Premier Information: Different Types of Bets

At Premier Information, we know how important it is to make sure you are making a profit whilst betting and ultimately making a return on your investment. This guide is intended to let you know the different types of bets available and to give you a clear overview of what is available to try out. If you're looking for more guides like this, follow us on the Premier Information Twitter account, or on LinkedIn.

Win Bet

There are a number of different types of bets you can place and the simplest and probably most common is the win bet. This is one bet, on one outcome and you are backing the horse to win the race. Told you it was neither rocket science nor brain surgery!

Each Way

Another hugely popular bet is to back a horse each way. This is effectively two bets, with one going on the horse to win and the other going on it to “place”. The place terms vary according to the type of race and number of horses in it, although it’s normally for your horse to finish in the top three. The place portion of your bet pays out at a fraction of the main odds and again this varies but is usually 1/4.

So, if you have a £10 each way bet on a horse at 4/1 that will cost you £20, with £10 on the win and £10 on the place part of the bet. If it wins both bets win, so you get £10 x 4 = £40, plus your £10 stake back for the win portion. You also get your each way bet too, so ¼ of 4/1 is 1/1, or evens, so you get £10 plus your stake of £10 so £20 in total. Overall you get £70 for a profit of £50. If the horse finished second, third or fourth you would lose your £10 win bet but make £10 profit from the each way win to leave you level overall.

These can be a great way to back an outsider and still profit if it makes the places with a huge bonus should it really cause an upset and win. Its also a means of insurance in that you can ensure you do not lose your stake or part of your stake if you are placed but fail to win.

Single Bet

This is where you are backing just one, single event. So if you back Blue Boy in the 2.30 at Fontwell that is a single bet. This could either be, as above, to win (a win single) or each way.

Mutliple Bets

There are numerous different types of multiple bet. Starting from the most simple, a double, up to the complex, almost ridiculous Goliath, which actually includes 247 separate bets in one single wager.

A double involves backing two separate events, for example Big Banana to win the aforementioned 12.30 at Bangor (hypothetically at 2/1) and Synaptic Explosion to win the 15.00 at Wetherby (at evens). Both bets must win for you to succeed. A £1 double would cost you £1 and if both horses deliver you would get £6 back. After the first horse wins you effectively have £3 (£1 stake plus £2 profit) on the second horse at evens, resulting in a payout of £6 and profit of £5.

A treble is the same concept but with three selections. As well as being called multiple bets these are also known as accumulators, or accas for short. You may hear the terms fourfold, fivefold and so on, referring to accumulators with that number of selections.

In addition to these simple multiples you also have various combination bets such as the previously mentioned Goliath. With these you have multiple selections (for example a Yankee has four) and you cover the various doubles, trebles and, in this case, a fourfold. A Yankee is 11 bets in total: six doubles, four trebles and one fourfold. You need at least two picks to win to get anything back and as it is 11 bets, a £1 Yankee would cost £11.

Straight Forecast

This requires you to pick the top two horses in a race, in the correct finishing order. The odds will be set for that particular outcome, so the forecast of Lucky Jim (first) and Bad Luck Bob (second) might be 12/1 and to win you need that exact outcome. For this reason the bet is known in the US as an Exacta.

Reverse Forecast

Similar to the above but the horses can finish in any order. This is effectively two bets, so a £10 reverse forecast would cost £20.

Tricast

One for the brave – pick the top three horses in the correct order. Big rewards await the successful here.

Rule Four Deductions

We would have included this with the explanation of the odds but didn’t want to confuse things. One thing to look out for when betting on the horses is that if there are late withdrawals your odds can sometimes change slightly. The odds are set based on the horses running at that time but if one or more withdraw, for example due to a late injury or the ground being deemed unsuitable, then your odds may be subject to a rule four deduction.

If there is a non-runner announced after the final declaration for the race your odds are reduced in accordance with the odds of the horse that was withdrawn. This allows for the fact that stakes are refunded on non-runners and the odds on all the other runners winning become shorter if there are fewer horses in the race.

The amount of the deduction varies according to the odds of the withdrawn competitor. If a strong favourite at a very low price, say 1/5 or 5/1 on (same thing) is withdrawn the deduction will be high as all the other horses now have a significantly better chance of winning, whereas the non-running of a 100/1 shot will have much less impact on the likely winner and so the deduction is far less.

Rule 4 Deduction Table

Below you'll find a table of the relevant Rule 4 deduction based on the odds of the horse that has pulled out of the race. Each deduction is provided as pence in the pound and is based on any payouts you may have.

• 1/9 or Shorter - 90p
• 2/11 to 2/17 - 85p
• 1/4 to 1/5 - 80p
• 3/10 to 2/7 - 75p
• 2/5 to 1/3 - 70p
• 8/15 to 4/9 - 65p
• 8/13 to 4/7 - 60p
• 4/5 to 4/6 - 55p
• 20/21 to 5/6 - 50p
• Evens to 6/5 - 45p
• 5/4 to 6/4 - 40p
• 13/8 to 7/4 - 35p
• 15/8 to 9/4 - 30p
• 5/2 to 3/1 - 25p
• 10/3 to 4/1 - 20p
• 9/2 to 11/2 - 15p
• 6/1 to 9/1 - 10p
• 10/1 to 14/1 - 5p
• Over 14/1 - No Deduction

Rule 4 Examples

So if you bet on a race where the favourite was withdrawn at odds of Evens (2.0), you would lose 45p for every pound won. Therefore if your horse had come in at 10/1 and you had placed £10 to win, you would have £45 of your £100 profit removed resulting in an adjusted payout of £55 (plus your £10 stake).

