The Essential Factors To Consider In Horse Racing - Part 1
- theturtle
- 4 Aug 2023
Essential Form Study Factors To Consider
Studying horse racing form effectively is both challenging and time consuming. With so many variables to consider punters need help and guidance on the most important factors to consider in any race.
In this article we will cover the basics of Going, Distance, Official Ratings and Class and how to interpret information using some illustrations we have provided. These graphs are available to use in BetTurtle.
Going
Many a pundit will argue that a horses ability to perform on the going is the most crucial factor in racing. However, determining what surface a horse prefers can be tricky due to factors like the lack of performance evidence on the surface.
The illustration below shows a horses performance over time on a number of going types. Additional comments provide some insights that can be interpreted from the data.
Distance
Every horse has an optimal distance range based on a combination of inherent speed and stamina attributes. While pedigrees can give clues to the likelihood of a horse being a sprinter or a stayer, it is not until the horse performs on the racecourse that punters and connections will know for sure what suits.
The illustration below shows a horses performance over time and over a number of race distances. Additional comments provide insights interpreted from the data.
Official Ratings
After a number of qualifying races, normally three, a horse is allotted a handicap mark that determines the types of race the horse can subsequently run in.
Many trainers use the first three races to determine condition preferences for a horse, to improve fitness and gain race experience. This often results in low rated horses improving rapidly once they encounter their preferred race conditions.
On the other extreme, top class horses tend to win maidens comfortably, are allotted high official ratings and bypass handicap races to target more valuable Listed and Group races.
The illustration below shows the official ratings over time of a horse. Additional comments provide insights interpreted from the data.
Class
Every horse is blessed with ability. However, some are more able than others and to win a race, a horse needs to have inherent ability or be blessed with luck in a race.
The horse racing class system allows horses of different abilities to compete against horses of similar abilities in various types of handicap and graded races.
The illustration below shows the performance over time of a horse in the various class of race it has run in. Additional comments provide insights interpreted from the data.
Conclusion
There are many factors that influence the outcome of a race, but going, distance, class and handicap ratings are four must consider variables when assessing whether a horse has a chance of winning.
This article has shown that it is difficult to form definite opinions about any of the factors. However, equipped with the right information and a curious mind, a bettor can find a betting edge.
Where To Find The Data Used In This Article?
All of the data and insights found in this article were from www.betturtle.com. Select a BetTurtle Racecard and follow the instructions below (subscription required).
