If you are going to be successful and make money from betting on horse racing, you must have a solid plan. Whatever horse racing systems you prefer to use must adopt these plans, or you are doomed to certain failure.
But what plans should you follow? Well in this article I'll explain what they are and why they are so important to your success as a punter.
Let’s face it, no one places a bet because they want to lose their stake do they? Now I know that may be stating the obvious some what, but the way many people bet you would think that was their aim.
Although the sport of horse racing is entertaining, as a punter you need to stop betting for the entertainment value of the sport, and follow a four step plan that will enable you to develop a useful income stream from betting.
Sticking To Your Horse Racing System Is A Must
So what do I mean by this exactly? Well, whether you use a horse racing tipster, betting software or you choose your own racing tips, you need to decide on your bets, place them and then stop.
The last thing that you should do is try to recoup any losses by placing one more bet, or raising your stakes, this is a huge mistake that many punters make, thinking that it is the right thing to do.
Equally, you should not pile on more money in an attempt to win more, as you need to treat your betting like a business or investment opportunity. To not do so is fatal. It is also very important to add here that if your betting system does not highlight a bet on a given day, then you should have the discipline to keep your money firmly in your pocket.
If you have a plan from the outset and stick to it, you will protect yourself from making the fundamental mistakes that a lot of punters do.
Something that I talk about to a lot of punters is to begin acting like a professional. It is proven that adopting a more focused mindset will result in you making more structured decisions, rather than having the scatter gun approach that most punters have.
Being focused and professional about your betting, may not appear at first to be the fun thing to do, but it works. And ultimately, its no fun to keep losing and so I know which method I would rather adopt.
Using A Betting Bank Is Very Important
This rule actually follows the first one quite nicely, as it can be the first logical step in adopting a more focused and professional attitude to betting on horse racing.
One thing that you should never do, is bet with money that you cannot afford to lose. Financially it is just not very wise, plus it will also mean that your betting will no longer be dictated by your racing tips or your betting system, but instead they will become heavily influenced by your emotions, which incidentally is covered in the next rule.
The professional way to bet is to look at how much you can begin safely betting with, no matter how big or small that may be, and to create your betting bank. So in essence and just to emphasise this very important point, this is essentially a sum of money which you could, in the worst case scenario, afford to lose.
It is far better to start with even a very low betting bank, and to wager very small stakes to begin with, safe in the knowledge that you are betting within your means, than it would be to potentially leave yourself short or worse, borrow money for the purposes of betting.
Of course, as you become more successful, so your bank grows and enables you to wager more money per stake on your given racing tips, but do not run before you can walk.
Do Not Let Your Emotions Be Your Guide
I do hope that you can see a logical sequence developing here. Firstly you have a plan. Then you need a set amount of money set aside to execute your plan. The reason that the first two are important foundations is that if done properly, they will alleviate your emotions affecting your betting.
Once your emotions start having a say in your selections, you start climbing the hill en route to the slippery slope, I kid you not.
To prove this, the next time you go to a bookmakers, just take a look at the majority of people there. Do they seem happy? The trouble is that the vast majority of punters do not bet with a plan or a betting bank, but they back a horse that they fancy, or worse, one that they feel they should back as they've just lost.
This is not the way to do it and again, it may not be rocket science, however the number of people doing this every week would run into thousands I would think, so do not fall into this same trap.
Losing is all part of horse racing and so you need to develop a habit of not letting it bother you. You need to have faith in your given system, and allowing emotions to direct your betting is not the way to do it. Sticking to the plan, staying focused and not panicking, is the way to do it.
Keep A Record Of Your Bets
I would think that this is something that most people do not do and yet it is so simple, as all you need is some paper and a pencil.
Keeping a record of your tips and your bets is so important, as you need to know how you're progressing. Once again, its treating it like a business that will separate you, the strategic, successful punter who goes about his business in a professional manner, from the casual punter that you see in the bookies (as mentioned above).
All I do here is mark the date, the horse, the venue of the race and the result. Do not forget of course to write down how much you wagered and what price the horse was, and that's it. Six items of information per race is all you need really. You could do into huge detail if you wanted, but that’s entirely up to you.
You Have No Excuses Now
And there you have it. These four rules, principles call them what you will, are the cornerstone to success when betting on horse racing. And as you can see, it requires little effort to do so they're really is no reason why you cannot do this.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Racing Tips To Use With Handicap Horse Racing
This article will look at how you can profit from handicap racing, plus I will cover the differences between handicap racing and conditions racing, as not everyone does in fact know the difference.
In fact the writing of this article came about from a request from one of my members, and so I thought that maybe you would also benefit from looking at how handicap racing differs from conditional racing, and how not knowing the difference could potentially cost you money.
Confusion Can Lead To Disaster So Don't Make These Mistakes
As you may know, I am a real advocate and believe in information being power when it comes to betting on horse racing. So with that said, if you want to drastically improve your chances of taking money from the bookmakers with your racing tips, you need to arm yourself with as much quality and relevant information as possible.
And this is where some novice punters fall at the first fence (pardon the pun), because before you place any cash on a horse you need to make sure that you know what kind of race you are betting on. That is to say, is it a handicap race or a conditions race?
And if you've been to watch live racing before, then you'll know what its like. if you haven't by the way, then this will explain what you can expect when you go for the first time.
You're looking at the different races and who's riding on what. You get to the parade ring and there are already whispers going around about this horse and that horse. It's easy to be influenced by what you hear. And everyone thinks they're an expert when it comes to horse racing tips don't they?
And so with all the jargon and gossip that you hear at the racecourse, is it any wonder that punters end up getting thoroughly confused, and betting on a horse simply because they like the name, the way it walks, the colour of the jockey’s silks or because they overheard someone in the pub mention that it had a chance?
I've seen it many, many times, but the truth is it doesn't have to be like that it really doesn't.
Your Horse Racing Tips Are Useless If You Don't Know This
So the key is having a bit of background knowledge, even just the basics, which will enable you to get started. This will ensure that you are a bit more savvy than the average punter, and therefore you will have a little advantage that will hopefully give you that edge over the bookmakers.
So having given you that bold statement, what are the most important factors to consider when betting on horses? Of course, there are many, many variables that affect the outcome of a horse race, and there's no way that I could cover all of them in this article, however let’s start with one of the fundamentals of horse racing. Handicapping.
This could be perhaps the biggest error that punters make, as they have no idea what kind of race they are betting on. In the UK, all races come under one of two categories. The first category is a handicap race, and the second one is called a conditions race.
The reason that distinguishing between these two different class of races is important, is because the bookies pay different amounts on each-way bets gained in the two different types of race.
So for example, in a handicap race of less than 16 runners, you are paid one-quarter the odds on the first three finishers for an each way bet. You are also paid for the first four places in a handicap with 16 or more runners, so this in itself is worth knowing.
In conditions races however, you are only ever paid one-fifth the odds for finishing in the first three places, so can you see where I am coming from now? It’s crucial to be able to tell what type of race you are betting on.
Handicapping Explained
Essentially the handicap that I'm referring to, is additional weight that is allocated to a horse based upon its ability. The better the horse, then in theory the greater the weight that is carries compared to its fellow horses. This is done so that each horse potentially has an equal chance of winning the race.
The British Horseracing Board meets each week to look at each qualifying horses form and to assess its rating. Not every horse in the UK qualifies for a handicap. At the time of writing this, a flat horse for example must have either won a race, or participated in three races, to enable the handicapper the opportunity to look at the horse’s form.
To the layman, the details of the ratings system may be a bit confusing, but essentially it boils down to the higher the rating, the better the horse. Of course, the reason that we don't just go and lump our money on the best rated horse is that it will be carrying the most weight, so from our point of view as punters, the key is to loom at the weight as just one factor of a horse's potential in winning a race.