If, on the otherhand, the horse that was withdraw also had odds of 10/1, you would only have £5 removed from your winnings - leaving a profit of £95.

Some bookmakers, particularly those with a strong online presence, have chosen to scrap the 5p Rule 4 deduction. This means that, for those bookies at least, no deductions are made if the horse that has been withdrawn had odds of 10/1 or higher.

Premier Information: Best Odds Guaranteed

Getting the best possible deal from the bookmaker.

BEST ODDS GUARANTEED

In such a competitive market bookmakers will provide a plethora of incentives to gain punters custom and Best Odds Guaranteed is a terrific allurement.

Bookmakers will allow you to take the price of your selection and if the starting price is bigger than the price you have taking when staking your bet they will pay out at the bigger odds.

If you take the price and the starting price is shorter you will still gain the odds you bet your selection at, and so Best Odds Guaranteed nullifies any trepidation you may have when taking an early price.

Paddy Power, in particular, are one of the major bookmakers who offer Best Odds Guaranteed as they look to attract trade. Over the last few years bookmakers had only offered Best Odds Guaranteed on selected races, but Paddy Power are one of a number of bookmakers who now offer Best Odds Guaranteed on all UK and Irish horse racing.

In the betting ring punters are always looking for the best price on offer for their selection and there's always that gambling element to taking a board price. However, with the Best Odds Guaranteed service being offered by online bookmakers, that worry is quashed as you will be certain to gain the starting price if it is bigger than the one you originally took when placing the bet.

Bookmakers offering Best Odds Guaranteed at the time of writing are:

Hills, Coral, Ladbrokes, Bet365, Stan James, Paddy Power & Betfred.

Premier Information: Live Horse Racing

Many of those who in joining Premier Information find themselves betting and taking an interest in racing for the first time want to watch the races they find themselves involved with.   This article explains that in this day and age, coverage is very extensive.

Never has horse racing been so accessible for the armchair viewer as racing from all over the UK & Ireland is available from two dedicated horse racing channels.

Before the introduction of At The Races and Racing UK the only live action you would see would come from Channel Four Racing and BBC, generally on a Saturday afternoon, whilst RTE would provide Ireland with live coverage of some of the major meetings in Ireland and the UK.

Even though the two terrestrial channels still show action on weekends, with Channel Four still providing racing every Saturday afternoon and the BBC broadcasting the major meetings like Royal Ascot and the Grand National it is the emergence of the subscription channels who have enhanced racing's accessibility.

Both channels give viewers up-to-the minute analysis before and after the racing with both offering an array of additional programmes, to both inform and entertain the general public.

Before the racing even gets underway both Racing UK and At The Races have aired some informative shows which utilise various pundits and gives the viewer a better insight into the day's racing ahead.
No race is too small for the channels and they treat a seller from Market Rasen with the same respect as a Group One from Newmarket.  With knowledgeable presenters giving their views along with the occasional controversial thought adding an edge to a programme, both Racing UK and At The Races have improved racing coverage no end.

At The Races in particular, have enhanced the reputation of Irish racing, as they cover all 26 racecourses in their live coverage.  Before, Irish racing was never really shown in the UK but ATR's coverage has now opened the racing viewer's spectrum and has allowed the punter out there to watch their flutter.

Bookmakers have also recently offered the facility of watching live racing online as they look to entice customers.  Paddy Power for instance, offers customers the chance to watch any race live in UK & Ireland as long as they stake a £1 bet on that specific race.  So, you don't have to hold a subscription to the aforementioned TV channels, you can just place a small bet and watch your chosen race online.

Premier Information: About Handicap Races

Handicap Horse Racing - Introduction

Horse Racing is divided into races that are Handicaps and races which are "conditions" races or Non Handicaps. The difference between a Handicap and a Non Handicap is that the weights in a Handicap Race are allotted to the different horses so as to give each horse an eaual chance of winning, regardless of ability. The necessity to do this has spurned a whole industry based on "handicapping" i.e. assessing the relative form of horses so as to calculate which horses have an above average chance at their weight of landing a win. The simple fact that a Horse has been given a very low weight does not necessarily mean it has a better chance of winning the race


In general the weight that a horse has to carry in a race has more effect the longer the distance the weight has to be carried. So in a Jumping Meeting where the race is 3 miles, extra weight may well have a big effect on the chances of a horse which is badly handicapped with lots of extra weight as compared with the other runners in the race. However on the flat over short distances e.g. in sprints of less than a mile, the weights carried can have much less of an effect. It should also be borne in mind that in flat racing over shorter distances the "draw" can have a big effect especially where there are sharp corners and big fields. For example consider the position of horses drawn in a stall furthest away from the rail, where the course has a sharp left bend near the start or just before the run-in to the finish. A horse in this situation has got to get right across to the rail as soon as possible, and in the process is running somewhat further in distance than those horses with an inside rail position.

