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Official Program, Past Performances
Buying an official program is the wisest investment you'll ever make at the racetrack.
However, in the age of modern technology, you can get the same information, and more, right on the internet.
Some of this information you may need to pay for to get access, a lot of it is free, and once you have accumulated some good booklinks you will be well on your way to developing a virtual "library" of horse performance. With high profile races such as the Melbourne Cup, you will find a wealth of online information , hot tips and more. Critical to your success is the ability to filter quality tips and information from the "media" frenzy surrounding the Melbourne Cup. Many offer hot tips, few can back them up with any sort of qualified information or success. Ultimately it is your good (or bad) judgement which will be the biggest factor in whether you walk away a winner or a looser at the Melbourne Cup.
Perhaps the most important consideration in evaluating or "handicapping" a race is the current form or physical fitness of each horse. After all, it is the horse which has to do the running, and its physical fitness is the most critical factor of the horse. The best way to access the status of a horse is by reading its past performances. Most programs carry at least an abbreviated past performance history for every horse in the race.
Additional note:
Horse psychology is also one of the most overlooked factors. Horses, by their nature, are intelligent, emotional and sometimes finnicky creatures. Pure breeds, by their very nature, are known to be high strung, nervous, bred-for-speed beasts. While a discussion on this area warrants an article of its own, we will not go into depth with it here.
The most comprehensive review of past performances is found in the Daily Racing Form. The serious handicapper has mastered the use of reading the past performances, racing stories and columns found within "The Form". The aspiring handicapper will make an effort to comprehend the valuable information it offers. Each Daily Racing Form has a How To Read The Form page dedicated to educate the novice fan. There are also many online racing guides which you should check out. We'll provide a list from our betting homepage in the near future.
Appearance of the horse, Sweating
The appearance of the horse is very important (see our fitness and psychology comments).
Every race the horses will pass in front of the grandstand in the post parade. This is a good opportunity to evaluate the field and select your horse. A horse can communicate to you with body language. Generally, you should look for a horse which appears muscled, well groomed and has a shiny coat. A horse should make an easy transition from the walk, to the trot and to the canter in the post parade. It should have a lively step, but not a random or choppy gait. Look for a horse that moves effortlessly or seems to have a bounce in its stride. Continue to observe the horses as they canter away from the grandstand.
Excess sweating can be a sign of nervousness or discomfort. Watch for signs of "washing out" in the neck and chest area. This does not mean a horse cannot win under these circumstances, but it is generally not a positive sign. Keep in mind that horses should sweat on hot days and some are brought to the paddock drenched in water. The negative sign is the white lather. A nervous horse is not something you want to bet on. Look for excessive agitiation as they are docked in the gates.
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