It doesn't need to be any more complicated than this to being with. You now have some background knowledge of the differences between handicap races and conditions races and I hope this will stand you good stead when looking at the list of races in the paper tomorrow.
In fact the writing of this article came about from a request from one of my members, and so I thought that maybe you would also benefit from looking at how handicap racing differs from conditional racing, and how not knowing the difference could potentially cost you money.
Confusion Can Lead To Disaster So Don't Make These Mistakes
As you may know, I am a real advocate and believe in information being power when it comes to betting on horse racing. So with that said, if you want to drastically improve your chances of taking money from the bookmakers with your racing tips, you need to arm yourself with as much quality and relevant information as possible.
And this is where some novice punters fall at the first fence (pardon the pun), because before you place any cash on a horse you need to make sure that you know what kind of race you are betting on. That is to say, is it a handicap race or a conditions race?
And if you've been to watch live racing before, then you'll know what its like. if you haven't by the way, then this will explain what you can expect when you go for the first time.
You're looking at the different races and who's riding on what. You get to the parade ring and there are already whispers going around about this horse and that horse. It's easy to be influenced by what you hear. And everyone thinks they're an expert when it comes to horse racing tips don't they?
And so with all the jargon and gossip that you hear at the racecourse, is it any wonder that punters end up getting thoroughly confused, and betting on a horse simply because they like the name, the way it walks, the colour of the jockey’s silks or because they overheard someone in the pub mention that it had a chance?
I've seen it many, many times, but the truth is it doesn't have to be like that it really doesn't.
Your Horse Racing Tips Are Useless If You Don't Know This
So the key is having a bit of background knowledge, even just the basics, which will enable you to get started. This will ensure that you are a bit more savvy than the average punter, and therefore you will have a little advantage that will hopefully give you that edge over the bookmakers.
So having given you that bold statement, what are the most important factors to consider when betting on horses? Of course, there are many, many variables that affect the outcome of a horse race, and there's no way that I could cover all of them in this article, however let’s start with one of the fundamentals of horse racing. Handicapping.
This could be perhaps the biggest error that punters make, as they have no idea what kind of race they are betting on. In the UK, all races come under one of two categories. The first category is a handicap race, and the second one is called a conditions race.
The reason that distinguishing between these two different class of races is important, is because the bookies pay different amounts on each-way bets gained in the two different types of race.
So for example, in a handicap race of less than 16 runners, you are paid one-quarter the odds on the first three finishers for an each way bet. You are also paid for the first four places in a handicap with 16 or more runners, so this in itself is worth knowing.
In conditions races however, you are only ever paid one-fifth the odds for finishing in the first three places, so can you see where I am coming from now? It’s crucial to be able to tell what type of race you are betting on.
Handicapping Explained
Essentially the handicap that I'm referring to, is additional weight that is allocated to a horse based upon its ability. The better the horse, then in theory the greater the weight that is carries compared to its fellow horses. This is done so that each horse potentially has an equal chance of winning the race.
The British Horseracing Board meets each week to look at each qualifying horses form and to assess its rating. Not every horse in the UK qualifies for a handicap. At the time of writing this, a flat horse for example must have either won a race, or participated in three races, to enable the handicapper the opportunity to look at the horse’s form.
To the layman, the details of the ratings system may be a bit confusing, but essentially it boils down to the higher the rating, the better the horse. Of course, the reason that we don't just go and lump our money on the best rated horse is that it will be carrying the most weight, so from our point of view as punters, the key is to loom at the weight as just one factor of a horse's potential in winning a race.
It doesn't need to be any more complicated than this to being with. You now have some background knowledge of the differences between handicap races and conditions races and I hope this will stand you good stead when looking at the list of races in the paper tomorrow.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Is A Horse Racing Tipster Service Better Than Horse Racing Software?
Every since the advent of the internet, the World Wide Web has opened up many opportunities for people who want to bet on the horses. You have the choice of using the human element in a horse racing tipster, or a horse racing software package, but how they compare?
The purpose of this article is to assess the differences and benefits of these two different means of obtaining horse racing tips. Certainly there are many options available online now and I do get asked regularly which system works the best, so I'll run through this with you now.
No Such Thing As A Dead Cert
Of course, the first thing I must state is that there is no one method that can ever guarantee you selecting a winning horse. Certainly, there are ways to make a more informed choice of which horse to bet on, which means that you have a better chance of winning – the aim of every gambler at the end of the day.
However, with so many different ways to get advice about betting on horses, there are many people who are now confused as to what the difference is in terms of the benefits between a horse racing tipster service and other software horse racing systems.
Horse Racing Tipster vs Software
Well, simply put and to look at the fundamental aims of each, essentially a horse racing tipster service, horse racing software or any horse racing system all aim to achieve the same thing.
Achieving winners or at the very least eliminating horses that are not suitable to back is a process that takes into account many factors, and so the principal difference between the three aids is basically the way in which they help you formulate your selections.
For example, a horse racing tipster service will generally come up with their top selections by interpreting previous racing statistics together with additional background information that they may have on the horses, racecourse, jockeys, trainers and other associated factors.
In a sense this can become a very scientific approach and it can be as detailed as you want it to be. I tend to look at the items listed above and see what looks favourable. It is possible to get what is known as ‘analysis paralysis’ in this business, so over analysing of information, although often tempting, is not recommended.
Does Racing Software work?
Essentially, if you purchase any of the horse racing software products on the market (and there are a lot), the hope is that you will be getting the same results as a horse racing tipster in terms of analysis, but that you will be getting the information yourself and therefore you must interpret the data yourself to make your own selections.
There is also some doubt as to the accuracy of how a piece of software can fully assess all the relevant factors than are involved in successfully betting on horses, and this is just one of the reasons why people prefer to use a horse racing tipster service.
Garbage In Garbage Out
Of course, neither can be right one hundred percent of the time, it would be foolish to think so, but it is widely recognised that generally tipster services have a better chance of correctly predicting the outcomes of races. I suppose that this is because of the human element. Software relies on the information that you put into it just like a computer does, so if the information is wrong, not accurate or out of date then the end result will mirror that.
In racing, information is ever changing and factors such as the weather which affects the going of a race, a change in jockeys that are riding particular horses, and a horse’s health or recent training performances are capable of affecting the result of a race.
The better racing tipsters out there who do this for a living will generally have a firm grasp of what they are looking for and what is happening in the industry, while a software program does not have this ability of reasoning.
This is why many feel that a horse racing system based upon a software program simply cannot accurately predict a race winner, whereas a racing tipster can look at all of the up to date factors subjectively, and try to give an accurate assessment of the likely winner of a race.
The purpose of this article is to assess the differences and benefits of these two different means of obtaining horse racing tips. Certainly there are many options available online now and I do get asked regularly which system works the best, so I'll run through this with you now.
No Such Thing As A Dead Cert
Of course, the first thing I must state is that there is no one method that can ever guarantee you selecting a winning horse. Certainly, there are ways to make a more informed choice of which horse to bet on, which means that you have a better chance of winning – the aim of every gambler at the end of the day.
However, with so many different ways to get advice about betting on horses, there are many people who are now confused as to what the difference is in terms of the benefits between a horse racing tipster service and other software horse racing systems.
Horse Racing Tipster vs Software
Well, simply put and to look at the fundamental aims of each, essentially a horse racing tipster service, horse racing software or any horse racing system all aim to achieve the same thing.
Achieving winners or at the very least eliminating horses that are not suitable to back is a process that takes into account many factors, and so the principal difference between the three aids is basically the way in which they help you formulate your selections.
For example, a horse racing tipster service will generally come up with their top selections by interpreting previous racing statistics together with additional background information that they may have on the horses, racecourse, jockeys, trainers and other associated factors.
In a sense this can become a very scientific approach and it can be as detailed as you want it to be. I tend to look at the items listed above and see what looks favourable. It is possible to get what is known as ‘analysis paralysis’ in this business, so over analysing of information, although often tempting, is not recommended.
