Horse Racing Moments

With the news last week about equine flu cases in Australia, I am sure that many horse racing enthusiasts felt pangs of anxiety.  Imagine those who have stakes on those horses and the upcoming races – how do they feel now?  Despite the ban that was meant to stop the spread of the flu before it became disastrous, the situation was not controlled enough.  This has resulted in the cancellation of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.

I am sure that those who have heard of the news are in dismay over the turn of things.  However, think about the state of New South Wales which has to deal with an estimated $ 204.5 million loss.  According to the Thoroughbred Times “Major races affected are the Epsom Handicap (Aus-G1), Metropolitan Handicap (G1), and George Main Stakes (Aus-G1) and other group races that are pointers to either the Melbourne Spring Carnival or toward the Sydney Autumn Carnival.

Royal Randwick Racecourse remains in stringent lockdown, but horses may exercise under strict protocols. Approximately 700 horses are stabled at the racecourse course and another 1,000 in adjacent private stables.

Racing New South Wales said Friday it hopes that racing can resume at Royal Randwick on Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1) day, November 6.”

At present, Australian horse owners and enthusiasts are finding ways to deal with the situation, including meetings wherein they can come up with solutions to support those who have been affected by this incident.

Meanwhile, in other parts of Australia, horse racing is being held intermittently.

A three-day ban has been implemented in major locations in Australia due to the outbreak of equine flu in Sydney.  Affected areas are New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.  The ban disallows the transport of horses in an effort to contain the highly contagious disease.

The equine flu is a respiratory illness that makes the horses tired.  It is rarely fatal but is highly contagious.  Humans are safe from the virus but can be carriers (through their clothing).  Though the case of equine flu is not that bad at the moment, Australian authorities are not taking any risks.  The breeding season for horses is coming up next month and too much is at stake.  Soon after the breeding season, horse racing activities are set to reach frenzied heights with the Spring Carnival, including the Melbourne Cup.

According to the Racing Board of Australia, if the flu spreads, the horse racing industry could be shut down for months.  This, of course, is something that they are not looking forward to and as such they are doing everything they possibly could to prevent any outbreak.  So far, the equine flu has been reported only in Japan, which Australian officials say may be the source of their own occurrences.  This is because Japanese stallions regularly come into the country during the breeding season.  Their horses also race during the Spring Carnival.

As of yet, there is no clear decision on what will happen in the next month or so.

This is the continuation of the last post about tips for coming up with your own horse racing system.  I ended with the idea that you should check out when the horses last raced.  I remember writing that the more recent the last race is, the better it is.  However, let me qualify that.  If the horse raced only a few days ago, this principle would not hold.  The horse would probably still be tired from the last race.  The idea is to stay away from horses that have been out of the race track for extended periods of time.

Another consideration would be the distance of the race.  Not all horses are the same – some run better for certain distances.  A race that is too short may not be enough for a horse to show its true form.  On the other hand, some horses cannot run the distance.  As such, you have to take into account the horse’s capability and the distance to be run.

Take into consideration what the “experts” say.  I know you are trying to come up with your own system and you may not want to rely on tipsters.  Yet the whole process of finding your own system would include paying attention to those who have experience.  I am not saying that you should merely listen to what they say.  My point is that if a lot of experts (say 60% - 80%) predict a certain horse winning, find out why.  Then take your cue from there.

One of the most important – if not the most important – things in horse racing is to find a system that works for you and to stick with it.  There are countless systems already developed by other punters out there.  Yet if you are still on the lookout for a system that works, why not try coming up with your own?  Here are a few tips that would help you on this matter.

First, be prepared to do research – a lot of research.  You would have to look into the horses running a certain race and find out as much as you can about them.  This information can be had for free – just look on the Internet.

Next, you should also look into other details such as the size of the field.  The more horses you have running the race, the lesser the chances of a single horse winning.  You should factor this into your system.

Another consideration would be the type of ground the race is going to be run on.  Each horse has its own strength when it comes to this.  You should know which horse runs best on soft or firm ground and adjust your system accordingly.

When picking the horse to place your bet on, make sure that it is in top form.  A horse that ran its last race a season or two ago would make for poor betting.  According to some experts, the shorter the period between races, the better.

(to be continued)

As we have been talking about horse racing in the UK in the last few posts, I thought that you guys would be interested in this press release regarding the new authority in the British side of horse racing:

The British Horseracing Authority was formally launched yesterday [July 31] as the single, unified governing body for British Horseracing. Its role is to regulate, promote and represent the sport.

The Authority takes on the roles of the British Horseracing Board and the Horseracing Regulatory Authority, with both of those organisations ceasing to exist. Its inaugural Chairman is Paul Roy, with Nic Coward its first Chief Executive.

Alongside the Chairman and Chief Executive, the remainder of the eight-strong Board, which has a strong emphasis on independence and decision-making in the best interests of British Horseracing as a whole, is as follows:

• Toby Balding - Member Nominee Director
• John Bridgeman - Independent Regulatory Director
• Morag Gray - Independent Director
• Ben Gunn - Independent Regulatory Director
• Jim McGrath - Independent Director
• Ian Renton - Member Nominee Director

Other new additions to britishorseracing.com include downloadable Official Ratings – which are updated on a weekly basis by the Authority’s team of handicappers – detailed live non-runner and going reports and information covering the full range of the Authority’s activities.

British Horseracing Authority Chief Executive Nic Coward said: “The British Horseracing Authority is a fresh start, with the backing of all sectors of the industry. We are here to listen, and to take a lead, looking to achieve the best for British Horseracing in all that we do.

“We have an enthusiastic team in place and are building a clear picture of the opportunities and challenges ahead.”