There are many reasons why people love horse racing. Some enjoy the excitement and anticipation of the race, while others appreciate the beauty and power of the horses themselves. If you are new to horse betting, it can be difficult to know where to start. There are so many different strategies that you could use, and it can be hard to determine which one is the best for you.
In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the best betting strategies for beginner horse bettors. We’ll also discuss why these strategies work, and how you can use them to your advantage. So, if you’re ready to start betting on horses, keep reading!
Observing the Horse Before the Race
One of the best strategies to use when betting on horses is to observe the horse before the race since this can give a lot of information to work with. When you observe the horse before the race, you can pay attention to 2 things; the physical aspects of the horse, and the behavioral aspects.
In terms of the physical aspects, you should pay attention to how much the horse is sweating, which can indicate a few things. For example, if the horse is sweating a lot, it most likely means that the horse is nervous, which isn’t too much of a problem within itself. If the horse is sweating profusely around the kidney area, it could mean that the horse is not feeling so great.
When looking at the behavioral aspects of the horse, you should try to find a rather calm horse. Horses that are agitated, moving in circles, biting, or rearing, are essentially using all of the energy before the race has even begun.
Researching the Horse, Jockey, and Trainer
The next thing that you should implement into your strategy is to research as much as you can about the horse, the jockey, and the trainer. There is a lot of information to be found on British Racecourses here, and combining the information is what helps to make a good bet.
For example, when researching the horse, you should find out how many races it has been in, what types of races it does well in, how many breaks a horse has had, for how long, what type of track they do well running on, and more.
In terms of the jockey, you should find out their experience level, what types of horses they have had success riding, which tracks they do well on, what races they do well on, what events they do well at, and more. When looking at the macro, you can see patterns emerging, and combined with the information about the horse, you will be able to make a good bet.
Understanding the Surface and Track Time
As mentioned above, one thing that you should find out is the surface the horse runs best on or prefers running on, as well as the track time. This is important to know and understand, since a horse could have a great track time on one track, but could have an entirely different time on another track, even if they are the same length.
In terms of the surface, some horses run well on both mud and firm ground, but some horses might have difficulty on one or the other. There are many different adjectives to describe the going, but you should pay attention to two distinctions; horses that need a surface on the wet side, and horses that need a surface on the dry side.
Understand Where Fitness Matters
The final important thing is to understand where fitness matters, as well as knowing when the horse had a break and for how long. Many people new to horse betting might think that fitness is a great sign that will determine if the horse will win a race or not, but it isn’t that simple.
For example, a horse that is of a high class that is barely fit will outrun an extremely fit horse that is of a much lower class. Different races also require different fitness levels, and there are some races where fitness levels aren’t a massive factor in success. Fitness can also be gleaned from how dull the horse’s coat is; a dull coat often means an unfit horse. When it comes to the break a horse has had; if a horse has had a break for longer than 84 days, it will take them longer to return to form.