Some golden rules for racing . . .

[Sheerluck Holmes]

What do you think to these ... on the whole, pretty good, don't understand 20 and 21 though :$ RULE 1 The first question to ask when you want a bet is: 'How will this race be run?' And the second: 'Will it suit the horse I am interested in backing?' RULE 2 Watch as many horse races as possible. Even if the over-excitable Mark Johnson or the almost terminally bored Graham Goode is commentating. RULE 3 Look at every horse in the race, not just the one you've backed. RULE 4 Concentrate virtually without exception on the better class of animals in the higher-grade races. RULE 5 Cram as much form study in as time will allow. RULE 6 When you find a horse 'coming to the boil' and running into form, back on a winnable rating, stick with it. It will almost certainly pay its way in time. RULE 7 The going and the draw are the two most important variables in determining the outcome of any horse race. RULE 8 If there are doubts about the going, draw bias, the price or any other highly important variable, wait till the very last minute until having a bet. RULE 9 Keep your pockets sewn up when the ground is officially heavy. RULE 10 The influence of weight is vastly overrated. In the majority of cases, horses will not reverse the form, no matter how favourably off they are in terms of the weights. RULE 11 Only forgive a horse an 'unlucky-in-running' run once. The vast majority who repeat the offence will repeatedly find trouble. RULE 12 Follow horses that travel well in races and/or have demonstrated a turn of foot in a truly run race. RULE 13 The Ei Ei Memorial Rule. Favour horses with a willingness to win. RULE 14 Never ever back a horse in a major handicap first time out, unless it is trained by Sir Mark Prescott. RULE 15 Look, look and look again at the stats history of the big races, but use them intelligently. Buffoons on television telling us that no horse above draw 9 can win the Magnet Cup should remember that this is only true when the ground isn't on the soft side of good. That's a fact. RULE 16 Be wary of each-way betting. In the long run, you're almost certainly going to win more having all-win bets of £50 than £25 each-way. And, anyway, if you're dithering about dabbling each-way because you're unsure if your horse will win, why are you having a bet? RULE 17 It's the Cheltenham Festival, Royal Ascot, the Derby, the Grand National. You don't have to bet. RULE 18 Concentrate at specialist courses like Brighton or Goodwood on horses that have demonstrated an ability to perform at those tracks, or have so much in hand their relative inability to do so won't matter. RULE 19 Study courses until you can study them no longer. Take on board the fact that Ascot's short straight requires different qualities in a horse than York or Newbury's galloping terrains. RULE 20 Seven furlongs is a specialist distance. End of story. RULE 21 In sprints, concentrate solely on horses in form. RULE 22 Cut out and keep the entries for big races. They are stuffed with clues about what trainers expect and, even more crucially, know about the horses in their charge. RULE 23 Similarly, read and keep all the stable interviews with trainers. They will often give information about going and distance preferences for their horses. RULE 24 Don't pay over the odds for tips. There is enough quality information around for the cost of a newspaper. Graham Wheldon's Sprintline column (Racing & Football Outlook), Andrew Barr's Mark Your Card feature (Racing Post Weekender), The Guardian's inside info Horse Sense column on Saturdays and Malcolm Heyhoe's internet tipping service (gg.com) are all highly recommended. RULE 25 The number of race meetings is set to continue growing at an alarming rate. Have an area you can specialise in, whether it be Group races, sprints or middle-distance handicaps. RULE 26 Think like a bookmaker. Compile your own betting forecast, but above all, be honest with yourself. Ask yourself if you would really offer those odds if you were a layer. RULE 27 The following books are a must for any serious punter's library: Nick Mordin, Betting For A Living; Alan Potts, Against The Crowd; Mark Coton, Value Betting. The best volume to start with is the Racing Post's Definitive Guide To Betting On Horses. RULE 28 Open up accounts with as many bookmakers as you can, in order to take advantage of the best prices available. RULE 29 Get access to the net and use the free Racing Post form at racingpost.co.uk. The races are laid out in a line-byline format, which is much easier to use and far more useful than the form in the newspaper version. RULE 30 Subscribe to a form book. The official Raceform version, Timeform's Perspectives and Superform are all more than adequate. Stick with the one that suits you. RULE 31 Put a bank together that you're comfortable with, and have a staking plan sorted out that suits your particular style of betting. RULE 32 If you're at the track, don't go for a drink before the race, watch the horses going down to the start. You'll learn an awful lot about what sort of horses are suited to different types of ground and what plus and minus points to look for in a horse just prior to running. RULE 33 Don't believe all the recent press about ignoring the effect of the draw. Stalls positions are often crucial to the outcome of a race, especially in the big handicaps. This is even true of the long-distance races like the Tote Ebor at York, the Cesarewitch at Newmarket and the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot. You'll find Graham Wheldon's detailed analysis of draw biases in the Racing Post Definitive Guide book (see the 27th Commandment) or at the front of the official Form Book. RULE 34 Big-name jockeys invariably win big races. Be wary of backing runners in the major races with lesser-known or inexperienced riders on board. RULE 35 Have your biggest bets in a period, normally between June and September, when the ground remains fairly constant. RULE 36 Never underestimate the psychology and emotion involved in gambling. If your mood swings are extreme, you'll find it difficult to survive the inevitable losing runs. RULE 37 Go to the paddock. Learn the different types of physique and the good and bad signs displayed by horses before the race. Nick Mordin's book The Winning Look covers all the bases.

[billy the punter]

Re: Some golden rules for racing . . . 1. Maybe. If your horse has enough in hand he'll win despite a race not being run to suit. Redford yesterday a prime example. 2. Yes. 3. Yes. 4. No. I take it this mean Group races, so I couldn't agree less. Especially as it says 'without exception'. 5. Yes. 6. Yes. 7. Yes. 8. Yes. 9. Maybe. It won't do you any harm to follow this rule but there are times when it's correct to bet on heavy. 10. Part one; Yes. Part two; Maybe. 11. Part one; No. Part Two; Maybe. 12. No opinion. 13. Yes. 14. No. 15. Yes. 16. Yes. (E/W betting should not be determined by price, but my the horse in question and how the race will pan out). 17. Yes. You don't have to bet anywhere for the sake of it. 18. Yes. 19. Maybe. Can have a negative effect if concentrating too much on this. Specialist courses (point 18), yes. Every course, worry less. 20. Yes. 21. No. 22. Yes. 23. Yes, but the source of this info is the important part, for example I never read RP stable tours. 24. No opinion, I don't read columns. 25. Maybe. Yes you need to specialise but it doesn't have to be that small a group you concentrate on. 26. No. I understand the idea but if used incorrectly will cost you winners. 27. No. 28. Maybe, yes I agree with the idea but just one is succifent; betfair. 29. Yes. 30. No. 31. Yes. 32. Yes. 33. Yes. 34. No. 35. No. 36. Yes. 37. Yes. Lee where did these come from? Are they you own? Like you say, not a bad list and following them certainly wouldn't do you any harm. Although you wouldn't fulfill total potential by doing so. This is just my opinion and my answers are based on my experience.