Using form guides to support winners in horse racing.
It’s important to use a form guide and do your homework when backing up racehorses. Using the information available in the diaries is fine, but information on each horse’s recent race record is not available and a lack of knowledge can cost you dearly in racing. A good example of this is the 2019 Royal Ascot meeting, when things went smoothly for the five days of the meeting. I had selected a few potential candidates, but once I realized that they had never won soft going before, I decided not to endorse them, which saved me some money as they did not meet their form line.
Class is also an important factor that does not appear in your diary. It’s all very well backing a horse with impressive form, but what was the class of those races? There can be a big difference between a listed race and a group 1 race when it comes to skill. A third or fourth place in a Group 1 race can be a more reliable guide than a win against lower rated opponents. Oftentimes, these horses will be in for a rude awakening when facing city competition for the first time.
If you are not sure about the class, simply check the money wagered from the last race and then compare it to today’s race. If the horse is competing for a higher stake today, it is more than likely that he is competing against an easier class.
Other information, such as course and distance statistics, is useful, although the daily newspapers indicate whether a horse has won on course and distance. However, in form guide statistics, such as the Racing Post newspaper in the UK or Best Bets in New Zealand, you will quickly find information on how many times the horse has started the course. You will often find one that has only had one start on the course for a win.
Then there is the weight; it is important to know if a horse is carrying more or less weight than in its last race; in fact, a horse ridden by a claiming apprentice may have an advantage over one carrying his weight carded.