Does Racing Software work?
Essentially, if you purchase any of the horse racing software products on the market (and there are a lot), the hope is that you will be getting the same results as a horse racing tipster in terms of analysis, but that you will be getting the information yourself and therefore you must interpret the data yourself to make your own selections.
There is also some doubt as to the accuracy of how a piece of software can fully assess all the relevant factors than are involved in successfully betting on horses, and this is just one of the reasons why people prefer to use a horse racing tipster service.
Garbage In Garbage Out
Of course, neither can be right one hundred percent of the time, it would be foolish to think so, but it is widely recognised that generally tipster services have a better chance of correctly predicting the outcomes of races. I suppose that this is because of the human element. Software relies on the information that you put into it just like a computer does, so if the information is wrong, not accurate or out of date then the end result will mirror that.
In racing, information is ever changing and factors such as the weather which affects the going of a race, a change in jockeys that are riding particular horses, and a horse’s health or recent training performances are capable of affecting the result of a race.
The better racing tipsters out there who do this for a living will generally have a firm grasp of what they are looking for and what is happening in the industry, while a software program does not have this ability of reasoning.
This is why many feel that a horse racing system based upon a software program simply cannot accurately predict a race winner, whereas a racing tipster can look at all of the up to date factors subjectively, and try to give an accurate assessment of the likely winner of a race.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Whether you are new to betting on horse racing or not, I hope that you’ll find this article useful as it explains three different channels for betting on horse racing. They are all quite different to each other, and there are nuances that if you're not sure about them, could mean you don't win as much as you should.
It will also help you to understand which way is more appropriate to the way you want to bet, because different people prefer different methods. Maybe you're hoping to interpret a horse racing tipster more effectively or maybe you just want to understand the basics. Whichever you are, the following will give you a grounding in what to look for.
Betting on Horse Racing 101
The three different means of betting on horse racing that we are going to look at are standard or traditional betting, spread betting, and Tote betting which is more frequently referred to as betting on the Tote.
I should also mention that recently, matched betting has also risen in popularity but this is perhaps not as common as the other three and that I will cover it in a separate article.
I would advise that if in particular you're a beginner, that you do not attempt matched betting unless you have a solid grasp of the standard forms of betting on horse racing, otherwise you are only going to get confused and potentially lose money.
Standard Betting Explained
So, the first form of betting that we'll look at is standard betting. This is still the most popular way of betting on horse racing and the one that most people tend to use when they start out betting. In fact, it’s still the way I continue to bet today.
Simply put, when you place a standard bet, whether its a bet to win (where the horse must win the race for you to win your bet), or an each way bet (where the horse can finish in the first three or four places), the bookmaker lays out their odds for each horse and these are set in stone, that is to say they cannot be negotiated. Odds do fluctuate and change depending on how much money is being placed on the individual horses, but the prices are always determined by the bookmaker.
To place a bet in this fashion, you simply select your horse, see if the odds appeal to you and if they do, you place your bet. Once you have placed this type of bet, as a punter you know exactly what you are going to win (or lose) right from the start, and so most people are comfortable with this type of bet since you can manage your money more effectively, and this is so very important as a punter.
Why Is Spread Betting Different?
Spread betting has become more popular in horse racing in recent years, although it started out as being more popular in sports such as American football, rugby and cricket; sports where there is potentially a large flexibility in the winning margin. It is also a popular method of betting for those who trade the financial markets.
Using this type of betting for horse racing is definitely not for the beginner, nor the faint hearted, as there is generally the possibility that you do not know how much you stand to lose if you're unfortunate enough to do so.
To explain this as concisely as possible, spread betting on horse racing is taking either the jockey index, winning distance or the distance of places between individual horses, and so involves a fair amount of guessing on the margin, known as 'the spread' between them.
It can be a very lucrative way to bet on horse racing, however the problem that I have with spread betting is that you're never entirely sure exactly how much you stand to lose, and so can quickly run yourself into massive debt without realising it if you are not careful.
It is also a very technical means of betting on horse racing and as I've already mentioned, I do not recommend this if you are a novice. In fact I do not entertain spread betting at all I must admit, it just is not for me.
Betting On The Tote
Betting on the Tote, or Tote betting, is a relatively safe way of betting on horse racing as there are low minimum stakes and your losses are controllable.
In Tote betting, all of the monies from the bets placed on individual races are collected into what is called a 'pool'. After the cost deduction of the bookmaker (The Tote) is deducted, the remaining amount of money is divided out amongst the total amount of winners for that particular horse.
Just like with standard betting, you know exactly how much you stand to lose if your horse does not win the race, but the Tote is also unique in that you may stand to win more than you would through the 'traditional' racecourse bookmakers. Depending on how big the pool is for the race and which horse wins, makes it possible to win more than you think you will.
It is also down to the fact that the Tote calculates their prices differently to the traditional bookmakers and is why the Tote is as popular a way of betting on horse racing today as its always been, particularly for the novice because you can bet with very low stakes and so it is ideal if you are just starting out
It will also help you to understand which way is more appropriate to the way you want to bet, because different people prefer different methods. Maybe you're hoping to interpret a horse racing tipster more effectively or maybe you just want to understand the basics. Whichever you are, the following will give you a grounding in what to look for.
Betting on Horse Racing 101
The three different means of betting on horse racing that we are going to look at are standard or traditional betting, spread betting, and Tote betting which is more frequently referred to as betting on the Tote.
I should also mention that recently, matched betting has also risen in popularity but this is perhaps not as common as the other three and that I will cover it in a separate article.
I would advise that if in particular you're a beginner, that you do not attempt matched betting unless you have a solid grasp of the standard forms of betting on horse racing, otherwise you are only going to get confused and potentially lose money.
Standard Betting Explained
So, the first form of betting that we'll look at is standard betting. This is still the most popular way of betting on horse racing and the one that most people tend to use when they start out betting. In fact, it’s still the way I continue to bet today.
Simply put, when you place a standard bet, whether its a bet to win (where the horse must win the race for you to win your bet), or an each way bet (where the horse can finish in the first three or four places), the bookmaker lays out their odds for each horse and these are set in stone, that is to say they cannot be negotiated. Odds do fluctuate and change depending on how much money is being placed on the individual horses, but the prices are always determined by the bookmaker.
To place a bet in this fashion, you simply select your horse, see if the odds appeal to you and if they do, you place your bet. Once you have placed this type of bet, as a punter you know exactly what you are going to win (or lose) right from the start, and so most people are comfortable with this type of bet since you can manage your money more effectively, and this is so very important as a punter.
Why Is Spread Betting Different?
Spread betting has become more popular in horse racing in recent years, although it started out as being more popular in sports such as American football, rugby and cricket; sports where there is potentially a large flexibility in the winning margin. It is also a popular method of betting for those who trade the financial markets.
Using this type of betting for horse racing is definitely not for the beginner, nor the faint hearted, as there is generally the possibility that you do not know how much you stand to lose if you're unfortunate enough to do so.
To explain this as concisely as possible, spread betting on horse racing is taking either the jockey index, winning distance or the distance of places between individual horses, and so involves a fair amount of guessing on the margin, known as 'the spread' between them.
It can be a very lucrative way to bet on horse racing, however the problem that I have with spread betting is that you're never entirely sure exactly how much you stand to lose, and so can quickly run yourself into massive debt without realising it if you are not careful.
It is also a very technical means of betting on horse racing and as I've already mentioned, I do not recommend this if you are a novice. In fact I do not entertain spread betting at all I must admit, it just is not for me.
Betting On The Tote
Betting on the Tote, or Tote betting, is a relatively safe way of betting on horse racing as there are low minimum stakes and your losses are controllable.