Handicaps And The Official Handicapper

The actual weights that a horse is set to carry are decided by the team of Handicappers employed by the British Horse Racing Board or other Racing Board in which ever country the race is run. Handicapping is an art and a great deal of work and data crunching goes on to try and decide which horses should have what weights.

Handicaps - Private Handicaps

The purpose of a Private Handicap is like a second opinion from the official Handicapper. This is where private Ratings can come into their own, especially if a horse runs well after the weights have been set by the Handicapper but before the race takes place. Good ratings calculations systems can calculate a rating for each horse based on its previous runs and this can provide serious punters a distinct advantage when deciding which horses to back in the race.

Beating The Handicap: - The Trainers Art

A first class trainer will always be looking out for ways to "trick" the handicapper into giving a lower weighting for the horse than is justified given its ability. Essentially the way it works is that if a Horse does badly - or apparently does badly!! - then the weight allotted in its subsequent races with be lower. If you can make a horse do badly then you will get successively lower weights. However the trainer knows all the time what the ability of the horse is. This however is not cheating - it is simply the trainers art. Some trainers would deny that they do this, but anyone who has watched the horse racing scene for anytime can fairly easily spot where "something is going on".

All horses have ideal ground and conditions they need to perform to the best of their ability. They also need to be at the peak of their fitness to perform well. So if you run a horse on the wrong type of conditions e.g on a left handed course when the horse needs a right handed or on unsuitable ground such as good to firm when a horse likes good to soft etc then it’s likely that the horse will perform badly and as a result you will get lower weights for future races. When you are ready for the "right" race, you can simply switch the jockey, wait for the right conditions and bingo you have a win when no one else was expecting it!!

Premier Information specialise in horse racing and sports advice. You can follow us via the Premier Information Twitter Page, or on LinkedIn.

Premier Information: Tote Betting

When placing a bet, many people stick to the “conventional” high street bookmakers and I often get asked about The Tote and how it differs to betting with the likes of Ladbrokes.

If you are not aware of how the The Tote works this article will give you an outline of it.

Since it was established in 1928 by the Government the Tote has grown in stature and with Betfred having bought the company in 2011 it will continue to blossom as an alternative for punters having a bet.

The Tote works on a pool basis, with every bet that is staked on a specific contest going into the pool. After the race has finished the money will be shared out to all those holding a winning ticket. A percentage is taken by the Tote and this has always been pumped back into horse racing.

Since its inception the Tote have continued to concoct new bets to attract custom and it has enhanced their reputation as one of the most diverse betting establishments in racing.

There are a number of unique Tote bets on offer for punters which can sometimes reap huge rewards for a very miniscule stake.

For example, heating engineer Steve Whiteley staked only £2 on the Tote Jackpot and having correctly selected all six winners won over £1million at Exeter racecourse in 2011.

So, it is unsurprising that punters get involved with betting on the Tote when there's a possibility they can win a life-changing sum money for such a small investment.

Even though the Tote Placepot is an easier bet to get right, at the major meetings when there are a lot of runners the return can also be very high. At meetings like the Cheltenham Festival or Royal Ascot, the races have ultra-competitive fields running in them with some races having over 20 runners.

So, usually the betting is wide open and many of the runners can finish in a place, even if they are huge odds and this will usually mean the win fund will enhance considerably as the big priced runners are placed.

Channel Four racing has been a Saturday afternoon tradition for years and they have teamed up with the Tote to offer the Scoop 6. A bet that can continually rollover until it's won has attracted a lot of interest from the punters as they look to pick the winner of six selected live races.

Like the jackpot the prize fund can creep up into the millions and for only a £2 stake can be life-changing money for punters who can pick all six winners.

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Premier Information: Paddock Picks!

Recently, the Racing Post featured an article on what to look for when viewing horses in the flesh just before a race.

It is a useful guide to anyone going racing and therefore, tipping our hat to the Racing Post, we have reproduced the guide below.

Why go to the paddock?

Unlike virtually any other sport, horseracing allows you the chance to get up close and personal with the athletes just minutes before they are due to perform.

The runners in the 100m final at the Olympics don't limber up right in front, allowing you to study their wellbeing as they do their final warm-up before the biggest race of their lives, but the runners in the Sussex Stakes do. And you don't have to be any sort of equine expert to get plenty out of it.

When is the best time?

Runners are invariably in the pre-parade ring 20 or so minutes ahead of a race and make it into the paddock ten or 15 minutes before the off. But on a cool day you might have a wait as some horses will not have their rugs taken off until the jockeys get mounted and you do want to see them in the flesh.

Where should I stand?

Even the sharpest elbows cannot always guarantee the ideal spot as hundreds surround the parade ring at a top meeting but the best viewing is done on a level patch of ground by the side of the paddock, so that you get the chance to see each horse approach head-on and study them from the side before they they turn a corner.

What should I look for?

You are looking for anything and everything that suggests you are watching an athlete primed to run for their life.

>> Imagine Usain Bolt stripped, ready for action and strutting round at the start - many of the things that make him look a likely winner are the same sort of things you are seeking to find in a racehorse. Like well-defined muscle tone, in the case of a horse, over its buttocks and behind the ribcage.

