Software

[JAR]

I’ve used DGA, Pro Punter, Boxform and Compunter software. It takes from 12 to 30 minutes per race, to enter race data depending which one is used.
It that’s not bad enough two versions of the software will then indicate a bet is not Value For Money for about 95% to 99% of races. The other versions do not indicate if a bet is value for money at all.
I will not say more than this, as I am not here to advertise software or even say if I recommend any or not. I simply wish to give others the benefit of my experience.
So for an input of ten races , nine of these races consist of four and a half hours wasted and one of these races after 12 to 30 minutes of data input provides me with a useful result.
However with very careful choice or race, a very, very small profit can be made over a period of wagers, provided the software is only used in the summer when the weather and ground conditions are constant.
At least two of the above software programs are out of date since they have been around for over ten years now. It seems a shame no one can write any good software to replace the above. Most modern products seem to involve the scam of requiring a user to pay exorbitant fees for data downloads such that you would need a massive profit to afford the fees.

Most software cannot cope with the trainer who runs his horse at an incorrect distance or going or at an unsuitable track to produce poor form before specially preparing a horse for a coup. Then again my crystal ball can’t either.

[huntingdon]

Thanks for all the comments and good luck wishes, the first day was more successful than I dared hope for, just betting to £10 win and £10 e/w the cost has been recovered.
The winning bets were, Reeling n’Rocking e/w @ 9/2, The Sliotar @ 6/4, Polyquest @ 2/1,. For Life @ 10/3 and last but not least Diamond Key e/w @ 10/1. The only losing bet was Gentle John (soon get that one back I think). Some of these were obvious bets I know but I was also steered away from two or three losers which also looked "obvious" bets. Today looks more difficult, lots of low class races, maybe tomorrow.

Good luck chaps.

[Dolus]

FORM MASTER the horseracing predictor system – by Cascade Sytems

Supposedly based on a 40 year old manual system that professional gentlemen of the turf used.

I had that, well in fact I still have it, in the drawer next to me. When I first saw it advertised in The Sporting Life it was £100, not a small price in the 1980’s.

I obtained a copy in a strange way. It was reviewd in Amstrad Action rather favourably and when I tried to get a copy it was no longer available. I wrote to Amstrad Action asking if they would sell me the review copy (assuming they still had it.) No reply but a few months later I recieved a mysterious letter offering it to me for £35. I often wondered if someone found my letter and decided to make a few quid for themselves. It could certainly find some good winners but it was so time consuming, what with rules, rules about rules and conditions about those rules.

Any of you previous owners remember the manual. it was some 200+ pages and was a good read in itself. Do you also remember having to constantly refer to the manual while filling in the data sheet before even going anywhere near the computer. For example the last three form figures had to be entered and the rules and explanation for this took 10 pages (I kid you not.)

SO THE POINT IS DO ANY OF THE BOOKMAKERS WANT BUY IT FOR A MILLION QUID

as I might just start using it again.

[Matron]

You, should give it go Dolus.

No doubt, a bright "programmer" would be able to look at the software and "rewrite" it to automate a lot of the mundane input tasks.

I certainly remember the adverts for the software.

Regards- Matron

[Dolus]

Funny you should say that Matron.

I dug the program and manual out for a refresher course. It is a bit out of date in some areas. For instance only races of at least £4,000 to the winner should be rated (£10,000 for 2 or 3yo flat, and Novice events over the jumps.)

In today’s money (20 years later) what would that be £8,000 & £20,000 or even £12,000 and £30,000. I do remember there only ever being suitable races mainly on a Saturday and the big meetings.

Consequently there would be no qualifiers today with most races not getting anywhere near the old £4,000 cut off.

Not to be daunted there is a little four runner Handicap chase at Folkestone where the participants are capabable of running in better contests. Maybe it is a warm up race for something better. It looks highly competitive with all four being tipped and no real long odds outsider. So lets see what Form Master makes of it.

I previously used Form Master with the printed RP (pre internet days) and was pleased to find that all data could be found except one item for one horse so I had to wing it.

A bit rusty on this, so this four horse race took over an hour to collect the data and enter it. When I was using it regularly it would have taken about 10 – 15 minutes.

Here is the analysis

3:50 Folkestone
Mr Boo ———————————- 82
Croix De Gueurre ——————— 68
Stance ———————————- 56
Free Gift ——————————– 55

The manual states that no top rated horse of less than 50 points should be backed while any horse rated 75 plus is a prime candidate for a result. (I suppose that really depends what rating the 2nd top horse has.)

Lets wait and see if Form Master has picked the right horse.

[quadrilla]

Raceform also suggest these two top runners. Together with Better Moment ( tipped on the “VDW for Dummiesâ€

Paddy Power knocked back my £0.37 bet.

[Matron]

This should prove interesting.

Gary Moore & Son do not have a very good strike rate at Folkestone.

If this race was more than 8 runners, I would be laying this one if it was the favourite at the "off".