In Tote betting, all of the monies from the bets placed on individual races are collected into what is called a 'pool'. After the cost deduction of the bookmaker (The Tote) is deducted, the remaining amount of money is divided out amongst the total amount of winners for that particular horse.
Just like with standard betting, you know exactly how much you stand to lose if your horse does not win the race, but the Tote is also unique in that you may stand to win more than you would through the 'traditional' racecourse bookmakers. Depending on how big the pool is for the race and which horse wins, makes it possible to win more than you think you will.
It is also down to the fact that the Tote calculates their prices differently to the traditional bookmakers and is why the Tote is as popular a way of betting on horse racing today as its always been, particularly for the novice because you can bet with very low stakes and so it is ideal if you are just starting out
Monday, March 16, 2009
Betting On Horse Racing For Dummies
I would guess that everybody likes the idea of making some extra cash on the side to supplement the cash in their wallet, and the promise of a possible jackpot is what has made gambling a popular past time throughout the ages. As with all forms of gambling you need to be careful, but I'm here to explain the basics for you.
If you are thinking about betting on horse racing to make some spare cash, here are a few of the basic forms or types of bet that you can place. Plus, for the beginners out there, you may be astounded to learn that there are plenty of ways to make money betting on horse racing outside of simply picking the winner.
First off, since we are covering the basics, the very easiest, (note: not necessarily the easiest way to win, but the easiest to understand) method of betting on horse racing is to place a win bet.
As you may have guessed, with this type of bet you select the horse that you think is going to come in first. If it does win the race then you win too, but if not you are out the money on your bet.
So an alternative, for those who like a better chance of winning back some of their cash, is by having whats called a 'place bet'. A place bet means that you are betting on a horse that you think will come in the first four places in a race, depending on the amount of horses that are involved in that particular race. Although you will not win as heavily, your odds of winning are increased. In order to place this type of bet there have to be at least five horses involved in the race.
If you like the idea of both of these types of bets, then you may decide when betting on horse racing to place a bet which is a combination of these two aforementioned bets, and its called an each way bet.
An each way bet means that you are essentially placing a win bet and a place bet and you get paid for a horse that places, plus if wins you get paid for that bet as well. This is basically a bet that you'd place on a decent valued horse, so for example at odds of 25 to one. Once again for this type of bet, five horses must be involved in the race.
For those who like the thought of higher stakes but therefore higher risk, then you may consider going for what is known as a double bet. A double bet can be either a place or a win bet, but the twist is that you lay money down on two horses in two different races. Essnetially, if both win your total winnings double, but if one part of the bet fails, you lose all of your money on both bets.
Working on the same principle, you can also place a treble bet which is the same only you are backing three horses in three races instead of two.
There is also a bet called an accumulator which involves betting on four or more horse. As you'd expect, the accumulator is a tricky bet to land as you are staking your money where there are many different potential outcomes. This type of bet is a bad idea for a beginner, and in fact I do not even entertain these myself and advise my members to do the same.
The final type of bet I am going to cover is a 'lay bet'. This is something that has become quite popular recently, and it involves betting on horses to lose, rather than to win. It is something that is often only permitted through a betting exchange, however the bet can often be quite lucrative.
The down side is that if the horse you're betting on wins instead of loses, then you can lose a fair amount of cash, so caution must be applied at all times.
Well that covers the basics of the basics. I will be going into more detail about each individual bet, plus other topics within the sport of horse racing in future articles.
If you are thinking about betting on horse racing to make some spare cash, here are a few of the basic forms or types of bet that you can place. Plus, for the beginners out there, you may be astounded to learn that there are plenty of ways to make money betting on horse racing outside of simply picking the winner.
First off, since we are covering the basics, the very easiest, (note: not necessarily the easiest way to win, but the easiest to understand) method of betting on horse racing is to place a win bet.
As you may have guessed, with this type of bet you select the horse that you think is going to come in first. If it does win the race then you win too, but if not you are out the money on your bet.
So an alternative, for those who like a better chance of winning back some of their cash, is by having whats called a 'place bet'. A place bet means that you are betting on a horse that you think will come in the first four places in a race, depending on the amount of horses that are involved in that particular race. Although you will not win as heavily, your odds of winning are increased. In order to place this type of bet there have to be at least five horses involved in the race.
If you like the idea of both of these types of bets, then you may decide when betting on horse racing to place a bet which is a combination of these two aforementioned bets, and its called an each way bet.
An each way bet means that you are essentially placing a win bet and a place bet and you get paid for a horse that places, plus if wins you get paid for that bet as well. This is basically a bet that you'd place on a decent valued horse, so for example at odds of 25 to one. Once again for this type of bet, five horses must be involved in the race.
For those who like the thought of higher stakes but therefore higher risk, then you may consider going for what is known as a double bet. A double bet can be either a place or a win bet, but the twist is that you lay money down on two horses in two different races. Essnetially, if both win your total winnings double, but if one part of the bet fails, you lose all of your money on both bets.
Working on the same principle, you can also place a treble bet which is the same only you are backing three horses in three races instead of two.
There is also a bet called an accumulator which involves betting on four or more horse. As you'd expect, the accumulator is a tricky bet to land as you are staking your money where there are many different potential outcomes. This type of bet is a bad idea for a beginner, and in fact I do not even entertain these myself and advise my members to do the same.
The final type of bet I am going to cover is a 'lay bet'. This is something that has become quite popular recently, and it involves betting on horses to lose, rather than to win. It is something that is often only permitted through a betting exchange, however the bet can often be quite lucrative.
The down side is that if the horse you're betting on wins instead of loses, then you can lose a fair amount of cash, so caution must be applied at all times.
Well that covers the basics of the basics. I will be going into more detail about each individual bet, plus other topics within the sport of horse racing in future articles.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Horse Racing Systems Can Have Flaws, But What Are They?
Any time you gamble you are always taking a chance. Whether it’s implementing a horse racing system, going for it at the casino or spread betting on an NFL game, there is a chance that you will win and a chance that you will lose.
Maybe I've stated the obvious here, but there is a reason and it will become more apparent as you read on further, so do bare with me.
The world’s best gamblers will tell you that gambling is more of a sport that they can influence, than simply being lucky. So why is this?
Well, before I go into this and explain how you too can be more successful with your betting, let’s look at some of reasons why people fail and often it’s simply a case of relying on lady luck to bring you success.
Anytime you are betting on horse racing, there should be three things that will influence which horse you choose, regardless of which horse racing system you use, and these are:
The odds (value), the statistics (the horse's previous form, it's recent training performances, the jockey that is on board to name but three), and the outside influences (such as the course, the going or the conditions of the race and the competition).
Do Not Make These Same Mistakes
The price or odds being offered for a horse should speak for themselves, but yet I'm afraid to say that many people get this so wrong. A lot of people want the big win, and so implement a popular horse racing system which is just to back favourites.
Now as favourites only win less than a third of the time, the pressure is really on to get huge value from horses who by their very definition won't have much value. Because they are the favourite means that they are unlikely to offer you the odds that you'll need to make a profit, as the bookmakers will not risk putting a higher price on the horse as they would go out of business!
The second horse racing system often used by punters is simply to just back outsiders - a name for a horse that has a high value price, but is less likely to win the race, and often has no chance of winning the race.
In reality, this is just as flawed as the racing system mentioned above whereby you back just favourites. Backing outsiders does mean that you are least going for more value, and so you stand to win more from a winning bet. However, simply basing your horse racing system on price alone is a foolish thing to do, and this is the crux of this situation really.
Yes you want to be looking at value horses, but ones who have a chance of winning and not bringing up the rear, which is what the majority of pure outsiders do. Sure, the bookies get it wrong sometimes, and an occasional outsider will win, but not that often.
What You Should Be Doing
So at the top of this article we mentioned about successful gamblers and asked why they feel they can better their chances of winning, so how do they do this?
