Just Stallions

Every horse racing enthusiast must know the different type of races, their requirements, and their implications on the horses that compete in them. Surprised that there are more than just one type of horse race? Then read on.

Every time horse racing becomes the topic of conversation, people usually think of only one thing, and that is the thoroughbred. But contrary to the misconception, there other types of horse racing such as harness racing and steeple chase. It just so happens that the thoroughbred is the most popular! In fact, the Kentucky Derby is known as the most exciting two minutes in the world of Sports.

The Famous Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is only part of a three-part grand slam horse racing: The Triple Crown. Imagine the excitement offered by the entire race. It’s triple the fun and adrenaline! The Kentucky Derby plus the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes complete the renowned Triple Crown prize. To this day, there are only 11 known horses to have achieved such a prestigious prize.

For the record, the highest level of competition for horse racing are the stake races. This type of race is reserved for the best horses, and even then, there is a required registration for each horse. The money collected is added to the prize money. When a Stake race is a Graded race, there is a certain appeal of class to it.

Other Types of Horse Races and their Criteria

Horses have to meet criteria before they can be allowed to race. A race may require additional weight requirements for better horses. This type of race is called a handicap race. The added weight is dependent upon past performances of the horses.

Other races sometimes require that horse must be a “non winner of three”. This is called an allowance race. Horses entered in this type of race is usually chosen to be prepped for better races. Most of the time these horses go on to compete in handicap and stake races.

Another type of race, and probably the most common, is the claiming race. A claiming race may also be “optional.” Before the race, owners are asked to specify an amount by which the thoroughbred may be claimed or purchased for.

You can rest assured that the racing field is leveled by this requirement. Obviously, owners will not list better horses in a claiming race. This type of race may be a good place to expose or train your weaker horses. Who knows? They might just need a little training to turn into a champion. Just make sure you are ready to part with your horse.

If you don’t want to part with your horses and you want to list them in a race to see just how they perform or to familiarize them with competitive races, a maiden race is the best avenue for this. This type of race is confined for horses with no record of wins. The winner of the race is said to have “broken his maidenhood.”

When to Watch Which Race

Race tracks usually hold eight or more races each day, combining all of the above-mentioned races. It doesn’t matter which type or race you watch and whether you win or not. In the end, you’ll still experience the fervent excitement that keeps horse racing enthusiasts coming back for seconds.

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Australia’s love of horse racing is proven by the fact that the Golden Slipper is the richest race for two-year-old thoroughbreds in the world. The race is run at the Rosehill Gardens track every April, with $3.5 million dollars at stake.

It’s a fast and furious race which attracts entries from all the Aussie states and other world class breeders and trainers. Every year the race has all the elements required to make racing blood boil and betting fly. The drama of horses coming from the extreme outside, wins by a nose, record breaking runs and coming from last to win are just some of the exciting events defining this glorious race.

In Australia, horse racing is not just racing. The love for the sport runs through the blood as fast as the dash for cash that is the Golden Slipper. For Australian breeders it is considered to be easily the most influential race for future sires and broodmares.

Betting History

Horses must be yearlings when entered, with late entries accepted until the end of March which adds another layer to betting. Betting up to the start of the race is as exciting as the race itself. The Golden Slipper is one of Australia’s greatest racing events which also include the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate.

Golden Slipper winners have included stars of the turf such as Miss Finland, Dance Hero, Catbird, Danzero, Todman, Sky High, Storm Queen, Vain, Toy Show, Luskin Star, Manikato, Sir Dapper, Bounding Away, Canny Lad, Tierce, Merlene and Belle Du Jour. Many of these champions went on to become successful sires or broodmares.

The records show that colts and geldings have won 30 races with the remaining 22 races having been won by fillies.

The first Queensland horse to win the Golden Slipper was Calaway Girl in 2002. That victory only added to the Australian racing excitement that continues to grow with each race held. She was a late entry and needed a long sustained run to win.

Betting on the Golden Slipper race is an exciting time for Aussie punters. Bookmakers start betting on the Slipper many months before the actual race. The 2008 race day betting turnover was the highest it has been in 20 years and is expected to grow. It’s estimated that all in all over $30 million was bet, $18 million through the TAB and $12 million with bookmakers.

Slipper Day

The Golden Slipper race has become so popular in Australia that a two week carnival called the Golden Slipper Festival is held. The last race saw 28,000 racegoers watching the race and enjoying the festivities despite the heavy track. The Golden Slipper has helped generate renewed interest in racing in younger Aussies. The youthfulness and vibrancy that surrounds the race excites the betting action, with plenty of opportunities for punters to win.

The Golden Slipper is a race that Aussie punters should simply not miss when it comes to betting. Normally there are a number of chances in the race and it’s possible to back more than one horse in the race and still make a good profit.

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David Duffield provides horse racing tips, ratings, lay betting and sports tips that will help you turn into a winning punter. To learn more please visit Racing Tips.

Previous articles in this series covered the following topics:
(1) Unrealistic expectations
(2) You will experience losing periods
(3) Probability will affect your bank
(4) Understanding market percentages

Today I want to talk about what I consider to be the key to successful punting and that is discipline.

