Evertonboy Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Afernoon folks, this is my first venture into this neck of the woods! I'm after some advice, I am looking to purchase the Jumps Fom book from last season. Has anybody got any advice how best to use it and make it worthwile? Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trotter Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Re: The Form Book In the olden days i used to buy annual formbooks with the previous season's full results But frankly, I never really used them...........after a few weeks of the new season I was only interested in what the horses had done this year, not last ! And they were 'clunky' to use being in race order. To follow one horse through that past season, you'd have to look at numerous races. (and the print size was too small to read without a magnifying glass, but that just might be me getting old !) Nowadays with all the form accessible on the Post site organised by horse rather than by race, I fail to see the point of buying last season's formbook unless you want to keep them as a collection to dip into in the years ahead as a reminder of past glories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evertonboy Posted October 14, 2010 Author Share Posted October 14, 2010 Re: The Form Book Thanks for the reply, you say yo never really used them, but when you did use them how was it? Like for the new jumps season, did u just have a race card in front of you and look at the past few runs of each runner?? Or did you go through the whole season and try to find horses to follow?? Or a bit of both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trotter Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Re: The Form Book From memory I didn't use them in either of those ways........I think i looked up the big meetings and read the race results just as a refresher of the past season. I certainly didn't look up every horse running in 'todays' race that i was studying...........it would have taken too long to go through their past races in the form book and anyway you've got the form in front of you for the horses running 'today', including this seasons form I've never done 'horses to follow' on the basis that they might never run again and I've wasted my time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingertipster Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Re: The Form Book I still like to buy form books Jamie, rather than use the internet. For both this season and last. A quick look at Timeform Chasers And Hurdlers or Racehorses (flat) annuals (with horse by horse format in hardback) from the season just gone; takes far less time than looking it up on the internet, much more information too. Besides being a brilliant record of last season, it is a great read to get you enthused for the upcoming one. I have them going back to 83 /84 National Hunt and 84 Flat seasons. My Chasers And Hurdlers 09/10 arrives this week. :cow If you can afford the £70 it's excellant value Jamie. ;) Pays for itself in no time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markmywords Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Re: The Form Book Ginge I have got me father Chasers and Hurdlers for a early Christmas pressent on your say so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingertipster Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Re: The Form Book Blame me then MMW if your Dad hates it. :lol Sure he won't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evertonboy Posted October 14, 2010 Author Share Posted October 14, 2010 Re: The Form Book What exactly is the chasers and hurdlers annual? I've never heard of it! I think I'd be more suited to a publication that details each horses race history for the season just gone, rather than every race. For example, it would have kauto star, then with the horses full formbook comments etc for every race that season. Does anything like this exist? I do currenty use the RP website and they have something like this online. Does anybody know of a paper version? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyHills Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Re: The Form Book http://www.timeform.com/show_article.asp?num=3164 :ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingertipster Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Re: The Form Book What exactly is the chasers and hurdlers annual? I've never heard of it! I think I'd be more suited to a publication that details each horses race history for the season just gone' date=' rather than every race. For example, it would have kauto star, then with the horses full formbook comments etc for every race that season. Does anything like this exist? I do currenty use the RP website and they have something like this online. Does anybody know of a paper version?[/quote'] Chasers And Hurdlers does come in alphabetical order. Every horse that ran in GB and I get an assessment. About 3 lines long for the worst class runner; up to around 15 pages for a Kauto Star, Imperial Commander or Don't Push It. The first line of every horse contains: Name of horse, age, colour, sex (gelding, mare etc), breeding (sire, dam and dams sire with Timeform ratings for all three), rating for the previous year's annual (08-09), form summery eg (c24d*, c22g, c20.5v2, c26s*, c24m5) meaing his first run was a chase © at 24furongs (3 miles) on good-soft, won. Second start chase 22 furlongs (2 3/4 miles) on good, finished out of the first 5 and so on. Then date of last run. And on far right best rating produced that season. Then the write up, brief (or if a better class horse long) history of the season gone. Whether he's best on a soft / sound / firm surface, effective at 2m / 3m etc, usually held up / races prominently etc, jumps well / poorly, any other relevent stuff like best left / right handed, likely to improve etc. Lastly trainer when last seen on a racecourse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingertipster Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Re: The Form Book If you just want a similar thing to Racing Post form then Raceform Update might be your best bet. They produce a book for the whole season. Or at least they used to. Am sure someone can help with more information on them / their annual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fintron Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Re: The Form Book I used to buy the raceform annual and have a couple of flat ones. Agree with what Trotter has said though, when the season kicks off you are probably best off just using the RP and looking over the up to date form now the internet is so fast and powerful as it is today and we also have easy access to RUK (via Sporting Life) and ATR replays in a few clicks. The only time I personally use the actually form books is during the first few months of the season, to look over maidens from the previous year to try find a few that might possibly be well handicapped for the new season, but they quickly become out of date dont they Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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