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I was wondering how many of the forum users go racing on a regular basis and bet in cash.
I have been using Betfair for a while now but I still make most my money at the course, betting in cash. (looking at my records)
I still find an edge in seeing the horses in the paddock and on their way to post. I also think handing over cash makes my own personal risk control a lot better, rather then just seeing a number fluctuating in the corner of a screen! A hundred pound in readies seems a lot more real. Plus the feeling of a big win and a pocket full of cash on a cold day cannot be topped.
I know for a lot of you guys probably have trouble getting on and the markets are so much weaker then when I first started in the mid to late 90s. I was at Ascot last weekend and the amount of bookmakers offering E/W terms of 1/6 or 1/8 is a joke.
I still love the buzz of the racecourse and find sitting at home in front of my laptop a lonely existence when a good thing fails so I try and avoid using the exchanges other then for the big away meetings and festivals.
This time of the year I generally go racing three to four times a week – when it isn’t abandoned – and five to six meetings a week in the summer.
I would say I bet no more than one or two days a week, so most days I go racing I don’t bet. Obviously at the big festivals like Cheltenham I will bet in the majority of races.
I would say I strike 90% of bets online before I go racing. The only time I will bet on-course is:-
a) if something catches my in the parade ring,
b) following on from a) in two year old races when most are debutants
c) If I fancy a horse who looks good on paper but is coming back from a lay-off I would want to see it "in the flesh" first.Denman’s next run for example.
and
d) If I pick up on a plunge where the money being put on is "in the know".
I tend to go racing once or twice a month, sometimes more often, and catch up with the remainder of the local meetings on ATR or RacingUK.
Most of my betting is done on Betfair before going to the races, getting value where I can and asking for prices according to my own field book which may or may not be matched. I have a separate betting bank account and my betting concentrates on Scottish or Northern England racing and Class 2 and above at other courses.
My on-course betting is something along the lines of Paul:
a) Bumpers – my betting in these is more often than not a result paddock observation, backed up by breeding or what little previous form there is. I’m in a small minority on this, but I look forward ot these events. Firstly because I can get an edge on course through observation, and secondly because half the crowd b****r off early and make it easier to get out after the last!
b) Novice hurdles or chases where a lightly raced performer from the right connections has the look about them.
c) On the flat, and by far my most successful percentage wise, seeing a decent two year old newcomer in the paddock. The horse has to ‘hit me’ rather than I go looking for it, so bets can be spaced out a bit but I average over 50% winners from these over the last five years, and some have been at fancy prices.
In contrast to Paul I’m not interested in getting on horses where there has been a plunge since it’s a question of being on the bus at the ned of the journey, when it’s getting on at the start price that counts.
I don’t bet at every meeting I go to, but do take plenty of notes for future reference. I note down stacks of stuff that I see then pick out the relevant bits later. I take the binoculars so that I can watch what I want to watch rather than watching what the TV director wants me to watch. I memorise all the colours and check them on the way down to start.
Rob
In 2007 and 2008, I made ninety percent of Southwell’s meetings, fifty percent of those at Nottingham and a few at Doncaster. I also try to get to at least three new courses a year.
Last year I went to York (brilliant, brilliant place), and Ripon, where I burst into tears under that nice tree near the pre-parade ring after Marcus Tregoning’s Maasalek was beaten a head at 20/1 in the Britannia handicap by Fifteen Love. The winner was ridden by my all time least favourite jockey, was a horse trailing by ten lengths with a furlong to go, with more duck eggs than a pond full of mallards, and was trained by someone who hadn’t had a winner since Boy George could still pull straight blokes. A nice Yorkshire lady fetched me a hankie and a Strawberry cornetto and told me not to get upset as it’s only a game. I will never forget Ripon races for this reason.
As for betting, it’s just a question of how many bets I can get on in a meeting and in what medium. Online. Offline. Pitches. Mates. Tote.
I follow the Francome-Nevison method. If you’re going to bet on horses, bet on a lot of them and in every race. You’re bound to hit. The gaps between races on British horse racing can seem like an eternity of infinites, so I spend most of my time in the off course bookmakers.
Apart from using the paddock to burst into tears on, I check for fat arses on horses in sprint races and long necks in marathon races. If Julian Wilson is at the races (as he often is at Nottingham), I’ll stalk him about the course to see what he’s up to. And Claire King, if she’s about, but for different reasons. Three of these methods have given me large priced winners, but the last system needs tweaking a little.
At high season meetings at Nottingham, you’ll often get versions of the opening battle scene from "Gladiator" after the last race, and women wearing very little with long bottle tanned legs and extremely nice red shoes. These are often more interesting reasons for going racing than betting, which can be very upsetting on occasion. I never drink until after the first.
The gaps between races on British horse racing can seem like an eternity
Funny you should say that Max – my heart drops when there are large fields and only 30 mins between races. It just is not enouth time to anaylyse and write up a race then get to the paddock for a decent look before the next. Yet with a 35 minute gap that extra five minutes can make all the difference.
Wetherby in in winter, York in the summer these days. Thirsk is fun as is Beverly.