Well, from my own experience I would rather make an educated guess at which horse I feel will win, rather than just betting on a whim or shooting in the dark.
Which is why any successful horse racing system, betting plan, call it what you will, should be considering the items that were listed towards the top of this article; the odds, the statistics and the outside influences.
Sure, we don't get it right all the time, but by having and using the information that is available you stand a much better chance of consistently choosing winning horses and thus enjoying your racing all the more.
Maybe I've stated the obvious here, but there is a reason and it will become more apparent as you read on further, so do bare with me.
The world’s best gamblers will tell you that gambling is more of a sport that they can influence, than simply being lucky. So why is this?
Well, before I go into this and explain how you too can be more successful with your betting, let’s look at some of reasons why people fail and often it’s simply a case of relying on lady luck to bring you success.
Anytime you are betting on horse racing, there should be three things that will influence which horse you choose, regardless of which horse racing system you use, and these are:
The odds (value), the statistics (the horse's previous form, it's recent training performances, the jockey that is on board to name but three), and the outside influences (such as the course, the going or the conditions of the race and the competition).
Do Not Make These Same Mistakes
The price or odds being offered for a horse should speak for themselves, but yet I'm afraid to say that many people get this so wrong. A lot of people want the big win, and so implement a popular horse racing system which is just to back favourites.
Now as favourites only win less than a third of the time, the pressure is really on to get huge value from horses who by their very definition won't have much value. Because they are the favourite means that they are unlikely to offer you the odds that you'll need to make a profit, as the bookmakers will not risk putting a higher price on the horse as they would go out of business!
The second horse racing system often used by punters is simply to just back outsiders - a name for a horse that has a high value price, but is less likely to win the race, and often has no chance of winning the race.
In reality, this is just as flawed as the racing system mentioned above whereby you back just favourites. Backing outsiders does mean that you are least going for more value, and so you stand to win more from a winning bet. However, simply basing your horse racing system on price alone is a foolish thing to do, and this is the crux of this situation really.
Yes you want to be looking at value horses, but ones who have a chance of winning and not bringing up the rear, which is what the majority of pure outsiders do. Sure, the bookies get it wrong sometimes, and an occasional outsider will win, but not that often.
What You Should Be Doing
So at the top of this article we mentioned about successful gamblers and asked why they feel they can better their chances of winning, so how do they do this?
Well, from my own experience I would rather make an educated guess at which horse I feel will win, rather than just betting on a whim or shooting in the dark.
Which is why any successful horse racing system, betting plan, call it what you will, should be considering the items that were listed towards the top of this article; the odds, the statistics and the outside influences.
Sure, we don't get it right all the time, but by having and using the information that is available you stand a much better chance of consistently choosing winning horses and thus enjoying your racing all the more.
Cheltenham Festival Tips Did Well
And although my Cheltenham Festival tips did well, I did suffer a little, from some vicious virus that has had me laid out for the past two and a bit days, hence my lack of activity :(
Anyway, given that my daily updates were scuppered by this illness, I'll give you a rundown of how the Cheltenham Festival went and how our tips did overall, as we had a decent week it has to be said.
So here goes:
Monday, day one of the Festival:
Tips given: 4
Winners: 2 - Forpadydeplasterer and Quevega
Summary: We advised that you take the price on both horses in the morning, as I had a feeling that their prices would shorten, which they did.
We advised Forpadydeplasterer at 10/1 (SP was 8/1) and Quevega at 5/2 (SP 2/1), and so at the end of day one of the Festival, we were 11 points to the good.
Tuesday, day two of the Festival:
Tips given: 3
Winners: 1 - Ninetieth Minute
Summary: Another decent day as Ninetieth Minute came home for us in impressive style. Once again we advised him early, and at 18/1 he always looked good value. The SP was 14s which is still good value, but I hope you got the 18s that we advised.
So another profitable day, as we accumulate 8.80 points in profit, and so we are 19.80 up for the Festival so far :)
Wednesday, day three of the Festival:
No Bets today.
This was a disappointment, but a fact of racing. There were impressive horses on show today, but we just could not decide and there was no clear cut value horse that we fancied, so there was no bet. The headline horse was Voy Por Ustedes whom most people thought would romp the Ryan Air chase, but with no value this was not worth pursuing... and we were right as he came second!
The other race we were looking at was The World Hurdle, but again we could see no value horse that we felt happy with and of course Kasbah Bliss the 10/11 favourite finished a disappointing 4th.
Sometimes you have to know when to keep your money in your pocket, and we did today to good effect.
Thursday, day four of the Festival:
Tips given: 1
Winners: 0
Summary: Another day where we were cautious because there was not much value worth pursuing in our opinion.
The one we tipped was Starluck in the JCB Triumph Hurdle, but although Timmy Murphy ran a pretty good race on him he didn't quite have the stamina coming up the hill and finished 4th. We only had the one point on him and this was the only bet fro us for the day.
We felt that Kauto Star would take all the beating in the big one, the Gold Cup, but yet again with no value in him this was not a worthwhile bet. As expected, he beat stablemate Denman to gain revenge for last year's result, and in doing so become the only hose to ever retain the Gold Cup.
And so all in all, it was a very profitable Festival for us and our members. 18.80 points at an event that can often be tricky, so we were very pleased with our efforts. Once again, the focus of our racing tips was value and this is why we made the profit that we did.
And so its all over. It came and went so quickly and so its back to the 'standard' meetings for a couple of weeks until Aintree is upon us. Enjoy your weekend and I'll be back soon.
Anyway, given that my daily updates were scuppered by this illness, I'll give you a rundown of how the Cheltenham Festival went and how our tips did overall, as we had a decent week it has to be said.
So here goes:
Monday, day one of the Festival:
Tips given: 4
Winners: 2 - Forpadydeplasterer and Quevega
Summary: We advised that you take the price on both horses in the morning, as I had a feeling that their prices would shorten, which they did.
We advised Forpadydeplasterer at 10/1 (SP was 8/1) and Quevega at 5/2 (SP 2/1), and so at the end of day one of the Festival, we were 11 points to the good.
Tuesday, day two of the Festival:
Tips given: 3
Winners: 1 - Ninetieth Minute
Summary: Another decent day as Ninetieth Minute came home for us in impressive style. Once again we advised him early, and at 18/1 he always looked good value. The SP was 14s which is still good value, but I hope you got the 18s that we advised.
So another profitable day, as we accumulate 8.80 points in profit, and so we are 19.80 up for the Festival so far :)
Wednesday, day three of the Festival:
No Bets today.
This was a disappointment, but a fact of racing. There were impressive horses on show today, but we just could not decide and there was no clear cut value horse that we fancied, so there was no bet. The headline horse was Voy Por Ustedes whom most people thought would romp the Ryan Air chase, but with no value this was not worth pursuing... and we were right as he came second!
The other race we were looking at was The World Hurdle, but again we could see no value horse that we felt happy with and of course Kasbah Bliss the 10/11 favourite finished a disappointing 4th.
Sometimes you have to know when to keep your money in your pocket, and we did today to good effect.
Thursday, day four of the Festival:
Tips given: 1
Winners: 0
Summary: Another day where we were cautious because there was not much value worth pursuing in our opinion.
The one we tipped was Starluck in the JCB Triumph Hurdle, but although Timmy Murphy ran a pretty good race on him he didn't quite have the stamina coming up the hill and finished 4th. We only had the one point on him and this was the only bet fro us for the day.
We felt that Kauto Star would take all the beating in the big one, the Gold Cup, but yet again with no value in him this was not a worthwhile bet. As expected, he beat stablemate Denman to gain revenge for last year's result, and in doing so become the only hose to ever retain the Gold Cup.
And so all in all, it was a very profitable Festival for us and our members. 18.80 points at an event that can often be tricky, so we were very pleased with our efforts. Once again, the focus of our racing tips was value and this is why we made the profit that we did.