Any rate, after your hard work Dolus, I hope this one goes in for you.

I wonder if anybody has developed a software programme that can produce winners on a regular basis?

Regards – Matron

[Matron]

A dead heat!!!

Dolus, if you were on, at least you will get something back.

Regards – Matron

[Dolus]

Hi Matron

No I did not back it, just testing the water as it is so long since I used this program and so much to re learn and check. It’s all coming back, doing that race yesterday made a lot of it fall back into place.

Again no suitable races today, so just to get back into the swing of things I picked the 5:00 Thurles as the best of a bad bunch.

This race has a forecast odds on favourite and I wanted to see if Form Master might oppose this and produce something a bit more backable. No luck there it rated that horse well clear.

5:00 Thurles
Powerstation ……………………… 109
Kerryhead Windfarm …………….. 82
Omni Cosmo Touch ……………… 71
Marburg ……………………………… 52
Carrick Dante ………………………. 51
Gran Lady …………………………… 44
Cyman Lass ………………………… 26

[quadrilla]

Raceform confirms this. Also suggests Omni Cosmo Touch with a speed rating that could compete.

Possible reverse forecast to get some value out of the short priced Fav?

Paddy Power knocked back my £0.37 bet.

[Dolus]

A top rated ong odds on shot beaten yesterday – its a good job Form Master does not recommend backing odds on shots but if you must it says, never over the jumps and not on the flat if it’s the horses first race of the season.

There is a suitable race today, a class 2 handicap 3:25 Doncaster except with 22 runners that’s a bit beyond me and Form Master. Being a 6 furlong sprint does not help. So the 2:30 Fakenham is the choice.

2:30 Fake
Cool Roxy ……… 89
The Stickler …… 41
Big Rob ………… 28
Party Games …. 25
Salinas …………. 21
Tighe Caster …. 17

The favourite is well clear again. Looking at the race in another way. As Tighe Caster the 2nd fav is bottom rated with such a low rating, would this be a laying prospect?

COOL ROXY seemed to win quite easily and TIGHE CASTER while trying tp play catch up made progress and then seemed to tire before falling[/color:2crssdwx]

[Matron]

Answer, yes Dolus.

I would certainly look at "laying" if there were 8 runners or more.

The trainer & jockey record at this course is "nil".

Regards – Matron

[Dolus]

I’d forgotten how tedious this can get on a Saturday when there are quite a few races to look at.

This was always a problem, all through the week scrabbling for crumbs and then on Saturday so much to eat it makes you sick

The top two rated in each race

1:55 Chep
Bring Me Sunshine ……. 118
Supreme Prince ……….. 116

2:50 Newb
Crime Scene ……………. 104 WON 8/1
Galactic Star …………….. 95

2:55 Chep
Gungadu ………………… 125
Sonnyandjoe …………….. 98 won 15/2

3:10 Stra
Grecian Groom ………….. 72
Bureaucrat …………….. … 60

3:45 Stra
Lost Time ……………… … 85
Kings Brook ……………. . 70 won 2/1
[/b]

[Dolus]

Sunday and no time to go to church

Form Master selections

2:40 Aint
Exotic Dancer …….. 157
Monets Garden ….. 148
Kauto Star …………. 146
Ashley Brook ……… 124
Le Volfoni ……………. 64

3:15 Aint (top two)
Dunbrody Millar …… 117
Naiad Du Misselot …. 77

[twinoaks]

Hi Everyone

Very interesting thread.

I did touch on this subject ages ago.I used lots of the software that was mentioned.Still have a few of them around the house.

Did have a go with Pro-Punter a few months back as others have said it’s all done to time. i.e. all that data.

I have some of the first tapes of Birmadon too.As I have no old Amstrad computer can’t use them.

I dug out some interesting software,that will let you create your own systems but it’s a dos program but still works on windows.If only I know how to use it!

I’ve seen someone selling what others on the thread thats been mentioned, FormMaster on ebay.I did buy a little program called Formster, which is based around vdw.

Anyway sorry about rambling on about old software.

Happy Punting.

Kevin

[Seagull]

I have been using Race System Builder Pro for a number of years.

If anyone is interested google up rsb and all the details are there including a free trial.
They all allow you a free download of around 40 pages illustrating what they do.

They would have pointed out another Brendan Powell winner in non handicap hurdles at Fontwell today.

[whichedge]

Software to analysis races is a complex subject. I have spent many years looking at different type of software that looks at races from different angles. It seems to me that a statistical angle would be best, as Form Analysis requires to much of a human intuition element, more than I believe can be programmed into a computer.

So if you go down the statistical route, which is better suited to computer analysis, you then have to wonder how it brings all the statistics together in a meaningful way. From the research that I have done this is best accomplished with some type of multi-variance analysis. Which is another term for a very complex equation, that turns a large number of statistics into a probability or some form of rating.

I have found a website that claims to go down this route, but haven’t really explored it much yet.

I’ll report back after I haven’t had a closer look.

[Author]

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