Betting on horse racing is a very profitable venture; however, it can be frustrating, just as how it is rewarding. Why? Because although the value of bets can be massive, there is no saying which horse will win a particular race. That said, learning how to find the factors to a horse’s win and analyzing the data presented to you is essential if you want to win more bets.
Luckily for you, most of the telltale signs that a horse is a winner are delivered to you on a silver platter in the form of racing forms. Yes, each race has a form guide that presents a lot of information about the race and the horse picks. This form guide can be pretty confusing at first, especially for a newbie, but once you understand how to use it, it will become a powerful betting tool for your betting career.
If you don’t know how to use a racing form yet, there are many guides on the internet, and I suggest you look them up first. But if you already know-how, we will be talking about the things you should look at in a racing form first, and other factors that you should look for that are not in the racing forms. Here are some of them.
Finishing Place from Previous Races
If you’re wondering what people mean about the “form” of the horse, some of them are talking about the finishing place a horse has in its previous races. This is a key of information for many bettors, but you should not take it at face value. There is always a need to analyze the date from the horse because the finishing place has many factors to consider.
In short, there are vital factors that a horse finished in a particular position in the race, and you have to find them. For example, a horse is a consistent top three in its last few races, but you noticed the races are on a synthetic circular track. However, the current horse race you are betting on has a straight track with a dirt surface. It would be a good idea not to bet on this horse. You will want to look for a pattern here to distinguish a horse’s strengths.
Days Since Last Race
Of course, the general rule here is that a horse should be well-rested but not too much. The considered sweet spot is between 30-60 days of rest. But of course, there are other factors involved; you can push for a little bit of time.
A horse that has been racing for a long time will typically be back in shape after a race or two after its vacation. On the other hand, a too exhausted horse will have a poor performance on the track. Both ends will provide a bad result.
Hot Jockeys
You might be wondering what people mean with “hot jockeys.” I assure you that they’re not talking about the looks of the jockey itself but instead, his performance. When a jockey shows off a good performance in his previous races, he is considered a hot jockey. Following a hot jockey is a profitable decision, especially on big carnivals. With a big crowd, a hot jockey would become confident and make him perform better on the track.
Another thing to consider is if the hot jockey is an apprentice or a senior. The consensus is that you should always back a senior because of their experience in racing. Not only that but if he also has been with the horse for a long time, it’s also a significant factor. However, you have to remember that jockeys’ trends don’t last that much since every jockey will lose his touch over time.
Handicap Mark
Once a horse has reached its handicap mark, it will slowly show poor performance on the field. Thus, they will struggle to be competitive with the other horses. However, over time, the mark will gradually decrease, and in turn, their competitive spirit will slowly go back. If you see that big shot horse has been slowly getting up in the ranks as of late, it is a good idea to back it.
Official Ranking
Experts put out the official ranking, and thus, a lot of people rely on it solely when handicapping a horse. It’s essential to know if the current event is with enforced handicaps. Many races do this to ensure that the playing field is leveled out. This is done by weighing down horses. This weight is crucial to a horse’s performance as it has a significant impact on a horse’s ability to win.
Takeaway
Like other forms of sports betting, there is no surefire way to predict which of the participants will be the winner at the end of the game. However, this doesn’t mean that you can do nothing but rely on lady luck for your bets. In fact, there are factors that you can see, and by analyzing this data presented to you, you will be able to make an educated bet. You have to look for them.