And so its all over. It came and went so quickly and so its back to the 'standard' meetings for a couple of weeks until Aintree is upon us. Enjoy your weekend and I'll be back soon.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Free Horse Racing Tips, Is There Any Such Thing?
If, like thousands of other people each week, you're looking to win some money at the races this weekend, you may want to read the following article as it poses a rather controversial question, as highlighted in the title.
Many people who want to enjoy the instant success of a large win on the horses, often turn online to find what they believe to be effective, quality free horse racing tips. You will have no doubt seen the many countless sites offering free horse racing tips, but are they any good?
Now whilst I'm not here to bash those services that provide free horse racing tips, and whilst to the laymen this may seem like a good idea because you are getting something for free, you need to step back and think for just a minute.
There is an old adage you know, the one that goes "you get what you pay for". Well in this case it may just be true as from hours of research I have found that free horse racing tips can be as effective as putting a pin in the racing page of your daily newspaper.
Whilst I am sure that this is not always the case, and it would be both foolish and wrong of me to state this, it has happened to some of my members in the past. Maybe at times you will win from these tips, but ultimately what you are doing is gambling and you must take it seriously. I talk at great length to a lot of people about treating betting on the horses like a business, and you really do need to do it this way if you want to be successful.
So this begs the question then of how can you tell if the free horse racing tips that you find can be trusted or not? Well, there are several of ways that you can do this, some of which I will now cover.
The first way is to try and judge the authority of the website by looking at the tipster's credentials, previous results and their claims. If you see claims of 90 plus percent strike rates, the alarm bells should start ringing.
You can always contact the website and ask them some questions. You may want to know where they get their tips from and how often they pick a winner. Most should be happy to reply to your questions. Those that don't, alarm bells again.
Many people who want to enjoy the instant success of a large win on the horses, often turn online to find what they believe to be effective, quality free horse racing tips. You will have no doubt seen the many countless sites offering free horse racing tips, but are they any good?
Now whilst I'm not here to bash those services that provide free horse racing tips, and whilst to the laymen this may seem like a good idea because you are getting something for free, you need to step back and think for just a minute.
There is an old adage you know, the one that goes "you get what you pay for". Well in this case it may just be true as from hours of research I have found that free horse racing tips can be as effective as putting a pin in the racing page of your daily newspaper.
Whilst I am sure that this is not always the case, and it would be both foolish and wrong of me to state this, it has happened to some of my members in the past. Maybe at times you will win from these tips, but ultimately what you are doing is gambling and you must take it seriously. I talk at great length to a lot of people about treating betting on the horses like a business, and you really do need to do it this way if you want to be successful.
So this begs the question then of how can you tell if the free horse racing tips that you find can be trusted or not? Well, there are several of ways that you can do this, some of which I will now cover.
The first way is to try and judge the authority of the website by looking at the tipster's credentials, previous results and their claims. If you see claims of 90 plus percent strike rates, the alarm bells should start ringing.
You can always contact the website and ask them some questions. You may want to know where they get their tips from and how often they pick a winner. Most should be happy to reply to your questions. Those that don't, alarm bells again.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Cheltenham Festival Tips For Wednesday
And so the first day has come and gone already. Out of the four Cheltenham Festival tips we gave yesterday, two won and two didn't, to leave us with an impressive 11 points profit on the day. I do hope you backed our tips yesterday.
Our winners epitomised our strategy of targeting value priced horses, as Forpadydeplasterer won the 2.05pm by a head. I advised on the line in the morning to take the 10/1 on offer, which I hope you all did. The SP was 8/1, so still decent profit if you weren't able to get the 10s.
And in 4.40pm Quevega did the business for us. Again, I advised you take the 5/2 on offer in the morning, with the horse's SP eventually being 2/1. We had a 2 point win on Quevega, and so profited well from his victory.
So a good day.
Today however, is a new and different day. What does it hold in store?
Well, the race that's getting all the headlines today is the Queen Mother Champion Chase, or the 3.20pm to give it its abbreviated name! The reason is that the great Master Minded is running in this one, and I've noticed a lot of Cheltenham tips have involved this horse, but I wonder why?
The reason is, there is no value. Yes, he is a class horse and will take all the beating in this race. In fact, many believe that as long as he stays on his feet, he'll win. But 1/3 favourite?
So I'm going to avoid him and look elsewhere. I'm still finalising my selections, but ones that are worth considering and watching are Carruthers in the 2.40pm. He's a a good jumper and his form thus far has been very good. he won last time out at Ascot and looked a class act.
I also like Mad Max in the 2.05pm, as he is such a big horse that as long as he jumps within his ability, he should have no problem staying the course and competing for victory.
If i have time today I may post again with further thoughts, as I'm frantically looking at all the last minute details, and watching what the weather does.
And if you know of any other possible tips for Cheltenham today, please let me have your thoughts, its always good to hear from you.
Our winners epitomised our strategy of targeting value priced horses, as Forpadydeplasterer won the 2.05pm by a head. I advised on the line in the morning to take the 10/1 on offer, which I hope you all did. The SP was 8/1, so still decent profit if you weren't able to get the 10s.
And in 4.40pm Quevega did the business for us. Again, I advised you take the 5/2 on offer in the morning, with the horse's SP eventually being 2/1. We had a 2 point win on Quevega, and so profited well from his victory.
So a good day.
Today however, is a new and different day. What does it hold in store?
Well, the race that's getting all the headlines today is the Queen Mother Champion Chase, or the 3.20pm to give it its abbreviated name! The reason is that the great Master Minded is running in this one, and I've noticed a lot of Cheltenham tips have involved this horse, but I wonder why?
The reason is, there is no value. Yes, he is a class horse and will take all the beating in this race. In fact, many believe that as long as he stays on his feet, he'll win. But 1/3 favourite?
So I'm going to avoid him and look elsewhere. I'm still finalising my selections, but ones that are worth considering and watching are Carruthers in the 2.40pm. He's a a good jumper and his form thus far has been very good. he won last time out at Ascot and looked a class act.
I also like Mad Max in the 2.05pm, as he is such a big horse that as long as he jumps within his ability, he should have no problem staying the course and competing for victory.
If i have time today I may post again with further thoughts, as I'm frantically looking at all the last minute details, and watching what the weather does.
And if you know of any other possible tips for Cheltenham today, please let me have your thoughts, its always good to hear from you.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Betting On Horses Using Betting Exchanges Explained
There’s no doubt that they’ve created a new era in the betting world. Betting on horses via betting exchanges has revolutionized the way that we can place a bet now, but are they everything that we think they are?
You’ve most probably heard about them and you may have even seen them, but why has there been such a buzz about betting on horses using betting exchanges, rather than the traditional bookie?
In this article, I will explain the basics of what a betting exchange is, and why I think that using them gives you a better chance of increasing your horse racing profits.
What Exactly Is A Betting Exchange?
A betting exchange is essentially a betting arena if you like (Betfair being the most popular at this point in time), that enables individual punters that have opposing views about, for example, a particular race, to bet against each other.
This is very different to how it works with a traditional bookie, where everyone is betting on horses with the aim to beat the bookie himself. Betting exchanges are different, and in a sense they have cut out the traditional bookmaker altogether.
All bets placed on horses via betting exchanges, fall into two categories generally; some bets are placed by users who may want to bet in the more traditional way – by backing a horse to win the race. So in this type of bet, you select a horse that you think can win its race, and you place a bet on it to win.
Other punters however, may think a horse will not win its given race and prefer to offer odds to other punters. This is known as laying, and I will explain how this works in a little more detail now.
The Difference Between Backing and Laying
Backing a horse to win works in essentially the same way, whether you are using a betting exchange or a conventional bookmaker. So as I've just mentioned, you are betting that the horse will win the race and if it does, then you win your bet.
