

To win or each way?
When you place your bet you have the opportunity to bet on the horse to win outright or to finish in the top three, or 'each way'. The examples given above are all based on your horse winning and you betting on it to win outright. If you decided to hedge your bet and go each way, you are actually placing two bets, one on the horse to win and another, equal sized bet, to finish second or third (and in some cases, but not at Cheltenham, fourth). Therefore, if you had �10 to bet, you would bet �5 each way, making a total of �10, spread across the two bets.
Your first bet at �5, on the horse to win, would pay out as above. Therefore on a horse backed at 5-1, you would win your stake back plus 5x5, to total �30. The second part of the bet is a little more complicated and depends on the number of horses in the race.
If there are 16 horses running, the bookmaker will pay out up until the fourth horse. If your horse finishes fourth, you will receive one quarter of the odds plus your stake back. For races with 12-15 horses, this goes up to third with third place getting one quarter of the odds too. For 8-11 runners, a bookmaker will pay out to third place with that horse receiving one fifth of the odds. When there is 5-7 horses in a race, you will only get a pay out if your horse wins or comes second, with the second placed horse getting one quarter of the odds.

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Sunday E/W picks

2012-03-11T09:30:00.000+00:00

3:05 - Warwick--------221-8-----Bill The Lad

4:05 - Warwick--------3-4P72----Toby Belch

3:50 - Market Rasen---21-3PP----Pickwor

3:15 - Naas (IRE)-----0-3113----Black Benny

Horse Racing Handicapping Secrets To Finding Winners

2012-03-09T00:30:00.000+00:00

Horse Racing Handicapping Secrets To Finding Winners
By Paul John Coleman

image: depositphotos

The one thing I would advise new punters to do is to take notes every time you go racing. After a while keep going over your notes and you will find patterns emerging from them that you can base winning systems around.
A big priced winner going in could be something as simple as liking the heavy going or it hits form at a particular time of the year.
It amazes me how many gamblers do not take track conditions into consideration as this a massive factor.
Check horses previous results to see if it can handle the days going conditions.
Another area to watch for that finds plenty of winners are horses dropping down in class. Horses that drop down in class of three four grades are a big threat.

Good recent form is one of the main things I tend to look for in picking a winning horse. If a horse has not had a run within say 30 to 40 days I would be very wary of backing it.
Try to understand which horses running styles are suited for which types of races. Sprint races over five and six furlongs suit early speed horses.
Here is a check list for determining if a horse has winning credentials and whether to play or pass.
Determine which horse are the true contenders. If you cannot whittle the field down to two or three contenders then leave the race alone. It is probably too competitive.

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Are You a Beginner? Stick to Small Horse Racing Fields

2012-03-08T00:30:00.000+00:00

Are You a Beginner? Stick to Small Horse Racing Fields
By Himanshu Joshi

image: depositphotos

In the present seemingly harsh economic times, many people are hunting for some extra sources of income. Not that they want some hard labor jobs just to make that extra dough, but they want something less demanding in terms of labor. Gambling has proven to be a fantastic source of income for a relatively long time. With the prosperity of some punters, more people are turning to betting. These people perceive horse race betting as "greener fields", and they are willing to invest in order to make substantial profits. However, if you are a novice in the horse racing industry, then you have to stick to betting on small-field horse races.

One of the key aspects in betting during horse races is the field size. If you are entirely a novice, chances are that you are not aware of the distinct fields and distinct horses as much. Therefore, it is safe if you stick to small field races. This is because the more the horses in a field, the more the selections, the harder it is to chose a horse to place your bet on. Given you are doing it for monetary or economic reasons, you have to scrutinize to know more about all the horses in a racing field.

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Trends in Horse Racing Fields and Their Effect on Purses

2012-03-07T00:00:00.000+00:00

Trends in Horse Racing Fields and Their Effect on Purses
By Himanshu Joshi

image: depositphotos

In the last six decades, the horse racing field sizes have gone through tremendous innovations. There has been an enormous decline in the field size numbers. Field consisted of an average of 9 horses per field in 1950 to an average of eight horses in 2010. A sharper decline has also been seen in the average number of races a single horse runs per years. Research shows that the number declined from 11.31 in 1960 to only 6.2 in 2010. The decline in number of races a particular horse runs per year has a direct, declining impact on the size of the field.