>> Just as a pot belly would put you off an Olympic sprinter, the  racehorse 'carrying condition' - ie. fat - may not be in top physical shape, though some horses are naturally more robust than others so may well carry a bit of condition even after a couple of runs.

>> And the aura of physical wellbeing that an athlete gives off is also seen in a horse - look for a sleek, shiny coat that positively shouts good health.

There are also negatives to look out for:

>> Such as horses sweating, getting edgy if not downright unruly or showing signs of 'greenness' - a two-year-old newcomer neighing in excitement at every gust of wind, for example, or seemingly startled as their jockey gets on board.

>> Or even getting 'coltish'. One of racing's more charming euphemisms, which describes the way a horse - invariably young, always male - gets 'excited' physically, often at the sight of a female rival.

What does it all mean?

Context is all. Ability and effectiveness to handle the trip and ground counts for plenty. I might be fit as a flea but I am still not worth a bet to beat an Usain Bolt who has been out of training for a month. And the green, unfit, coltish horse may still win.

But paddock inspection can give as big a clue as any as to how an animal is likely to perform.

Courtesy of the Racing Post.

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Premier Information: GO RACING!

With the flat season here once again and with some good weather ahead (hopefully!) many people who have become interested in racing are thinking about attending a meeting – some for the first time.
Courtesy of the BHA, below is a list of frequently asked questions, often posed by those who are keen to “go racing”.

What should I wear on the day?

In the Premier Enclosure (or equivalent), men are generally asked to wear a jacket and tie unless it's Derby Day at Epsom or Royal Ascot, when full morning suit is required. Many racecourses ask people to be smart casual in the Grandstand Enclosure (or equivalent) and in the Silver Ring (or equivalent), there is no dress code. Please refer to the individual racecourse pages for precise details about what to wear.

Do I have to pay for children's entry?

The general rule across racecourses is that children who are 16 and under who are accompanied by an adult, enter free. For some bigger meetings, racecourses do charge an entry for children. Please refer to the individual racecourse pages for precise details about children's entry.

What time should I plan to arrive?

Try to arrive at the course between 30 minutes and an hour before the first race is due to start, so that you can get a feel for the layout of the racecourse facilities. At weekends and during school holidays there are often special activities for children and live music and entertainment before racing.

Is car parking free?

Racecourses offer free parking for the majority of meetings. However, if you are going to a major event, you may well have to pay for parking in certain areas and it may be necessary to book parking in advance. Check the General Facilities section on the racecourse pages to see if this is necessary.

Can we take a picnic?

Racegoers are not allowed to take food into the Premier or Grandstand Enclosures however picnics are permitted in the Silver Ring, Centre Course or the aptly named Picnic Enclosures.

What food and drink will be available?

There are bars where coffee, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks can be purchased in all Enclosures and there is usually a tobacconist's kiosk selling sweets and soft drinks etc.

The range of food on offer varies from fast food vans selling hot dogs and burgers, baked potatoes and oriental cuisine to cafeterias where sandwiches can be purchased. Restaurants are also available. Please note advance booking will be required for the restaurant.

What is the Parade Ring or Paddock?

This is where the horses come immediately before the race. Jockeys mount their horses here and you can get a good chance to view the horses. Sometimes the Winner's Enclosure is at one end of the Parade Ring.

How do I bet with a bookmaker? 

To place your bet simply tell the bookmaker the horse's name, the type of bet and the amount you'd like to bet. In return you'll be given a ticket or receipt confirming your bet. Keep this safe as you'll need it to claim your winnings if your horse is successful.

What is the Tote?

The red booths of the Tote with their smartly dressed cashiers offer pool based betting. Instead of odds presented on boards, dividends are displayed on television screens. Betting with the Tote is simple. For example, you can just have a 2 win on horse number 5 in race number 2.

How many races are there?

There are usually 6 or 7 races staged at any meeting at half hour intervals. During the winter, afternoon meetings tend to start around 1pm whereas during the summer, meetings start around 2pm. You can check the individual race times on the racecourse pages.


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Premier Information: History - It's All In The Past!

After our article a month or so back on the history of the Grand National, we thought it may be of interest to some to take a brief look at the history of horse racing in general. Horse racing is one of the most ancient sports with the nomadic tribesmen of Central Asia racing horses since early domestication and horse racing has long been an organised sport in many countries throughout history.

Horse racing as a professional sport in the UK can be traced back to the 12th Century after the English knights returned from the Crusades with Arab horses. These horses were bred with English horses to produce the Thoroughbred horse that is the breed of horse used in horse racing in the UK today.

During the reign of Charles II from 1660 to 1685 the King held horse races between two horses on private courses or open fields with prizes awarded to the winners and Newmarket was the venue for the first horse racing meetings in Britain.

Under the reign of Queen Anne during the period 1702-1714 horse races involving several horses on which spectators placed bets took over from match racing and horse racing became a professional sport with racecourses founded throughout England, including Ascot which was founded by Queen Anne in 1711.

In 1750 horse racing's elite met at Newmarket to form the Jockey Club to oversee and control English horse racing. The Jockey Club wrote a comprehensive set of rules for horse racing and sanctioned racecourses to conduct horse racing meetings under their rules and in 1814 5 races for three year olds were designated as "classics": The 2000 Guineas, The Epsom Derby and The St Ledger all open to colts and fillies and which make up The Triple Crown, and the 1,000 Guineas and the Epsom Oaks open to fillies only.