We have all witnessed an emotional and excited lad commence a long and sustained run around the betting auditorium, screaming whilst whipping his thigh with a form guide as the conveyance he is on charges to the line in a close finish. In all likelihood this punter has either failed to back a winner for some time, has had a bet that is way out of proportion with his bank or means, or has bet the remainder of his bank and suddenly realises that there is a chance of being able to afford a cab home. It’s always amusing to watch, but we all know these types rarely win and certainly never win over any reasonable length of time.

There are two reasons for this. Firstly these types actually expect to lose and would prefer to start the day with $200 and go home with either $1500 or nothing. Others turnover their $200 starting bank three or four times throughout the day, find themselves with $250 approaching the last and either bet their whole bank or at least all of the day’s profit.

If you are serious about being successful you have to approach the day knowing that you have either done the work yourself or have purchased ratings that enable you to make confident betting decisions. Once you have an idea of the relative chance each runner has (and this is essential) all you need to do then is shop well in the marketplace and only back those horses which are value.

It’s really that simple. There will be losing days but if you can adopt this approach and cease chasing one day’s losses you can become a winner.

This series will conclude next week with the following topic:
(6) Betting with ratings

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David Duffield provides horse racing tips, ratings, lay betting and sports tips that will help you turn into a winning punter. To learn more please visit Horse Racing Tips.

DD: When was Two Way formed and what does your company do?

BR: Two Way was formed in 1991 and listed on the stock exchange in 2004. We develop advanced interactive media and gambling applications. These include Sky Racing Active, the interactive TV betting service now being offered by Tabcorp to Foxtel subscribers. We also operate the Way2Bet website, which provides a range of information (including odds comparisons) to help punters bet better. And we operate interactive TV games services on Foxtel, Austar and Sky New Zealand.

DD: Your Sky Channel and Tabcorp interactive betting service was launched in April of this year. How does it work and have you been pleased with the early interest from punters?

BR: Our service is available to Foxtel and Optus TV subscribers in Victoria and NSW. Subscribers launch the service by pressing the red button on their Foxtel remote. The service provides detailed information for all thoroughbred, harness and greyhound race meetings on which Tabcorp is conducting wagering each day. The information provided includes track conditions, detailed form guides, scratchings, approximate dividends, results, and final dividends. All of this information is updated automatically in real time.

In addition to accessing the above information, subscribers in Victoria can access their TAB wagering accounts, and place all types of bets (including exotics). At this stage, betting is not yet available in NSW.

We are extremely pleased with the early response from punters. Feedback on the service has been uniformly positive. The service is fast and responsive, and very easy and intuitive to use. All transactions are encrypted, safe and secure.

DD: How much potential do you see for this ‘remote-control betting’, considering people can already bet from home using the internet, mobile phones and landlines?

BR: For punters, the service offers a new level of convenience. If punters are watching the Sky Racing channel, they have the Foxtel remote control in their hand already, so why not use it to get relevant information and, if they wish, to place bets? So far, the number of bets and the level of turnover through the service has exceeded our expectations.

DD: What do you say to critics like Opposition communications spokesman Bruce Billson, who has cited problem gambling as the reason he wants your interactive gambling service banned?

BR: Our service includes all necessary and appropriate consumer safeguards. Betting through the service is available only to TAB account holders, who must satisfy identification requirements. Further, subscribers can use a PIN code to block access to the Sky Racing channel. This is in addition to the 4 digit PIN that is required to access a TAB account. The service also includes extensive responsible gambling messages on screen. Accordingly, our service offers more extensive consumer safeguards than current internet and telephone wagering services.

In any case, problem gambling in Australia is overwhelmingly associated with poker machines, not wagering services like ours. With wagering there is an element of skill, and it is possible to make money as a punter in the long run. That’s not the case with pokies.

DD: Right now your betting agreement is with Foxtel and Tabcorp. Do you envisage being able to set up similar agreements in the future with free-to-air stations for betting on sports telecasts?

BR: Our technology can easily be extended to handle sports betting. At the moment though, the free-to-air networks don’t have the necessary technical platform to be able to offer interactive services like ours. That may change in the future, with new equipment like the TiVo set-top box. In the near future though, only the pay TV operators can offer services like ours.

DD: How quickly do you think mobile phones will become a popular betting tool?

BR: They already are, of course! The obvious advantage of mobiles is that they can be used to place a bet anywhere. However, if a punter is at home, or anywhere else where a Foxtel service is available, our service is much faster and easier to use.

DD: Betting ‘in the run’ is hugely popular overseas, with punters able to bet during a horse race or sporting event. In Australia we’re currently restricted to phone betting only if we want to have a bet during a game. Do you think this will change in the short-term to allow punters to bet via the internet and/or their remote-control?

BR: It is crazy that you can make in-the run bets via the phone, but not via the internet or remote control. However I can’t see the restriction on in-the-run betting being lifted in the near future.

DD: Thanks for your time.

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David Duffield provides horse racing tips, ratings, lay betting and sports tips that will help you turn into a winning punter. To learn more please visit Horse Racing Tips.