If you think the decrease of the field sizes is rather insignificant, then you are terribly wrong. It has a direct impact on the handle. Even a single additional horse in a race can make a difference of up to $100,000 in the handle. Over the years, punters have shown immense interest in big field horse races. They regard the bigger fields as long shots as the payoff they get are usually larger than the ones in small field races.

Throughout the years, there has been a remarkable decline in the handle as a consequence of decline in the size of horse racing field. The handle, in turn, has an enormous, direct impact on the purses. The purses have extremely decreased in the last six decades. This has discouraged many horsemen from thorough breeding. They no longer see it as a lucrative business that it was before. However, as much as the overall purses have reduced, the average purse per horse has increased by 26.8% in the last decades. This is mainly because the field sizes are declining; hence the purses are shared by a small number of horses. In the past, the purses were distributed among so many horses due to the big fields and as such, the average purse per horse was not a big amount.

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E/W Picks

2012-03-06T08:00:00.000+00:00

~~14:40 Southwell...319-4213...Suddenly Susan (IRE)~~

16:40 Southwell...4832211-...Beautiful Day

Horse Racing - Field Size and Betting

2012-03-06T00:00:00.000+00:00

Horse Racing - Field Size and Betting
By Himanshu Joshi

image: depositphotos

A recent research by Stats Jockey Club, which was established in 1894, shows that the horse racing field size has a direct impact on how people bet. The Jockey club is an organization that seeks to improve breeding and thoroughbred racing. Among all the other statistics, the field size statistics in connection to betting were alarming. Nowadays, the field size in the race tracks has considerably reduced. The fields no longer have as many horses, as it was some two decades ago. The average field size in 2010 had 8.19 horses as compared to 9.07 horses per field in 1950. The drop in field size may seem insignificant. However, for every extra horse that enters a horse racing field, there is a $100,000 increase in the average handle.

This is significant because the handle directly affects the purses in that, the purses increase with elevating handle. The purses have a direct connection to the urge of horse owners to breed more horses. Larger purses incur more thorough breeding. Consequently, more horses are bred hence a reflected increase in number of the field size. This is, therefore, a huge circle that is particularly vital to the horse racing industry. This is the circle within which betting is based on. For most people, betting is what makes this equestrian sport worthwhile. It simply wouldn't be fun without betting. It has been proven, especially in Triple Crown and Breeder's cup races, that the larger the field size, the more the betting. The more spread out the field is, the higher the chances that people will bet on some of the extra horses to make profits, which many end up losing.

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E/W To Pick

2012-03-05T14:04:00.000+00:00

3:45 » Hereford --- 1-432 --- Triptico

~~4:45 » Hereford --- 3P24F --- Rougham~~

Horse Racing Predictor - Forecast Results

2012-03-05T00:00:00.000+00:00

Horse Racing Predictor - Forecast Results
By Himanshu Joshi

image: depositphotos

Placing a bet on a winning horse is fantastic. Utilizing the right information to predict the winners of horse races is even more exciting. However, finding the right information can be a rather tedious and daunting task. You must consider all the elements starting from the particular horse, its trainer, its lineage, its training regime, the weather and track conditions. Making a good bet is characterized by prior accurate assessment of previous results and other useful information. Most people place their bets without any prior planning no wonder up to 98% of them lose their money. However, with the invention of prediction software, it's highly likely that more people will make some fantastic decisions that may guarantee little if any money loss.

At first, many enthusiastic bettors were pessimistic about the idea of using prediction software. However, the distinct prediction software in the market today are gaining acceptance, as more bettors learn to utilize it to predict any future race. Isn't it high time that you stopped losing your money, and on the contrary start making some serious money? The predictors on the horse betting industry are extensive, some being more reliable and efficient than others. They assist you in the decision of where to place your bet and consequently win. A lot of professionals in the horse racing field use this software to generate vast amounts of money, which you always give out to them, though indirectly.

