Horse Racing Strategies

Sunbet
17/16/2024

Strategy can be defined as a method used to perform a specific task. It is something used in every professional organisation in the world, and it is something used to be successful in the world of sports betting, especially horse racing betting.

Here in this article, I will be running down all the horse racing strategy selections, something you can take away and use when placing your next bet on your favourite horse.

Sunbet Horse Racing Betting Strategies Selections

There are five main strategies we’ll be discussing in this post. The five selections have to do with form analysis, the one of the day, accumulators, place betting, and ground intelligence. 

Let’s hoof it through all the horse racing strategies in depth below.

Form Analysis

There are easy-to-read form guides for beginners, and as races take place all year round in so many different countries, you need to learn about it before you can place any bet.

It is necessary that you develop a method of form study, as it will be vital in you placing your bets. Before one invests in anything, be it a business or the stock market, one looks at how the asset has been performing.

The same principles apply to the sport of horse racing; you will need the same analysis in this sport. It is essential to purchase a form guide at the racecourse or look at the form guide websites before wagering any money. 

Once you have learnt the art of reading the form guide, you will be able to effectively apply the next three strategies, which involve placing bets. Other than studying the horses, it is vital to analyse the jockey’s and trainer’s form as well.

One for the Day

One for the day: Horse racing race meetings normally consist of between 7 and 12 races. For bettors, that means there are many races for one to generate a profit. Finding that one horse to wager on in a day may prove pivotal to your success.

This strategy is popular amongst most bettors as they look at it as investing in one race as opposed to investing in multiple races; this is commonly referred to as “finding a Banker”. The positive of this is quite simple: if you win, you win big!

This strategy is for the novice who wants to turn into a professional punter and would like to look at horse racing to generate additional income. However, it will also require the bettor to be disciplined.

Multiple/Accumulator Betting

Multiple betting or accumulator betting allows you to win big for small amounts of money. If you are a rookie, you will often listen to the opinions of experts, and you will often receive selections in various races of the day, and you may also like horses of your own. 

Instead of betting on them individually, you can take them all together in an “all to come” or an "accumulator." This will multiply all the odds together into one bet for you to enjoy. 

This strategy is designed for the horse racing bettor who wants to win big.

Place Betting

Place Betting: In roulette, some people can achieve small profit margins by playing streets and corners; in horse racing, the same can be adapted in place betting, the safe route to take in horse racing betting. 

Finding the winner can sometimes be hard, hence why some punters choose the Place Betting options, which increase the chances of going back home with a profit. This strategy is designed for the patient, horse-racing bettor.

You can also adapt this method with strategy three and work out many accumulators.

Ground Intelligence

All the above strategies involve using some elbow grease to ensure that you are well-informed to minimise your risk of losing when betting. This strategy. On the other hand, requires you to keep up to date with the news from trainers and jockeys, as well as racing experts.

In every form guide you read; you will see tips from the form guide resident tipster. Most trainers have Facebook pages where they post comments on race day telling the public about the horses’ well-being and how they feel their horses will perform.

The racing channel on television is also a massive indicator, as you will see interviews with trainers, jockeys, and owners telling you how their horses may perform, and each of these channels and websites has resident experts sharing their views on the day’s proceedings.

Even if you are the most experienced punter, this strategy is priceless, as your entire day’s picks can change in the blink of an eye due to the compatibility of trainers and jockeys.

Horse Racing Strategies: Key Takeaways

To conclude, one must note that it is vitally important to have a strategy when betting on horse racing. Be it form, place betting, multiple betting, or even if you want to turn into a professional and place one bet a day, everything takes planning! 

Before doing anything in life that involves money, you are advised to budget, plan, and execute, and the same principles apply here. Now that you have all the details on our horse racing strategies, sprint over to Sunbet Racing and bet on the next race and a horse of your choice.

Written by: Venal Naidu

Horse Racing Strategies Frequently Asked Questions

With horse strategies come many questions regarding the subject. Below we have answers to some of the most asked questions surrounding the topic in discussion.

Let’s race through some of the top FAQs about horse racing strategies.

How Do You Read a Form Guide?

To read a form guide, you must understand the key elements that would influence a horse race. At first glance, form guides can appear overwhelming, but once you’ve learnt what the key factors are to look at, you will become more and more comfortable. 

• Race information, 

• Horse information, 

• Form figures, 

• Past performances, and 

• Other additional information.

Each of these categories mentioned above is broken down into detail, where you’ll retrieve specific information regarding the horse, race, jockey, trainer, owner, and much more.

Keep an eye on the Sunbet Racing blog, where we will look at how to read a form guide in-depth, from left to right and top to bottom.

How Do Track Conditions Affect a Horse’s Performance?

It is no secret that track conditions significantly impact a horse’s performance in different ways. Soft track conditions affect a horse differently than firm/good or heavy and muddy conditions.

In most cases, track conditions that affect a horse and its performance for the next race are broken down into three main fields.

The main three areas are as follows:

• Types of track conditions,

• The track surfaces, and

• The impact they have on performances.

Below are brief explanations of each factor.

Type of Track Conditions

There are four types of track conditions. Here we discuss each one and how they affect a horse’s run.

They are: 

• Firm/Good: Dry and fast. The optimal running conditions for horse racing.

• Good to Soft: Softer than good. A track condition that forms following light rainfall. 

• Soft/Yeilding: A soft track, not ideal for racing. Slows horses down that prefer firmer ground conditions.

• Heavy/Mud: These are very wet and heavy conditions that follow heavy rainfall and a test for all horses, as muddy conditions will slow them down.

The Track Surface

The track surface is another factor that must be accounted for when creating your horse racing strategies. 

Here are the three types of track surfaces where horse racing takes place:

• Dirt,

• Turf, and

• Synthetic.

The Impact They Have On Performance

Now that we know what weather conditions and surfaces impact your horse's performance, we must learn how they affect a horse in a run.

Below are the three main types of impacts:

• The Speed and stamina,

• Footing and safety, and

• Weather influence.

We’ll have more on this topic soon, where we will supply an in-depth guide on all of the conditions that affect a horse in a horse race.

How Important Is the Jockey in a Race?

A jockey is extremely important to the race. A horse cannot finish a race without a jockey, or else they will be disqualified and will not be eligible for a winning bet.

A jockey is important because of the following reasons:

• Strategies and decision-making: Jockey’s devise and execute race strategies like when to push or when to conserve the horse's energy. Or they decide on how to navigate their way around the pack.

• Communication and bonding: Like other sports that involve teams, bonds must be formed between the horse and rider. They also form strong bonds with the trainers.

• Physical and mental demand: A rider must be strong enough to control the horse and be able to stay calm under pressure. Their physical and mental aspects help get the best of the horse during a race.

What Should You Look for in a Horse’s Recent Performance?

There are eight main indications to look at when examining a horse’s recent performances. 

These are the key factors:

• Previous race results,

• Speed figures,

• Running style,

• Post position,

• Jockey and trainer stats,

• Track conditions, and

• Class level.

These factors must be looked at when betting on horse racing and if you want to increase your chances of winning.

How Do You Choose a Horse to Bet On?

To choose a horse to bet on, you must use the above indicators, look at the odds of a runner before the race and see how they fluctuate, and do your research.

For a full guide on choosing a horse to bet on, read our article on How to Pick the Winner of a Horse Race. When reading, you learn how to pick a winning horse in depth.

Where Can You Watch South African Horse Racing?

There are different ways punters can view horse racing in South Africa. All SA horse racing can be viewed on Gallop TV and Racing Today.

You can either live stream all the daily events or you can catch every run on DSTV, sports channel 240.

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