However, if you feel that a certain horse can not possibly win its race, then you can place what is known as a ‘lay’ bet on the horse in question.
What this simply means is that you are betting against the horse winning its race, and you are also hoping that there are punters out there that disagree with you, and so they will back it to win.
Look At This In More Detail
Here's an example - You may well be betting on horses and feel that a particular horse, lets call it ‘Three Legged Donkey’, cannot possibly win its race.
What you are doing by placing a lay bet is essentially offering odds to other punters who may wish to back the horse, as they think that it will win.
So you think the horse will lose, but they think the horse will win.
In the event that ‘Three Legged Donkey’ doesn’t win its race, you pick up their (the backer's) stake and so your bet is successful. However, if the horse does somehow win the race, then you must pay out to them.
How much you win or how much you have to pay out in the event of a loss is determined by how much you've bet and what the odds are, much the same as in conventional betting.
This is discussed in more detail in a subsequent article, but I hope that this gives you an idea of what betting exchanges are, what they offer and why if you're someone who likes betting on horse racing, you really need to have an account.
You’ve most probably heard about them and you may have even seen them, but why has there been such a buzz about betting on horses using betting exchanges, rather than the traditional bookie?
In this article, I will explain the basics of what a betting exchange is, and why I think that using them gives you a better chance of increasing your horse racing profits.
What Exactly Is A Betting Exchange?
A betting exchange is essentially a betting arena if you like (Betfair being the most popular at this point in time), that enables individual punters that have opposing views about, for example, a particular race, to bet against each other.
This is very different to how it works with a traditional bookie, where everyone is betting on horses with the aim to beat the bookie himself. Betting exchanges are different, and in a sense they have cut out the traditional bookmaker altogether.
All bets placed on horses via betting exchanges, fall into two categories generally; some bets are placed by users who may want to bet in the more traditional way – by backing a horse to win the race. So in this type of bet, you select a horse that you think can win its race, and you place a bet on it to win.
Other punters however, may think a horse will not win its given race and prefer to offer odds to other punters. This is known as laying, and I will explain how this works in a little more detail now.
The Difference Between Backing and Laying
Backing a horse to win works in essentially the same way, whether you are using a betting exchange or a conventional bookmaker. So as I've just mentioned, you are betting that the horse will win the race and if it does, then you win your bet.
However, if you feel that a certain horse can not possibly win its race, then you can place what is known as a ‘lay’ bet on the horse in question.
What this simply means is that you are betting against the horse winning its race, and you are also hoping that there are punters out there that disagree with you, and so they will back it to win.
Look At This In More Detail
Here's an example - You may well be betting on horses and feel that a particular horse, lets call it ‘Three Legged Donkey’, cannot possibly win its race.
What you are doing by placing a lay bet is essentially offering odds to other punters who may wish to back the horse, as they think that it will win.
So you think the horse will lose, but they think the horse will win.
In the event that ‘Three Legged Donkey’ doesn’t win its race, you pick up their (the backer's) stake and so your bet is successful. However, if the horse does somehow win the race, then you must pay out to them.
How much you win or how much you have to pay out in the event of a loss is determined by how much you've bet and what the odds are, much the same as in conventional betting.
This is discussed in more detail in a subsequent article, but I hope that this gives you an idea of what betting exchanges are, what they offer and why if you're someone who likes betting on horse racing, you really need to have an account.
Cheltenham Racing Tips A Plenty This Week
Yes, its finally here. I'm going to be posting some Cheltenham racing tips, thoughts and views all this week as we gear up for perhaps the most eagerly awaited Festival for many a year.
The weather could be all important today and so this will most definitely have an affect on who we look to for today, although there is one horse that we're tracking regardless of the weather conditions...
Binocular.
He runs in the 3.20, the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle (to give it its full title!). Binocular is an efficient jumper, which is one of the reasons I like him for Cheltenham, because if you cannot jump well then Cheltenham will find you out!
The chief threat appears to come from Osana, who has previous Champion Hurdle form and experience, and has the stamina to go round Prestbury Park well.
But I think that Binocular can do it. He is stronger than last year when he performed admirably and so this year he will know what to expect.
The only downside for me is that Binocular is currently listed as favourite, and as low as 7/4 with some bookies. I would be looking for him to drift in price, as one thing that you need to have from your Cheltenham racing tips, as with all racing tips, is value. That as you may know, is my mantra.
So I'll be glued to the prices this morning looking for any drifting in price for Binocular. Anything in the 5/2 range ought to be good enough to snap up, so stay tuned and enjoy the first day of the Cheltenham Festival.
The weather could be all important today and so this will most definitely have an affect on who we look to for today, although there is one horse that we're tracking regardless of the weather conditions...
Binocular.
He runs in the 3.20, the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle (to give it its full title!). Binocular is an efficient jumper, which is one of the reasons I like him for Cheltenham, because if you cannot jump well then Cheltenham will find you out!
The chief threat appears to come from Osana, who has previous Champion Hurdle form and experience, and has the stamina to go round Prestbury Park well.
But I think that Binocular can do it. He is stronger than last year when he performed admirably and so this year he will know what to expect.
The only downside for me is that Binocular is currently listed as favourite, and as low as 7/4 with some bookies. I would be looking for him to drift in price, as one thing that you need to have from your Cheltenham racing tips, as with all racing tips, is value. That as you may know, is my mantra.
So I'll be glued to the prices this morning looking for any drifting in price for Binocular. Anything in the 5/2 range ought to be good enough to snap up, so stay tuned and enjoy the first day of the Cheltenham Festival.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Cheltenham Racing Tips Bumper Event Despite Recession
Despite the poor economic outlook that seemingly has Britain gripped in an almost depressive state, the organisers at Prestbury Park think it'll be business as usual. Cheltenham Racing tips the attendance to be as good as ever, and they do not feel that the recession will affect attendances.
I must say that it depends on your point of view. Most people that go to the Cheltenham Festival will ha either saved up for it all year, or can easily afford to go anyway, so I suppose it depends on which side of the fence you are.
I expect the Irish to be undeterred however, as they would swim across if they had to! They are one fanatical bunch and I expect to see them in their thousands again this year.
One quick bit of news that I did mention on my other blog yesterday, and that it about the weather in Cheltenham.
It is forecast that is could rain by as much as 10 millimetres in the next day or so, and this could affect the going substantially. Its is currently, good to soft, good in places, but more rain would certainly change that.
As you would expect, we are all waiting to issue our Cheltenham Festival tips on the basis of the going, as it could be a key indicator around this energy sapping course. For anyone that has been betting on horse racing for any length of time, you will know that Cheltenham is one of the most demanding courses on the circuit.
And so it all starts tomorrow. I personally am holding off with my racing tips for the Festival until I know exactly what the weather situation is, so I'll be keeping half an eye on the weather and half an eye on the rest of the racing news coming out of Cheltenham.
I must say that it depends on your point of view. Most people that go to the Cheltenham Festival will ha either saved up for it all year, or can easily afford to go anyway, so I suppose it depends on which side of the fence you are.
I expect the Irish to be undeterred however, as they would swim across if they had to! They are one fanatical bunch and I expect to see them in their thousands again this year.
One quick bit of news that I did mention on my other blog yesterday, and that it about the weather in Cheltenham.
It is forecast that is could rain by as much as 10 millimetres in the next day or so, and this could affect the going substantially. Its is currently, good to soft, good in places, but more rain would certainly change that.
As you would expect, we are all waiting to issue our Cheltenham Festival tips on the basis of the going, as it could be a key indicator around this energy sapping course. For anyone that has been betting on horse racing for any length of time, you will know that Cheltenham is one of the most demanding courses on the circuit.