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E/W Today Picks

2012-03-04T09:02:00.001+00:00

~~Huntingdon 15:10 ... 863117 ... Hohlethelonely~~

Huntingdon 15:40 ... 331571 ... Dot Or Feather

~~Huntingdon 16:40 ... 341/321- . Jonny Rye~~

Horse Racing Results - General Overview

2012-03-01T00:30:00.000+00:00

Horse Racing Results - General Overview
By Himanshu Joshi

image: depositphotos

The culture of horse racing is deeply rooted to our ancestors, who perceived it as an entertaining equestrian sport. The sport was previously unorganized, typically with impromptu races and competitions. However, as the sport evolved, matches and races became more organized, mainly for all civilizations across the world. The horse racing world has experienced some major trends and turns in the last century. The equestrian sport is now quite extensive across the globe, not only centered to the royalties as it was in the ancient times. This sport has gained popularity all over the world, as more and more persons try to learn and incorporate the sport in to their otherwise regular, boring routines.

Although people have tight schedules, sport lovers always have time for horse racing. They will put off all their engagements and appointments to attend a horse race. Like many other sports, this one involves gambling no wonder it is a surprisingly strong magnet for people from all walks of life. Their desire to attend or watch a horse race for the final results is driven by the bets that one placed on a specific horse. In present times, there are many ways to get these results as fast without having to be in the actual race. However, some people still prefer to get the results first hand, at the events. They desire the smell of the track, the pounding hooves of horses and the loud roar of the crowd, and they just don't feel the touch and essence of the sport if they are not physically, personally present at the event.

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Daily Double Bets and Rolling Doubles For Horse Racing

2012-02-29T00:30:00.000+00:00

Daily Double Bets and Rolling Doubles For Horse Racing
By Bill Peterson

image: depositphotos

The daily double was one of the first exotic or gadget bets and is still very popular today. It used to only be found in the first two races on the program, but now some tracks offer what they call a "rolling double," meaning that the double may be played in more races throughout the card.
The double is about the simplest exotic bet. You pick the winner in the first race, the first half of the double, and then you pick the winner in the second race, or second half. You must have the winner in both halves to collect.

An alternative to playing a daily double is a parlay bet. When you parlay a bet you simply take all your winnings from the first race and place them on a horse in the next race.
Either a double or a parlay can add up quickly. If you wager $2 to win on a horse in the first race and it wins and you collect $12 which you then wager on another horse in a following race, you may multiply your $2 investment many times. For instance, if your choice in the second race of your parlay bet wins and pays $10 to win, you actually collect $60. Not bad for an initial wager of $2. Of course, the downside is that you have to pick two winners in a row.

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Past Horse Racing Results: Things to Scrutinize

2012-02-28T00:30:00.000+00:00

Past Horse Racing Results: Things to Scrutinize
By Himanshu Joshi

image: depositphotos

The significance of previous horse racing results before betting on a particular horse is indispensable. The excitement you get when your selected horse wins is a feeling like no other. Past results will give you a clear insight of where you can base your confidence on. Moreover, if the betting is done right, you will be sure to reap enormous profits not just once or twice, but many other times. How do you utilize these past results in your favor? What do you look at?

Check keywords
You should check the name of the past race, the type of the race and its restrictions, if it had any. It will also give you a glimpse of what the handicap weight restrictions were and why they were placed.

Compare jockeys
You should already have an idea on distinct jockeys before you look at the results. The results should only make selecting your easier as you look at their wins and losses trends. You should look at the numbers beside each jockey's name for the wins, how many places he won, on what shows and finally, the winning percentage. You should check these results side by side to ensure that you effectively compare all of them.

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Money Management Tips for Horse Racing Betting

2012-02-21T00:30:00.000+00:00

Money Management Tips for Horse Racing Betting
By Bill Peterson

image: depositphotos

While the skill of being able to accurately evaluate each horse's chances of winning is essential to making money betting on horses, the best handicapping in the world is useless if you can't also manage your money well. I often say that good money management will get you through a tough run at the races better than good handicapping will. When you think of wagering on horses as an investment, it only makes sense that how you use your bankroll is crucial to success.

It's the same in any other form of investing, after all, that's all investing really is, moving money around and putting it where it is most likely to earn a favorable return. So here are a few thoughts on using your bankroll the very best you can. If you've been handicapping the horse races and still losing money, you might want to think about improving your money management rather than trying to learn that next horse racing angle.

