There’s maybe nothing greater than the satisfaction of an ante-post bet coming to fruition, but a close second is spotting a horse on the day of the race and knowing it’s going to be the one to win. 582b18
The only thing coming between you and that satisfaction is knowing how to spot the right horse. 2n3y4z
We’ve created this guide for people who are a little new to the sport and are going out for a day at the races and fancy having a flutter once there. You’ll learn about how to study a form card, how to spot a market mover, and a little about paddock judging too. By the end of it, you’ll feel well-versed in the idea of spotting a good horse on the day and you’ll hopefully go on to have a couple of winners.
Finding the Best Value Bet g6z3w
Deciding where you’re going to place your bet is super important. Although you’ll only be placing it once you’ve looked at all of the information we’ll discuss below and also once you’ve been able to whittle things down to just one or two horses that you think have the best chance, having a bookmaker in mind is a good idea.
First, it’s time to have a look at what prices are being offered on the horses running currently on course. Some bookmakers will offer betting without the favourite or more places than others, so it’s good to make a note of them. Looking at the prices for online horse betting, as well as what the bookmakers on course are offering, is never a bad idea, as you’ll often find slightly better prices online.
Once you’ve zeroed in on the best prices, it’s time to decide on your horse, as we’ll help you with below, and after that, which type of bet you might consider placing. Short-placed favourites are almost always only worth a win only bet, whilst longer priced horses might be better each way. Make your decision, place your bets and cross your fingers as the action unfolds!
Understanding the Form Card 3213
When it comes to working out your winner, without a doubt the most important skill to learn, studying the form card. You’ll be given a card on entry to the racecourse and in it you’ll find a fairly comprehensive history of everything that each of the horses in the race has accomplished. There’ll be information on their gender, usually denoted by an M, S, G, C, or F, for mare, stallion, gelding, colt, or filly.
You’ll also find their age, and their color, often denoted by a single letter too, for example, b for bay and c for chestnut. Alongside this, there’ll be information on their owner and trainer, as well as often a little information on their breeding. All this information is interesting to know, but unless you’re clued up on your trainers or know a lot about breeding, the only thing you really need to pay attention to is their age. Some horses might be too inexperienced to tackle a testing jumps course, whilst others might be too old to perform at their best.
The next section of the race card will show the most important information, how they’ve performed in the past. It will show in miles and furlongs the distances that they’ve run over, as well as listing their placings from most recent to most distant.
More detailed race cards might show the ground that the horse ran on, the courses they ran at, if they wore any aids such as blinkers or a tongue tie, and also the times they ran the distances in. Besides this, you want to look out for which jockey is riding them and how long it has been since the date of their last run. With all of that in mind, you can begin to make a properly informed decision about which horse stands the best chance.
Test Your Paddock Judging Skills 1x653
The next thing you might find helpful in your quest to find a winner is learning how to spot a fit horse. Paddock judging is the name that this is commonly known by, as you’ll see people gathered around the parade ring (the paddock) looking at horses. Rather than being a best dressed for horses, it’s all about the overall impression of the horse. Temperament can be important, so looking out for horses who are badly sweated up, boiled over, or extremely agitated can be a good elimination strategy.
Horses are rarely so lazy or laid back that they don’t run well, although some people believe that a bit of fire can give them the edge in sprint races. Speaking of which, knowing the sort of race that you’re betting on and the build of horse that does well will be useful. If you see a stocky and bulky horse that’s heading for a three-mile chase then you can count it out, whilst something that’s leggy and lean that’s entering a sprint will likely not perform well either.
Once you’ve sorted out your half-milers from your hurdlers, physical fitness is what you’ll need to look for next. Horses at this level should all have sleek, healthy coats that shine in the sun, even in winter when clipped out. They should have bright alert eyes and should be walking nice and straight without any signs of lameness. Muscle definition is certainly important, with well-defined grooves in their rear, as well as a prominent heave line, and visible muscling in the chest. Some thoroughbreds do present a little ‘ribby’ but it will be immediately obvious if a horse is carrying too little condition.