Steps were also taken to regulate the breeding of race horses and James Weatherby, an accountant of the Jockey Club, was assigned the task to trace the pedigree and compile

the family history of all race horses in England. His work resulted in the Introduction to the General Stud Book being published in 1791 and since 1793 Weatherby have recorded the pedigree of every foal born to race horses in the General Stud Book. Thoroughbred horsesare so inbred that the pedigree of every horse can be traced back to one of three stallions,

Byerley Turk (1680-1696), Darley Arabian (1700-1733) and the Godolphin Arabian (1724-1753), and these are known as the "Foundation sires". From the early 1800s the only horses that could be called "Thoroughbreds" and allowed to race professionally were those listed in the General Stud Book.The Jockey Club continues to regulate horse racing and point-to-pointing today, but the British Horseracing Board became the governing authority for horse racing in Great Britain in 1993 and The National Hunt Committee was established in 1866.

Premier Information: Goodbye To A Legend - Sir Henry Cecil

Sir Henry Cecil

All of us at Premier are very sorry to learn of the passing of all-time great trainer Sir Henry Cecil.  

Sir Henry trained some fabulous racehorses and latterly had the delight of training Frankel who almost certainly the greatest racehorse we will ever see.

The tribute below has been reproduced courtesy of the Racing Post and sums up our thoughts on a great trainer and an absolute gentleman.

THE RACING world united on Tuesday to pay tribute to Sir Henry Cecil, who has died at the age of 70.

BHA chief executive Paul Bittar learned of the news at the close of a press conference at their High Holborn headquarters in London.

He said: "It is tragic news. Sir Henry has been one of the great characters and one of the great trainers within British racing for a long time.

"There has been an endless number of wonderful horses. It is tragically sad but having said that what a wonderful way to be able to finish his career with Frankel, the greatest racehorse any of us will ever get to see.

"From a British racing perspective how lucky we were to be able to see Frankel on the racecourse for three seasons and see Sir Henry be able to enjoy that as much as he did."

Ian Mongan, who rode Bullet Train in five races as pacemaker for Frankel, said: "It was a privilege to have ridden for you Sir Henry. A true gentleman and a friend. God bless you and your family."

Amy Starkey, who runs Newmarket Racecourses, said: "Everyone at Newmarket Racecourses is hugely saddened to hear the news that Sir Henry has passed away and our thoughts are very much with Lady Cecil and all of the family.

"He was a much-loved gentleman of our sport and his winners were always hugely well received at both the Rowley Mile and the July Course.

"In total, he had no less than nine 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas winners - more than any other trainer from the modern era. These successes, along with the many others he had at the highest level will ensure he is remembered as one of the greats of his profession.

"Those of us at Newmarket Racecourses were lucky enough to regularly come into contact with Sir Henry and his kindness and willingness to help were greatly appreciated by us all. Only earlier this spring, he attended a meeting to offer his thoughts and advice regarding our race programme."

Derby-winning trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam said: "What a very sad day, a passing of a true legend, one of the nicest men I had the pleasure and honour to meet. We will all miss the great man."

Lee Freedman, one of the great trainers in Australian racing, said in a tweet: "Sir Henry Cecil a champion trainer, but more importantly, a great gentleman. One of my lifetime heroes is gone."

Champion jockey Richard Hughes tweeted: "Our thoughts go to Sir Henry Cecil and family. A true legend of our sport."

Premier Information: Battling The Weather

The sun has been gracing our fine shores for the past few days and in the racing world, it couldn't be better news! However, that doesn't mean racing can't occur in even the worst conditions. The United Kingdom is notorious for it's varied weather patterns and to counter this we have courses that support;

ALL WEATHER RACING

There are four all weather courses in the UK,

Kempton Park
Lingfield
Southwell
Wolverhampton

While they come under the umbrella title of all-weather tracks there are two different types of surface. Southwell has Fibresand while the other tracks use Polytrack.

Fibresand is a heavier surface which is equivalent to racing on turf or even heavy ground on turf and produces kickback which some horses have an intense dislike for. This feels like someone kicking sand in your face at the beach ! For this reason Southwell tends to favour horses who can race prominently or who are described as strong travelers because they will avoid as much kickback as possible. You need to be convinced that a horse will see out the distance before having a bet on this surface.

Polytrack is a kind of rubberised sand and is similar to running on fastish turf and kickback is not an issue.

Form does not transfer between the two surfaces.
Turf form does not transfer to the all weather tracks so when looking for winners consider only all weather form. In addition, form does not transfer well between the different tracks because of the different surfaces and the different characteristics of each course. Saying that, the consistent nature of the surfaces means that most races can be run at a good pace and you get more truly run races. Please also note that rain has the opposite effect on the all weather surfaces than it does on turf in that when it rains the surfaces compact and become firmer. Also, in periods of long dry weather the surfaces become looser and the going becomes slightly slower.

The key to finding winners is to look for horses that do well at particular courses and trainers and jockeys who have good records at the track.

You may not be aware, but Sky Journalists have picked up our blog too! Going up in the world!
Don't forget, we also have Twitter to follow over at Twitter.com/premierinfoUK

Premier Information: Against All The Odds!