First of all, the number one reason that most businesses, including horse racing ventures, fail is being under funded. If you are betting with the rent money or making two dollar bets and hoping to make a living, it just isn't going to work. You must be realistic and understand the kind of money the successful professional handicappers spend in order to eke out a living.

If 10% is a good return for a horse player, how much do you need to wager in the course of a year in order to make $100,000? The answer is $1,000,000. That's a staggering sum for most people, but it's true. Of course, if you only wish to make $10,000 then you need only wager $100,000. For most people that figure is out of reach.

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Horse Racing Handicapping Angles for Each Race Track

2012-02-20T00:30:00.000+00:00

Horse Racing Handicapping Angles for Each Race Track
By Bill Peterson

image: depositphotos

Recently I was asked by a handicapper if I could give some good angles for a track that he planned to play this winter. No matter what season it is, the best method I've found for dealing with track specific horse racing angles is to research the track models and trainer standings for that track.

There is a lot of information online about each track and many of them post last years top trainers and jockeys at the beginning of a new meet. Of course, for the track publicity department it's a matter of trying to generate interest in the rivalries at the track and also a way to help handicappers to watch certain trainers who may be good at dealing with the peculiarities of that racing venue.

One of the best things that you can do, if you want to cash a lot of winners at the horse races, is to keep notes or save your old racing programs. As I write this there is a book shelf behind me that is crammed full of old racing programs. When a new meet starts I like to look back over last year's programs to see if I can get a handle on how the track played last year and of who the stars were. I also like to note those trainers and jockeys who disappointed.

They say that living by looking over your shoulder is a bad thing to do, but trust me, when it comes to handicapping learning by your past mistakes is crucial to making money betting on horses. On the other hand, be flexible enough to realize that things can change. If a new trend develops, don't miss it.

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Using Horse Racing Trainer Moves the Truth and Fiction for Handicappers

2012-02-19T00:30:00.000+00:00

Using Horse Racing Trainer Moves the Truth and Fiction for Handicappers
By Bill Peterson

image: depositphotos

There's a lot of talk these days about making money betting on horses by using trainer moves. The suppliers of past performances often list them right along with a horses running lines, along with the actual ROI (return on investment) for the specific move. An example would be, down 2 classes +3.10, meaning that when that trainer drops a horse two levels in they win enough to make a tidy profit.

The only problem with this is that like all past performance information, it is a look at the past, not a glimpse into the future. Though you may be using past performances, what you're actually trying to do is to forecast what will happen today. Call it prognostication or fortune telling, or whatever you like, what you're doing is predicting the future.

The reasoning by many is that by looking at what the trainer did in the past you will be able to tell what he or she is likely to do today and of course, the same is true of the horses. The problem with that line of thought is that you can't predict what the bettors will do and their reluctance to back the conditioners other horses in similar situations is the reason they showed a positive ROI.

Are you starting to see where this is going? If you're sitting there reading that this trainer move has a positive expectancy you can bet your sweet racing form that a thousand other would-be handicappers are doing the same thing and thinking that it's going to be as easy as finding money in the street. Wrong.

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Horse Racing Handicapping With Track Models and Speed

2012-02-18T00:30:00.001+00:00

Horse Racing Handicapping With Track Models and Speed
By Bill Peterson

image: depositphotos

The track model is like a road map. It shows the most likely route to the winners circle, but not the only route. It tells you how most of the winners raced, including the beaten lengths at several calls as well as the running style of most of the winners. So in a 6 furlong race for older horses where most of the winners come from a little off the pace, the Early Presser (EP) runner might be 60% and the Early (E) runner might account for 20% of the winners.

That means that horses that take the lead or run very close to it in the early stages of the race win an incredible 80% of the time. That is a very strong speed bias. While that much of a speed bias is rare, it does happen. Speed biases in the 60-70% range are much more common. Don't think that all track models favor speed, however, because some also favor Presser (P) type runners or even Sustained (S) types.

Before you begin to handicap it's a good idea to find out what the track model is for the particular type race you're handicapping. Then evaluate each horse and determine its running style and a likely pace scenario in the race. Do not, however, only focus on the horses that fit the most common winning running style, because things don't always go as planned in a horse race.

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