Years ago i was lucky enough too have a friend who had a house in Newmarket, a crowd used too stay their for the races, good times, I miss them.
I go about twice a year. And generally I go with the missus, or occassionally my mate for a good day out. This is mainly due to the fact I have to work for a living monday to friday and just cant afford to spend money going to the races (travel, food, entry can be expensive). If, by some miracle, I won next weeks scoop6 and the bonus the week after and could retire, I imagine I would go racing at least once a week. Not always that much fixtures to choose from in Scotland mind.
I do bet on every race when there though. Varied success, usually a few good each way bets.
Sounds like a few guys on the forum actually make there living from Racing (guys who can go racing more than twice a week I suspect work in racing).
I am quite lucky in that Sandown, Ascot, Goodwood, Kempton, Epsom, Fontwell and Newbury are all very close to me. I would like to think that I know the quirks of these courses and the trainers that runner their horses at these tracks.
I do agree about the entry prices and the rip off food and drink prices. The food on offer at Ascot is appalling.
Used to go on average twice a week (from zero to six times in a week). Most meetings at Goodwood, Newbury, Salisbury, Fontwell, Wincanton, with two or three visits each to Cheltenham, Ascot, Sandown and Bath.
Rising entrance fees, downgrading of racing, high fuel prices, poorer on-course market. Have all meant it does not give value for money these days, especially now that I have Racing UK.
So these days I tend to stick to Newbury Salisbury and Goodwood, with just an occasional trip to Wincanton, Fontwell, Ascot and Cheltenham. Had a Goodwood reciprocal at the last named yesterday.
I tend to have three quarters of my bets off-course, certainly 90% of my big (for me) bets. I find it easier to have bigger bets on betfair or off-course bookmakers. With my on-course betting being 90% saver bets. Am sure when people see me bet at the racecourse they must think I always bet in small amounts. It does hurt more to lose cash; silly isn’t it? Does feel great having a big win in notes though.
My betting is true odds / value based anyway. So, I have to bet when I can see value. If my judgement of value is good, then it is useless to wait until I am track side. Other good judges will have taken the price, leaving me with no value. There may be other horses that look value having now drifted out, but I am cautious about drifting horses.
I only bet in two, three or four races in a day, very rarely five. Depending on the quality of racing and time spent studying.
Mark
Value Is EverythingUsed to go racing around 100 times a year, in the main using the Go Racing in Yorkshire season ticket, but visits have dwindled recently, down to less than 10 last year. Betfair prices, the abolition of off-course betting tax and ceasing to bet on the Flat all contributed to my metamorphosis into PC Punter. Essentially though, it was an over-egging of the pudding: too much of a good thing, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if I resumed semi-regular race-going in the future.
Usually restricted betting to two or three races on a card, and due to the visceral pleasure to be had swapping wedge with the layers in the betting ring cauldron, didn’t take any off-course morning prices beforehand.
I’d echo Robnorth’s point about the “hit me” horse. Few and far between, difficult to quantify, but cry out to be backed.
Hanging around the parade rings and saddling areas, close up and personal with the horses, is my favourite aspect of a day at the races.
on days like those…
I probably go 10-20 times a year with a large majority of those visits being from March to September (Yes I am a fair weather punter).. I’ll only go a couple of times in the winter. I always bet on course mostly because i’m too lazy to wake up early, study the form and place my bets before leaving. I also like to paddock watch which is the major advantage of being on course so it seems daft to bet in advance. The other reason is that I treat going racing as a day out.. The game isn’t a profit making venture for me but a hobby and I treat it as such.. Whatever money I take with me I am prepared to lose which always ensures you enjoy the day (It does me anyway)
I go pretty regualry though not as often as I used to. Like the bigger Haydock meetings and my grandad lives in West Yorkshire so I go to Wetherby and Ponty with him if there is a decent card and City are playing away.
My local track is Ayr, which I have attended many times over the decades.
I go less frequently to race meetings these days.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Between 2000 and 2005, I went racing about 150 times a yr , mostly southern tracks , had memberships at Ascot, Lingfield Newbury , Sandown , sadly traffic and prices made me rethink , so I started to experiment with in running from home , and after 2 yrs of losses I think I have it sussed now
Last yr I went 10 times , 8 to newmarket and 2 to ascot , this yr I will take out a membership with newmarket again, as the racing and concerts package is definitely worth it
Paddock watching is ok , but going to post was and is still key for me , and I was a layer rather than a backer , nowadays the role is very much a backer and trading out or covering my position
I could not imagine driving through our traffic and paying the rip off prices to go for a living again , its simply madness
For those of you who do , you have my respect and admiration and I sincerely hope you all have a great year
cheers
Ricky
I used to be a regular racegoer (~40 times a year), but yesterday’s card at Leopardstown was my first visit to an Irish racecourse in almost a year (I was at Cheltenham’s Open meeting). Betfair, ATR, RUK and high-speed broadband have made it both more comfortable and more profitable to stay at home.
I wonder how many of us would go on a more regular basis if entry was save £5 and food and drink normal high street prices.
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