A sudden change in the going conditions is probably one of the main causes of bad bets. You have to be aware of any preference your selection has for underfoot conditions. A few horses can act on virtually any going. Most however cannot and the majority of flat horses possibly prefer good or good/firm going.

If a wet spell strikes and the ground goes soft we must look for horses that prefer softer going if need be ignoring the form book. In National Hunt racing the majority of horses probably prefer softer going. However, at certain times when the ground dries out you must watch for horses that relish the good to firm conditions.

Some horses only perform well at one particular track and rarely, if ever, win anywhere else. There are many different reasons for this. The horses style of running being one. A long striding galloping animal, for example, will not like tight turning tracks such as Chester but should like Doncaster.

Most papers that have a racing section highlight winners over a course by a (C) after the horse name, (CD) denotes a winner over both course and distance. This is something that is well worth making a study of as it can obviously be an invaluable guide to possible winners.

Fitness is obviously difficult to asses but there are certain factors you can take into account that could point you in the right direction, for instance as a general guide don't back horses that haven't run for over 50 days as they may have been injured or sick, however on the other hand you must watch out for horses that always run well first time out or after a break when fresh.

You must also make a note of those that always take two or three runs before they put in a good performance. Watch for trainers who seem adept at getting their charges fit to run for their life no matter how long they have been off the course but on the other hand also note whose horses always need a few runs.

Betting Tips Part 3