Australian Horse Racing Tips: What Makes A Good Horse?

Betting on an Australian horse race can be exciting and fun. Unlike in other countries where horse racing is slowly dying down, Australia’s horse racing culture and traditions are still growing strong. And as a spectator or bettor, you want to top off the excitement and fun with some hefty winnings. Thankfully, you can raise the chances of winning by adding a bit of analysis to your bets.

The form guide contains most of the information you’ll need about the horses. However, know that you may get a detail-rich or straightforward guide depending on the race, event, or guide provider. Nonetheless, the standard information you’ll obtain from a race program is statistical records, odds, speed, jockey, color, and various horse data.

While guides and horse racing tips websites can provide you with the information you need, reading it won’t do you any good if you don’t know which pieces of information you should rely on when choosing a good horse in the race. To help with your analysis, you might want to pointers of what makes a good horse:

A good horse has a win streak

Most beginners would always rely on a horse’s recent winning history, especially if it has a winning streak. The only disadvantage is that they often have low odds as their winning chances are usually high. However, it’s not a guarantee. After all, not all horses can win on all the racing tracks in the world with ease.

A horse dominating multiple races and maintaining a high winning streak is rare, like Black Caviar with 25 wins. Most horse racing fans and experts believe that no horse will beat this record anytime soon. (1)

While betting on a horse on a streak is a sound strategy, the risk and payout are low. Also, a horse maintaining a high winning streak is quite rare. After all, having 11 straight wins can quickly get a horse into the history books. So, the higher the streak is, the higher the chance it may lose in the current race.

A good horse has a good winning history

Choosing a good horse based on recent wins is safe to bet. However, if you want to stack yourself against the odds but maintain a low level of risk, you can bet on a horse with a good past winning history and a recent losing streak. Most bettors call this strategy betting on a beaten favorite.

The logic here is simple. No matter how good a horse is, it’ll lose once in a while. As mentioned, it’s difficult for horses to maintain a winning streak. For example, if a horse wins at Moonee Valley and loses at Swan Hill, you can hope that it may win when the current race is at Moonee Valley again.

To know more about a horse’s winning history in a particular racecourse—say in Flemington—you may want to check out Flemington tips at Racenet.

A good horse often has a good jockey

While this article is about choosing a good horse, don’t forget about a jockey. A jockey change can make a horse win or lose in some cases. Suppose the jockey who recently rode the beaten favorite and suffered losses changed. In that case, the horse’s probability of winning can tremendously go up—or down depending on the jockey’s history.

A jockey’s riding style can influence the outcome of the race and the horse’s chances. Also, while you can’t see it from behind the stands or monitor, the relationship between the jockey and their horse can significantly improve their chances of winning. Suppose you have Scobie Breasley—may his soul rest in peace—as the jockey. You should know well that he’s a hall of famer who can raise a horse’s chances of winning if he rides as he’s great at judging a race’s pace and striking at the right moment. (2)

So, if you’re determined to win a bet, be sure to spend some time researching the people riding the horses.

A good horse often has low odds

The odds are the sentiment of all bettors, whether they’re in the racecourse, homes, or online betting sites. Typically, if you’re new to betting and confused about which horse to focus on, find the three horses that are favored by the crowd. This means that you should set your eyes on the three horses with the lowest odds. If the odds are heavily skewed, pick the ones who have odds between 2/1 (3) and 4.8/1 (5.8).

For those people who’re not from the UK or Australia, know that the country mostly uses fractional odds, which is a simple system. For example, if you bet on a winning horse that has a 2/1 (two is to one), you can win two dollars per one dollar you bet on. Say that you bet five dollars; winning at 2/1 odds will net you ten dollars. (3)

Of course, the odds don’t always reflect the true feelings of the bettors. Some bettors who aim to deviate from the odds in the hopes of winning big would often put their money away from the crowd’s favorites. So, aside from just looking at the numbers and guides, talking to horse racing fans and experts regarding the best horses in their opinion would also help you determine which ones are good horses to bet on.

Conclusion

While it seems that there are only a few aspects listed here on how to find a good horse in an Australian horse race, it can be grueling to get them all checked fast and make you decide your favorite. If you’re really into winning a bet, the best advice for you to follow to pick the best horse is to take your time and do your research.

References

  1. “Australian Super Horse Black Caviar Retires”, Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/17/worldsport/gallery/black-caviar-retires/index.html
  2. “Scobie Breasley”, Source: https://horseracinghof.com/notable-heroes/scobie-breasley/
  3. “How Do Odds Work in Betting?”, Source: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/042115/betting-basics-fractional-decimal-american-moneyline-odds.asp

Horse racing: History, Rules, & Betting

Horse racing is a speed sport in which two or more horses aim to reach the end line first, it is one of the most ancient sports in history date back to 4500 BC. it’s a widespread assumption that the horses originated in Asia. There is a lot of evidence that proves this belief, on top of them is the spread of horses in all Asian countries, even those that contain arid deserts such as the Arabian Gulf.

In 1206 AD, Emperor Genghis Khan assigned a horse for every soldier to build an entire cavalry army. By horses only, he got the fastest, brutalist, and the most mobile military force in ancient times. This mighty military power managed to conquer 9 million square miles across Asia, Europe, and North Africa!

