How do I pick horses in Races? How do I read their stats etc.?

Question

I sort of have an idea and I have won a bit of money but I want to make better informed decisions about them and to understand all the stats on them etc.

I live in Australia. melbourne.

Answer 1

Read the Daily Racing Forum. It'll tell you how they did in their last races, who the jockey and trainers are, how much weight they'll carry, etc.

Answer 2

if you like gambling bet on boxing not racing bet on manny 100 percent contact me for my percentage

Answer 3

Well, I'd love to tell you how to pick horses, but there's so much to it, I could probably sit here for days explaining things, from past performances, to workouts, speed ratings, jockeys.  And once you think you've figured out how to read a line in the racing form, and think you know it all, you can add in factors such as breeding, jockey/trainer combos, trainer patterns, equipment changes.  

On top of that, there are some more advances handicapping techniques, such as studying a race as a whole, looking for horses preferred styles to try to imagine how you see the race playing out.  For example, you have a horse who's a pure speed horse, opening 1/4 in 21-2, and you have 3 other speed horses who havent shown the ability to rate.  If you're talkin a distance race, like a mile and 1/8, chances are, even if one of those speed horses is the best horse, the race will likely be an early speed duel and cause the speed to burn out.  In a race like that, you'd want to look for a stalker or closer.

Then, on top of that, you can also figure in surface, weather, conditions, etc.  If its raining.... does a horse like the rain?  Does he run well in the rain?  Is the trainer switching to mud caulks?  Is there a track bias.... ie... does your horse like to run on the rail... but the rail is bad today and slowing horses down.  Is the track sealed?  (Sealing a track in the rain, essentially packs down the dirt, making the track harder and faster, essentially making the horses glide, and favors speed horses)

You can also look at a horses conditioning and training for some insight.  For example, you have 2 horses running at Saratoga and you look at the workouts, and they're both the same time.  One horse worked the main track and the other was on the training track.  Whats the difference?  Well, at least in Saratoga, the training track is much deeper, and when you think deeper, think of the difference between running on a sidewalk covered in sand and then running on the beach, with so much sand that you almost sink.  You'll run slower on the beach, but it will also take much more effort and condition you better.  Thats one example.  

Another example is comparing horses at different tracks.  In big races youll often see horses from all over competing.  Now, if you're comparing times for similar races, you'll probably notice that the California horses are usually superior.  Well, it doesn't necessarily mean they're better, just the tracks on the southern ca circuit, Santa Anita, Hollywood, and Del Mar are extremely fast and result in fast times for the horses.  (One other difference as well is that california also allows the use of bute, a drug similar to ibuprofen for humans, that acts as an antiimflammatory and pain killer, which can boost performance)

So, there are many many different things to consider when it comes to picking out a horse, which is one of the reasons wagering can be so fun.  Its one form of gambling where all the choices are yours, and there's really no "luck" involved like in a roulette wheel or a blackjack game, its taking all of your knowledge and trying to be right.  

If you ever have any questions, or want an explanation of anything, feel free to write me.