It's Tuesday, the Great British weather is treating us mighty fine at Premier HQ. Whilst we're all back with our noses to the grindstone, I thought I'd spend 5 minutes continuing on from the article last week on the Betting Exchange.

Today we will look at one of the aspects of betting that confuses the best of us and can quite easily put off newbies making a punt!

Exchange Odds.

Odds on Betting Exchanges are presented in decimals, whereas in general bookmaking they are in fractions. Betting Exchange odds, as in Pool betting (Tote etc) include the backers one point stake in the presentation of odds.

6/4  is represented by 2.5. 2/1 is represented by 3.0 and an odds on price of 4/5 would be represented by 1.8 The Betting Exchanges allow their clients the possibility of a dual role.   That is of being either a bettor or a layer of odds.   Initially this may present a challenge to the normal perception of only making a profit by selecting winners. Now there is the opportunity to profit from finding a loser!

If you lay a horse, you are effectively assuming the role of bookmaker. It works like this: Imagine you are strongly of the view that the favourite, lets call him “Exchange Newbie” running in the 3pm at Haydock is NOT likely to win. Perhaps after studying hard you feel this is a poor favourite and with many other good horses in the race, you wish to oppose this horse. In such circumstances, you can LAY “Exchange Newbie”. The horse is trading at 2/1. You oppose him and lay him for £25. Another exchange client, feels this horse will win. He takes the opportunity to back him at £25 at 2/1. You are now in a position where if the horse loses you get to keep the £25 stake.   If the horse wins, because you are acting as the bookmaker, you would have to pay out £50.   Just as Mr Ladbrokes would have to pay you £50 if you had a £25 bet at 2/1 with him!

Is risking £50 to make £25 value? Well obviously that is a subjective view prior to the race and the only after the events can you say for certain. However,  you need to keep in mind, that if “Exchange Newbie” was running in a ten runner race, there are actually nine other horses actually running on your side so to speak! If you had good reason to think the horse was a vulnerable favourite, then it quite possible that laying the horse in those circumstances was value.   

The important thing to remember when laying is that you must think like a bookmaker. Once you have the approach and mind set correct, then opportunities to profit certainly exist.

Until next time! Be sure to check out our Twitter account for all the latest updates found at www.twitter.com/premierinfouk

Premier Information: Taking On The Betting Exchange

Over the next few articles, we will take a look at BETTING EXCHANGES.  That is Betfair and
Betdaq primarily.

Betting Exchanges have become one of the most important developments in betting. 
Exchanges have arisen as a traditional industry seeks to meet the challenges and opportunities of the electronic age. Their inception has followed reforms in on-course betting in the late 1990s that focussed on the selling off of prime racecourse bookmaker pitches. This brought in new money that boosted competition, often providing greater value to backers as bookmakers worked at slightly lower margins and offered better odds.  

Betting exchanges are the publicly accepted face of what previously some professional backers had always practised.   That is, betting amongst themselves, laying odds and placing bets other than with licensed bookmakers. The Betting Exchanges now offer this opportunity to the wider public.

In practice, a Betting Exchange operates by holding money deposited by each of its clients, which it holds in a separate private account for each one. The Exchange then operates a  trading market where odds are offered or requested by its various clients, and when these are matched a bet is struck.

Once the result is known, an electronically recorded transaction triggers a debit or a credit – less a commission for the Exchange, to the individual client accounts.   Bets can be made online or by telephone instruction to the Exchange.

Backers can conduct their accounts with immediate deposits or withdrawals by debit card or by cheque.

Next time, we will look how the all important odds work on the Betting Exchanges.

Premier Information: Flat Racing Horse Take Two! (Part 2 that is!)

It's been a bit of a quiet week this past week, but thankfully the weather has been forgiving, what more can we ask for?

We're continuing our look at the Flat racehorse today! This paticular topic seemed to grab quite a bit of interest with some of our community, so I hope you're enjoying my views just as much as I enjoy writing about the topic.

A two year old horse is physically immature. Comparable to a child in human terms.  As a
three year old its maturity begins and it is like a teenager becoming a young adult. At the age of four it begins to reach its physical peak and is usually considered in its prime for flat racing. A five year old is fully mature - a colt is considered a horse and a filly is considered a mare. Further physical development is reduced and what development there is does not generally aid the horses racing ability.

Flat racing has a rapidly and constantly changing population in horses as a new crop of two year olds appear every season and replaces other and older horses. The fortunes of most flat racing yards revolves around the intake of fresh young horses from the sales and from private studs. Often, these horses arrive as unbroken yearlings and each trainer is faced with the task of attempting to turn raw recruits into efficient racing machines. There is considerable pressure on trainers to deliver the goods for owners and connections. The risks are great but the rewards, for a “good one” are enormous – not just on the track but also in terms of future breeding.

Of course, in real terms, only a few go on to achieve top flight success. Some may find that after their career on the flat that they can successfully switch codes and end up with a new career as National Hunt horses.   There are always a few decent sorts that successfully move

from the flat to the jumps and do well for doing so.

Premier Information: Running On A Bit Of A Flat

We hope everyone had a fantastic weekend, even if Sunday was the only decent day in the UK!