And so it all starts tomorrow. I personally am holding off with my racing tips for the Festival until I know exactly what the weather situation is, so I'll be keeping half an eye on the weather and half an eye on the rest of the racing news coming out of Cheltenham.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Cheltenham Festival May Rock The Kasbah
With the Cheltenham Festival only days away, it is evident that horses are being finalised for which races they're going to run in. One such horse is Francois Doumen's Kasbah Bliss, who will be running in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle on Thursday.
And optimism is such that he will go one better than he did last year, when he was runner up to Inglis Drever, that his price is as low as 11/10 with many bookies, so little value to be had.
In terms of challengers, there really isn't one that stands out for me although Big Buck's has experience of winning at Cheltenham.
There are also murmours for Punchestowns and Lough Derg, plus Mighty Man although just how effective he'll be after a near two year lay off is open to debate.
And so it may or may not be Kasbah Bliss that is celebrating next Thursday. I shall be finalising my form study over the weekend and will let you know if I find a suitable value challenger in this race.
And optimism is such that he will go one better than he did last year, when he was runner up to Inglis Drever, that his price is as low as 11/10 with many bookies, so little value to be had.
In terms of challengers, there really isn't one that stands out for me although Big Buck's has experience of winning at Cheltenham.
There are also murmours for Punchestowns and Lough Derg, plus Mighty Man although just how effective he'll be after a near two year lay off is open to debate.
And so it may or may not be Kasbah Bliss that is celebrating next Thursday. I shall be finalising my form study over the weekend and will let you know if I find a suitable value challenger in this race.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Horse Racing Results Create Cheltenham Contenders
With the Cheltenham Festival only a few days away (can't wait!), it is evident as that the horse racing results of the past three or four weeks are now increasing in significance, as favourites begin to emerge.
Indeed, confirmations for the upcoming races are now coming through, and one that has caught the eye is Nicky Henderson's Binocular, who is entered in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.
As with many races at the Festival this year, competition is stiff with an abundance of quality horses making the trip to Cheltenham, and the Champion Hurdle is no exception. Binocular will be in good company, with the race also featuring four former champions; Katchit - whom I've talked about recently in my other horse racing blog, Brave Inca, Sublimity and Hardy Eustace.
And with other top runners such as Punjabi and Sentry Duty - again entries from the Henderson camp, plus David Pipe's two of Ashkazar and Osana, the field is jam packed full of potential.
As usual, the Irish contingent will also have a chance, with Harchibald, Muirhead and Jared all looking to be possibilites from Noel Mead's stable, and so this race is potentially as wide open as any at the Festival.
I am still hoping to be able to get the time to get to Cheltenham as I am having to juggle around a few things, so we'll see. If not, I will definitely be watching it on television, although I'm still hoping to get to Cheltenham to see it live.
Indeed, confirmations for the upcoming races are now coming through, and one that has caught the eye is Nicky Henderson's Binocular, who is entered in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.
As with many races at the Festival this year, competition is stiff with an abundance of quality horses making the trip to Cheltenham, and the Champion Hurdle is no exception. Binocular will be in good company, with the race also featuring four former champions; Katchit - whom I've talked about recently in my other horse racing blog, Brave Inca, Sublimity and Hardy Eustace.
And with other top runners such as Punjabi and Sentry Duty - again entries from the Henderson camp, plus David Pipe's two of Ashkazar and Osana, the field is jam packed full of potential.
As usual, the Irish contingent will also have a chance, with Harchibald, Muirhead and Jared all looking to be possibilites from Noel Mead's stable, and so this race is potentially as wide open as any at the Festival.
I am still hoping to be able to get the time to get to Cheltenham as I am having to juggle around a few things, so we'll see. If not, I will definitely be watching it on television, although I'm still hoping to get to Cheltenham to see it live.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Cheltenham Festival May See Best Of Denman After All
I have to say this is all very confusing. On Friday, I reported that I'd heard from the Denman camp that opinion was divided on his chances for the Cheltenham Gold Cup next week.
Funny how things can change so quickly in horse racing, isn't it. No sooner had I heard that story, then something else cropped up this morning. A few days ago, there appeared to be a mixture of views on Denman.
Well, now there's been yet another twist...
Part owner, Harry Findlay having intimated the opposite just a fews days ago, has now apparently spoken about Denman having a good chance of competing well in the Cheltenham showcase event. He's now feeling a lot more optimistic of Denman's chances after a workout on the all weather gallops on Saturday.
Denman was apparently showing signs of enthusiasm when going over fences and demonstrated some genuine "zip" between fences, so potentially getting back towards something like his best.
I still think behind the scenes that there are doubts as to whether or not he realistically can win the race, but there is more optimism now that he will at least compete,a nd show that his last run at Kempton was a one-off.
I think everyone in the industry would love to see Denman back to his best adn it would certainly provide for a great battle between him and Kauto Star once again. But the heart problem he had may prove very difficult to fully recoved from, so we'll know a lot more come next week.
If you'd also like to know a little more about the Cheltenham Festival, I've got an article that I wrote on that very subject, so you can see this on my horse racing tips website.
So not long to go now and the excitement is definitely starting to build.
Funny how things can change so quickly in horse racing, isn't it. No sooner had I heard that story, then something else cropped up this morning. A few days ago, there appeared to be a mixture of views on Denman.
Well, now there's been yet another twist...
Part owner, Harry Findlay having intimated the opposite just a fews days ago, has now apparently spoken about Denman having a good chance of competing well in the Cheltenham showcase event. He's now feeling a lot more optimistic of Denman's chances after a workout on the all weather gallops on Saturday.
Denman was apparently showing signs of enthusiasm when going over fences and demonstrated some genuine "zip" between fences, so potentially getting back towards something like his best.
I still think behind the scenes that there are doubts as to whether or not he realistically can win the race, but there is more optimism now that he will at least compete,a nd show that his last run at Kempton was a one-off.
I think everyone in the industry would love to see Denman back to his best adn it would certainly provide for a great battle between him and Kauto Star once again. But the heart problem he had may prove very difficult to fully recoved from, so we'll know a lot more come next week.
If you'd also like to know a little more about the Cheltenham Festival, I've got an article that I wrote on that very subject, so you can see this on my horse racing tips website.
So not long to go now and the excitement is definitely starting to build.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Cheltenham Festival Tips Secret Success
In years gone by, the Willie Mullins' stable has seen a few successful winners cross the line at Cheltenham. This year, he tips the Cheltenham Festival to see a real quality horse of his in the form of its life, and with the potential to taste glory in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.
Sicilian Secret impressed in his outing at Leopardstown, so much so that I'm hearing that Mullins' is quietly confident that the horse can do the same at next week's meeting. He understandably doesn't want to get too excited, but you can tell that he's looking forward to this one running on the big stage.
Mullins' has plenty of other options for the bumper too, but appears to see Siclian Secret as the one that could bring the prize back to Ireland .... yet again. The Irish do have a habit of winning this one, it has to be said!
Gagewell Flyer and Cranky Corner could also feature in the mix for this race, but Sicilian Secret's impressive run has everyone with eyes on the Cheltenham Festival, excited at the prospect of the Mullins trained horse running to his potential.
In fact I am also hearing that William Hill has made him the 4/1 favourite for the race, such was the impact of his run at Leopardstown.
Sicilian Secret impressed in his outing at Leopardstown, so much so that I'm hearing that Mullins' is quietly confident that the horse can do the same at next week's meeting. He understandably doesn't want to get too excited, but you can tell that he's looking forward to this one running on the big stage.
Mullins' has plenty of other options for the bumper too, but appears to see Siclian Secret as the one that could bring the prize back to Ireland .... yet again. The Irish do have a habit of winning this one, it has to be said!
Gagewell Flyer and Cranky Corner could also feature in the mix for this race, but Sicilian Secret's impressive run has everyone with eyes on the Cheltenham Festival, excited at the prospect of the Mullins trained horse running to his potential.
In fact I am also hearing that William Hill has made him the 4/1 favourite for the race, such was the impact of his run at Leopardstown.
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