Although that Genghis Khan is one of the deadliest and most ruthless leaders in history if there was one good deed in his life it would be to bring horses to Europe and North Africa! After horses being spread in the world no similar empire existed, apparently, this made a state of military parity!

There is no clear evidence about the origin of competitive horse racing. But it seems that this sport originated in all civilizations with different rules and ways. The earliest evidence of this sport is in central Asia and dates to 4500 BC. Also, there is other evidence that this sport has been played in Ancient Egypt, Greece, Persia, Turkey, and Poland. As you note, horse racing spread on wealthy civilizations, and that’s why it is known as the “Sport of Kings”.

When Did Horse Racing Betting Originate?

Many historians believe that betting on horse racing began in England in the 17th century. Some other believe that horse racing started in France, during the same century when 2 noblemen wrote a betting contract on horse racing that occurred in 1651. After that, horse racing betting spread in the whole of Europe.

We can say that no sport has been closely linked to gambling like horse racing! Betting on this sport got the attention of kings, gamblers and workers who saw in it a quick way to invest their money and prove their predictions.

At the current time, horse racing betting market hit 3.5 billion dollars in the USA in 2019. As for the online horse racing betting sector, it is likely to achieve higher growth ranging from $130 bn to $140 bn during 2022 – 2025.

The most valuable horse racing in the world at the current time are:

  • The Saudi Cup carries a $20 million purse.
  • Dubai World Cup offers total prize money of $12 million.
  • Pegasus World Cup has a prize pot of $16 million.

What Are the Non Runners in Horse Racing?

Since that most of the horse races occur at relatively close times, jockeys and trainers seek to participate in all of them to obtain the highest profits from these rich races. However, stressed horses usually fail to complete the final training, thus the race management declares them as non-runners. Most likely, if you bet on a horse and he does not participate in the race, the bookmaker will refund your bet stake.

Note that there is a slight difference between the withdrawn and non runner horse, the first one is named to take part in the event and declaration stage. On the other hand, the non runner isn’t listed on the final list. You can find more info on horse racing and non runners from the previous link.

Types of Horse Racing

There are so many types of horse racing in the world that make no one like the other! This is normal, as any slight difference in the terrain or weather will make the race completely different from the rest. However, we can divide horse racing into two main types as follows:

  • Flat Race: A race in which horses run on a flat surface in a straight or circular direction without any obstacles. This race tests a horse’s speed and a jockey’s ability to control it over a long distance at a high speed.
  • Jump Racing: In this race, there are obstacles that the horse must jump over and reach the finish line before the rest of the competitors. Jump racing tests the fitness of the horse and its ability to jump over various obstacles.

What Are Horse Racing Skills?

Horse racing is based on two components; Jockey and horse. For the jockey, he must make a great effort in guiding the horse and stick to the correct sitting position throughout the race to increase the speed of the horse and enhance its ability to penetrate the air faster. Also, the jockey should make decisions to change direction or sprint when needed. As for the horse, he must make a great physical effort to run and jump over obstacles.

Most races have significantly short tracks because they focus on speed testing without any other factors. While longer races (such as the Grand National) require hockey and horses to act tactically. For example, running fast will not help the horse and draining his strength quickly. But it is better to run at a medium speed to be able to jump over obstacles.

Horse Racing Gear

Many types of horses participate in these races, including British horses, Arabian horses, quarter horses, and cross-breeds. These breeds can compete against each other in the same race, but some races may accept one breed only. The horse wears a leather suit and a leather saddle, Jokes wear a helmet and carry a whip. Although the whip is an essential tool in horse dressage, it is highly controversial in racing! Some countries completely prohibit it under pressure from animal rights groups. While other countries, as the UK, set a certain number of whip hits.

Conclusion

Although it is the “Kings’ sports”, horse racing is one of the most popular sports in the world! However, this sport experiences hard times because of the pandemic that cause a full shutdown to all races and animal rights activist’s attacks. Yet this does not change the fact that this sport is very popular among viewers and bettors alike!

Major favourites and top runners in the field for the 2021 Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes

Haydock will open its doors for a weekend of flat race festivities in early September, culminating in what’s sure to be a dramatic dash for first place in the 2021 Betfair Sprint Cup.

Horses aged three and up will be eligible to compete for the £162,000 prize over six furlongs come September 4, with a David Bowie-inspired frontrunner already nosing in front of the crowd.

The Merseyside meet takes a little more than one minute from start to finish, which is why the Haydock Sprint Cup is so highly favoured as a big betting event in the calendar.

 

SportQuestion.com considers the lineup as things stand and breaks down the top odds available with a little more than a week until the race.

 

Starman (11/4)

Take your protein pills and put on your helmet, because Starman is considered the favorite to win the Sprint Cup this year by horse betting profis and the odds only increase over time.

Ed Walker’s entry has now moved to less than 3/1 odds despite placing third in the Larc Prix Maurice de Gheest in August, when an extra half-furlong ultimately made all the difference.

