BETTING DETAILS

Betting Details

What do I need?

Once you arrive at the races, you will be able to purchase a racebook sold at the many racebook stands and concierges throughout the course. Racebooks include all the crucial information about the races held and the horses running. This is your insight into what’s happening on the day at the track, and which jockeys are riding which horses.

How to read the form guide

The form guide is the information within the racebook and helps you make an informed decision about which horse to bet on. It explains all the key information about the horse and its recent race record, jockey, trainer and owner. It also indicates the silk colours of your horse, so you can easily identify them during their race. Most racebooks have a page towards the front dedicated to how to read the form guide, this is worth having a look at on the day.

HOT TIP: Look out for the form figures which represent a horse’s finishing position in previous races.

What to look for in a horse

If you prefer to focus on the look of the horse rather than the hard facts in the form guide, head down to the parade ring 15 minutes prior to the race to inspect the stars of the track before they take off, assessing them for their fitness and attitude. Ideally a horse should seem alert but not settled. Unless it is a hot day, white patches of sweat could mean a horse is using too much energy before the race. A sleek and shiny coat could also suggest that a horse is in good health.

Choosing a bookmaker

Once you’ve decided on a horse/or horses that you like, it’s now time to choose a bookmaker to spend your precious pennies on. Bookmakers will provide you with the odds, an odd is a dollar figure placed on each horse in the race. Generally, the more successful or popular the horse is, the lower the odd therefore in order to win big, it’s best to back an outsider and cross your fingers and toes!

What bet to choose?

A safe bet to place is in fact a ‘place’. This will give you bragging rights if your horse places first or second. Feeling confident? Go for a ‘Win’. This means your horse must finish first for you to win your bet.

If you’ve got two favourites and you want to put them both forward, opt for a ‘Quinella’. This will give you the winning ticket, as long as they cross the line in first and second order.

‘Trifecta’ this means you’re feeling lucky and you’ve got three horses you think will finish first, second and third in that exact order.

Like any gamble, it should all be for a bit of fun but nevertheless, you’ve got to be in it to win it!