Now that the Flat season is back with us, I thought it would be useful to take a look at

The Flat Racehorse.

 

A Flat racehorse’s racing life usually begins as a two year old.   All thoroughbred race horses are given an official birthday on 1^st January, regardless of what date in the year they were actually born.   A horse foaled in February and a horse foaled in June will both be officially considered a year old on 1^st January of the following year, when one would actually be ten months old and the other six months old.   

This can lead to considerable physical disparity in the horses in the early part of their careers, especially as two year olds. This imbalance may not be properly resolved even later during their three year old racing season. If you tend to back two year olds on the flat, then it is worth looking at the dates a horse was actually foaled.   There are stats available that clearly show that two year olds foaled in January have around a 10% winning percentage and horses foaled in May is around 6%.   As you would probably expect, the older horses have an advantage.    

Most horses that begin racing as two year olds end their racing lives by the time they are five years old.   Sometimes this is due to lack of ability or injury but also because they have been retired for breeding purposes.   

I will continue to discuss the flat racehorse next time.

Premier Information: That Winning Form - Part 2!

We're back again for part 2 of todays double feature. Has it been a bit of an insight? Well we're touching up on a similar topic once again
Recently, I explained that form is there for all to see.   In fact sometimes, it is possible to look at things too deeply. Simple often works best. One type of form is, for me, particularly important.   That is WINNING FORM.7

Winning form is invariably the best form in all spheres of racing, because winners win again,
often at the next time of asking, despite carrying a winner’s penalty or running from a new
handicap rating.   Simply said, the best form is winning form and losing form the worst form.
Such a statement may appear obvious, but in analysing form and making a selection this
most basic approach is often overlooked.  Unless the entry conditions of a race preclude
previous winners, previous form always demands the closest attention and is the area upon
which the selector should immediately focus.   Around 20% of winners go on to win their
next race.

Winning form means that a horse has previously shown it has the ability to win a race and
beat other horses in the competitive atmosphere  of a racecourse.  Horses  often grow in
confidence from the experience of a victory, which can lead to future success if the other
factors such as class, going, course etc are similar.

Winners in horseracing, as in other walks of life, are likely to win again.   In practical terms,
a winning racehorse is likely to receive that extra attention and encouragement when it
returns home to its yard that a loser will not.   Everybody in the stable will be affected as
morale is lifted  and hopes for the future raised.  A horse, if only a winner of a minor prize,
will, for a short time get star treatment and be the focus of attention and a interest in its
future has been created.

The spice of victory will also be felt from a financial angle if the stable and owners have
backed the horse.  In contrast the frequent losers get none of these benefits.
Winning form should always be the starting point when analysing a race.  Success breeds
success.

Premier Information: Back On Form

A little bit short and sweet today, but this time I promise we'll have a double feature to make up for it! Especially because we're touching on a subject we've partly covered before. But never the less! It is an important factor that I think deserves a little bit of an extra mention.

FORM

Many people ask me about FORM. I think that many people looking at racing think there
is some magical way of identifying winners and that something “special” in the form book
gives the golden key to success. It is not so. Form is simple and there for everyone to see.

The principle of FORM is simple. When one horse beats another it is because it ran faster!
No excuses can hide that simple truth.  Should the two horses meet again under similar
conditions the outcome is likely to be the same.   Remember, while faster horses may run slower, slower horses cannot run faster.

However, should the two horses meet again, then conditions, distance and especially weight can make for a different outcome. If these factors are primarily no different, then the outcome is far more likely to remain the same as on the first occasion.   You need to look at the form objectively and then consider whether there are factors that may mean that this time the outcome could be different.

There is nothing magical about form study.  But objectivity is the key factor.

Premier Information: Horse Trainers Know Their Role!

Not quite the double feature we promised yesterday, but how about something fresh and new today? You can't say we're not good to you!

Today we take a brief look at the role of ;

The Racehorse Trainer.

Producing winners is a twofold process. Firstly the training of a horse to capture peak race
fitness, then the sometimes underestimated part, successfully “placing” a horse in the right
race which will aid its chances of winning.

Some trainers concentrate so hard on the first aspect that they fail to get the best out of
the horse with regard to placing it in the right race. Other trainers are extremely skilful at
finding very poor contests that can give a moderate horse a really strong chance of winning.

Over the jumps, Martin Pipe was in my view, head and shoulders above his contemporaries
in studying form and placing horses to best effect. This stable were extremely shrewd in
taking extreme care where horses were placed and it is fair to say that this continues today
in the hands of Martin’s son David who is now running things at Pond House Stables. Other
trainers, who I will not name, may well be adept at getting a horse well prepared, but lack
the same skills as the Pipe yard when it comes to placing their horses in the right race.

On the flat, someone such as Sir Mark Prescott takes clearly gives massive consideration to
placing his horses in the right races, whereas others (and again I won’t name them) do not
quite shine in quite the same way.

A high win to runner ratio declares purpose, whilst a poor strike rate merely suggests
optimism. So many trainers look at their own horses through rose coloured spectacles!
A successful trainer is likely to maintain a level of achievement, whereas an unsuccessful
trainer seems unable to redeem the situation. In choosing horses to back, one becomes
very aware of these aspects by considering a trainer’s record in terms of course, meetings
and jockey partnerships.

