In horse race betting, there is one thing that can help you predict the outcome of a race. Although it’s not as glorious as the ability of precognition, research can still give us an idea, at least, of how the race will potentially end. How may you ask? Through research, we can see some telltale signs that a horse has that tell us how it will perform during the race.
There is always a lot of speculation about which horse will come out on top. While there is no surefire way to predict a winner, there are some signs that can give you a good idea of which horse has the potential to be a winner.
If you’re thinking about getting into horse racing, or if you’re already a fan, you know that not every horse is a winner. But how can you tell if a horse has what it takes to be a champion?
Give the Track Record a Peep
Looking at the horse’s track record is a good way to start your research. Generally, a horse with wins or top places in its recent races is a great bet. However, take note of the word “recent” as, of course, if those wins and top places are very old stats, then it wouldn’t matter in the upcoming race. Also, you must look at the factors on those wins, like the track surface and race type. If you’re interested in enhancing your gaming experience with free offers, explore free spins to add an extra layer of fun and potential rewards to your live casino sessions.
Different horses have different preferences. For example, some horses are faster on synthetic track surfaces, while some prefer to run on dirt. This is because the track surface is important based on whether the horse is light or heavy-footed. Also, you must see if the race is a straight track or a circular one as different thoroughbreds can do short bursts of speed or are better in a long race.
Rested Enough?
One thing that a lot of bettors seem to ignore is that the amount of rest that a horse has can have a significant impact on its upcoming performance. We’re trying to say that just like any other mammal out there in the animal kingdom, horses also need rest since they feel tired. Just imagine running in multiple races in a short period.
However, you should also note that horses tend to lose their edge when they haven’t run for a long time. So how much rest should a horse have exactly? The sweet spot here would be between a month or two, or if you want an exact number, it would be between 30 to 60 days.
Has It Even Won Once?
One common saying among horse racing bettors is that you should not expect a horse to win a race that it hasn’t won at least once. This is a common one, and it makes a lot of sense. For example, if you notice that a horse has never won, say, the Kentucky Derby before, you should not bet on it to win the race.
On the contrary, a horse that has won the Kentucky Derby has a pretty good chance to win the race, and that chance increases by the number it has won before. You can see this in racing forms as they list the names of the past winners of a particular horse racing event before, especially for big ones like the Kentucky Derby or the Belmont Stakes.
Don’t Be Emotional Now
This is not a mere personification, but just like humans, horses have emotions too, which can significantly impact their performance. And these emotions are one of the reasons why a lot of bettors go to the races themselves. If you look at the horse up close, then it can show emotions, which signify their preparedness for the race.
For example, if you see that a horse is too fidgety, irritable, and nervous, it may be that this horse is not confident with the race. On the other hand, if the horse looks calm, has steady breathing, and has steady steps, then you can safely assume that this horse is ready to race.
Most of the time, your predictions can be accurate, but there will also be times when they’re not because not all horses are the same. Like humans, horses can also do better under pressure; even the most prepared horse can still lose the race entirely.
Final Thoughts
Remember that even though a particular horse has all of these signs, it doesn’t mean it’s a guaranteed win. Sometimes, even the most unlikely of horses can win a big race. As we mentioned earlier, nobody can predict the future and what happens on the track is highly unpredictable. But again, having an educated guess is much better than nothing.