Still, the potential is clear for a four-year-old who stormed to his maiden Group 1 victory in the July Cup Stakes at Newmarket one month prior:

 

The BBC provided quotes from jockey Tom Marquand after that race, who gushed: “He’s very inexperienced compared to a lot of these, but this horse is an absolute star.”

Marquand has been in the saddle for four of Starman’s five career wins and looks likely to be back aboard at Haydock.

 

Dragon Symbol (4/1)

Beaten by a little more than a length in those July Cup Stakes, Archie Watson-trained Dragon Symbol comes next in the odds despite failing to win any of his last five races.

The most recent of those close calls came in the form of a third-place finish at the Nunthorpe Stakes in August, when a certain Winter Power had the legs to finish first:

 

 

 

Dragon Symbol has divided his time between five and six furlongs to date, but the latter is where he looks more at home, and there’s no doubt he belongs among the elite despite the win drought.

 

Creative Force (8/1)

The price then doubles for the Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes as Creative Force approaches September 4 as an 8/1 contender.

Charlie Appleby’s charge was another who was among the field when Starman won the July Cup Stakes several months ago, which ended a post-gelding streak of four straight wins.

Creative Force came close to ending that sour patch in the Unibet Lennox Stakes at Goodwood later in July, only for Kinross to edge ahead and steal the win by a neck:

 

 

 

The upper group challenges have thrown the three-year-old in the deep end to date, but over six furlongs, this 8/1 sleeper could be worthy of a punt, with William Buick among his potential riders.

 

2021 Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes – Odds Leaders

Team Odds
Starman 11/4
Dragon Symbol 4/1
Creative Force 8/1
Kinross 8/1
Gustavus Weston 10/1
Glen Shiel 10/1
Art Power 12/1
Happy Romance 20/1
Chil Chil 20/1
Supremacy 20/1

2021 Great Voltigeur Stakes: Leading Contenders and Top Betting Favourites at York

The 2021 Ebor Festival will open on Wednesday (Aug. 18), with a large portion of the horse-racing public sure to have their attention fixed on who shines brightest in the Great Voltigeur Stakes.

Serving as a trial to September’s St. Leger, the Group 2 meet will assemble a crop of the best talent aged three and above currently gleaming on the flat circuit.

 

And a number of trainers with history winning this race will be back in the saddle attempting to add to their collection this week, including Aidan O’Brien, William Haggas and Charlie Appleby.

The final list of runners is yet to be certified as a few entries look likely to be cut before the race gets underway, but the leading picks to take top spot at York are well and truly established.

Alenquer sits at the head of that queue as betting odds 5/2 favourite days out from the horse race Great Voltigeur Stakes, and horse betting apps in the UK consider which colt and gelding talents might rise up to steal the £85,000 prize.

 

Alenquer (5/2)

A busy summer of activity continues for Alenquer following a not-so-successful expedition to Longchamp in mid-July, when he placed third in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris.

Alenquer was well beaten by Appleby’s Hurricane Lane on the very soft conditions in France, but a likely return to better grounding promises a bounce back to winnings ways at York.

 

One factor that may influence that resurgence is the expected return of jockey Tom Marquand, who was unable to ride Alenquer in France because he wasn’t fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

The colt has won three times and finished runner-up once with Marquand aboard, most recently winning the King George VII Stakes in June:

 

 

Trainer Haggas won the Great Voltigeur Stakes in 2015 with Storm the Stars, but he’s relying on the more grounded Alenquer—named after the region in Portugal—to bring him more success in this race.

 

Kemari (4/1)

Inspired by the football-esque sport that originated in Japan, Kemari has kicked up a major fuss in his first season of racing and is looking to make it three wins in a row when he comes to York this week.

The BBC broke down the Godolphin-owned starlet’s victory in the Queen’s Vase at Ascot in June, when he defeated the O’Brien-trained Wordsworth, whom he’ll meet here once again in York:

 

 

The 4/1 shot is yet to finish outside the top two in any of his three expeditions having only made his racing debut this past May, with Appleby stumbling upon a potent partnership between him and jockey William Buick.

Kemari ran a closer victory at Ascot when he edged Wordsworth by just over a length over one mile and six furlongs, but the one mile and three furlong distance here suggests he can challenge.

 

High Definition (5/1)

High Definition won’t be able to stand the sight of Hurricane Lane after being bested by the Appleby charge in each of his last two outings, most recently losing by 29 lengths in June’s Irish Derby.

O’Brien’s lowest-priced pick for the Great Voltigeur Stakes finished 10th out of 11 that day as he just failed to get going on the day, a far cry from when he sealed back-to-back wins at the Curragh around this time last year:

 

It could be the case that Ryan Moore is taken off jockey duties by O’Brien in a bid to bring about some change, with undoubted potential to be tapped in the son of Galileo.

 

2021 Great Voltigeur Stakes – Odds Leaders

Team Odds
Alenquer 5/2
Kemari 4/1
High Definition 5/1
Lone Eagle 5/1
Third Realm 6/1
Wordsworth 7/1
Mojo Star 8/1
Sir Lamorak 10/1
Yibir 10/1
Youth Spirit 12/1

 

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