When it comes to backing a horse, think about the performance of the trainer. What are
his current stats? Does he place horses shrewdly? Is he a consistently under performing
trainer? I am so tempted to name a few of the trainers who I believe fail to make the most
of the ammunition in their stables. But, on this occasion, I shall keep my opinions to myself.

Premier Information On: It Takes A Little Bit Of Racing Class To Win!

We've been a little busy over here at Premier Information, so none of us have really had too much time to post things here. However, we're back and it's time to pick up where we left off - we might even treat you to a double feature today!

Today we look at another important factor that helps us in the selection process.

Class!

This can have a massive impact on our assessment in the selection process. Class is
permanent. Form is temporary. In racing, Class can be described as the quality of
opposition a horse races against.

A horse that is raised in class usually has to improve in order to succeed. A horse running in
the same class needs to reproduce its best level of form to succeed and a horse dropped in
class may merely need to just run relatively close to its normal ability to win.

A wise trainer will often have his horses running against the very best horses at the highest
grade the horse will qualify for. Then, when the horse has maybe shown some consistency,
drop it in class. By dropping it in class the horse has much less to do to win. This is
something we look for all the time. Imagine an athlete competing in the Olympic Games.
His best performance gets him a bronze medal. Let’s imagine he cannot possibly achieve
better. However, if you then take that athlete to a minor competition at say a regional
level, you would expect him to be head and shoulders above the lower class opposition.
He would then win and win well. The same applies to horses. If you see a horse that has
been running to a consistent level of form, which is then dropped significantly in grade, is fit
and looks to be facing moderate opposition, then this could be excellent circumstances in
which to place a bet.

Backing a horse going up in class is a different proposition. Many horses fail to win when
raised in class. However, if the horse is improving rapidly, is likely to be fitter than it was
in its last run and has shown an ability beyond its previous grade, then it is possible that
the horse can step up in grade and continue its progression and win. It is by no means out
of the question for horses to be raised in class and win. However, some horses winning
impressively at a low grade can flatter to deceive. It is all about making an objective
assessment.

So far then, we have looked at Form, fitness and class. Next time, we will consider the
Conditions and the “sub factors” that are so important in this aspect.

It's been brought to our attention that the Premier Information Blog has been rated by The Bloggy Awards! It's always a little bit heart warming to see that people are interested in our thoughts! Many thanks!

As always - check us out on the ol' Premier Information Twitter

Premier Information: Check The Form And Fitness

It's been a few days since we posted something over here. It's all been a little bit hectic, but never the less, lets jump right back in!.

I am often asked what means and methodology I use for making selections and what factors
ultimately lead us to a choosing whether to bet or not.Everyone has their own ideas. Many man, many methods. But over the coming articles, I will take you through the main factors that I consider a solid base for the selection process, as well as the base that we use at Premier Information.

Today, I will take a look at Form and Fitness.

Form is a major consideration in making a selection. Form is a factual record of
performance. A record of exactly what has previously been achieved. It is the sole means
of reliably assessing and comparing ability. The higher the grade of race, the more reliable
form tends to be. Whilst never forgetting we are dealing with flesh and blood, high class
horses running in high class events tend to run reliably to form. Lower class racing is not
considered quite so reliable. Everyone interprets form in their own way. Form is a factor
which can never be underestimated. Ultimately though, how that form is interpreted is
down to the individual.

Fitness is also an important factor. Fitness can influence form. Is a horse at peak fitness?
When did it last run? Is it likely to improve and strip fitter for its last run? In years gone
by, one would be very wary of a horse making its seasonal debut. Many horses need to
“have a run” in order to get them properly fit. These days, modern training methods are
so well honed that good trainers can have the horse fit and ready to go even after a long lay
off. However, I generally like to see a horse run within two weeks of its last start. One can
assume that an animal running within two weeks of a race will be pretty fit.

If a horse is not fit it can invalidate the form.

Premier Information: Don't Forget The Classic's!

With attention beginning to turn to the Flat season, I thought it was worth looking at the five “Classic” races that we can look forward to later this season.

The five Classics are the Blue Riband events and are a stern test of ability.   Only the best horses compete in these events and the prize money is huge.  However, they are also fiercely competitive races.

The 2000 and 1000 Guineas take place in Newmarket in the Spring and are over a distance of one mile.  The 2000gns is for colts and the 1000gns for fillies. The Derby (colts) and The Oaks (fillies) take place at Epsom in June over a distance of 1 ½ miles. The St Leger is open to both sexes and is run over 1 ¾ miles at Doncaster in September.

The challenge to finding the winner in these events is to select the very best from the best, a daunting task when the size of the field may be large and most of the runners have at least some sort of chance of winning!   Added to which, every horse will be trained to peak fitness.

In our favour, is the fact that top class horses tend to be reliable in reproducing and holding their form.   High class horses tend to be consistent.   We can take much evidence into account.   Their previous form in trials, stable form, speed figures, dosage and general trends and statistics.   As with making any selection, it is all about putting the pieces of the jigsaw together. 

Myself  and the rest of the staff at Premier Information do tend to get involved in these races and have a pretty good track record in them – particularly in the 2000gns and The Derby. 

Fingers crossed we can find the winners in 2013!