Handicaps

[Aidymac]

Handicaps are doing me nut in this year. I can't buy a winner in them. :wall I am doing very well in group and listed races, because the form is in the book. Are there any of ye here who are genuinely well up backing handicaps this year? And, if so, what is the 1 single key thing to look for when ploughing through the field. (No matter how good we all think we at gambling, we all need a helping hand, and will always be learning).

[Trotter]

Re: Handicaps I've tended to specialise in handicaps over the last few years and I'm well up in winnings Like any races I think the key is to pick your races..............i would avoid the 25 runner class 2 'big traditional handicaps' like the Lincoln, Hunt Cup etc - too competitive I'd generally go for the class 4 or class 5 handicaps of which there are several every day The horses that run in these tend not to be group horses on the way up and they're definitelky not going to stud so they stick around for a while, you get a fair chunk of lifetime form to look at The big beauty of handicaps is that you have a dedicated team of professionals (the official handicapers) who are putting the horses into groups of roughly equal ability for you.................you don't have to spend ages trying to work out which is the best horse as you would in group races, maidens etc..........the handicapper has done that for you and said 'this lot are all about the same level' You've then only got to decide on suitability of todays track, trip and going (which is easier if you have lots of back form to look at), current form..............and handicap mark. Because all the horses are of roughly equal ability a few pounds here or there can mean a lot more than they would in a group race where the horses might be of widely differing abilities I've built up a good knowledge of all the tracks over the years and can usually tell pretty quickly by looking at past form which horses wil be suited by todays conditions and which won't That's usually my angle...................but it only works with a group of horses of roughly equal ability