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The late Don Scott once wrote that the best form of exotic betting is the trifecta. I think he was right. Don said picking a trifecta winning bet was a test of skill rather than a game of chance. ...
Victoria can proudly boast many of the best country racetracks in Australia. Quite a number of them offer spacious, testing courses which offer every runner a chance. The best courses, in my opi...
I’ve spent years trying to beat the TAB and bookies and I’ve lost my bank more times than I can remember. There have been a few big wins; as many as a man with only three fingers could count on ...
There are two groups of punters who invariably go to the races, or their TAB agencies, with the percentages piled high against them. They are the backers of favourites and longshots. No matter wh...
Big bets and market movers on Saturday (from TAB Sportsbet):RANDWICKRace 2 - NEVER DOUBT MEOpened at $5.50 backed into $4.20Some of the bigger investments were $2,600 @ $4.80, $3,000 @ $4.20, $3,00...
Can any Practical Punting Monthly readers remember back to the 'dark' days before 1985, when there wasn't such a magazine as this? Doesn't bear thinking about, does it? In those bygone days, punt...
When Deane Lester talks racing, people listen. Deane’s rapid rise to the top of his profession has earned him respect as a key media form analyst. His peers are the first to say he’s shrewd...
The shortest way home is always on or near the inside rail. Well, that's technically true, as we all know, but we also know that many times it doesn't find you the winner of a race. Especially whe...
A friend said to me recently, 'What's all the fuss over this 6-Point staking plan? Is it any good?' I told him the fuss was over the fact that it could inject some excitement into one's betting...
The Craig Williams suspension affair is a joke on racing. What other industry would sideline one of its biggest stars on the eve of the nation's greatest sporting event? The question has to be aske...
I have yet to meet the perfect punter. Or maybe I have and didn't realise I was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a genius. I guess there are perfect punters around. It's just that I never see...
Olivier Doleuze has limbered up and is ready for some proper action as the build-up towards the feature races begins, and an upset win in today's Jockey Challenge at Sha Tin should be a perfect sc...
Firstly, I want to thank those many readers who have contacted me following my Rapide Ratings article in the November 2004 PPM. It’s pleasing to know that greyhound fans among us were quick to pu...
We can learn a lot from greyhound analysts around the world. In my long time in the greyhound game I have derived many ideas from reading what others have to say. Pender Noriega is one of the gre...
In previous articles in this series, I've looked at how to streamline an approach to form and selection, and last month I provided a Ratings Guide for the various classes of races. We can use t...
Should we change the way we think when it comes to analysing form? Are you, perhaps, approaching form from the wrong angle? Can you re-think what you are doing to produce a better result? These a...
There are, I believe, six 'basics' in horse-racing form assessment. After experimenting with real money for the past three years I have formulated the following list: A fit horse One of the ...
One of the misconceptions held by punters is that it’s SAFE to bet with the crowd on the favourites. It’s a belief that if you have it you should try to get rid of it. Dump the misconception or lo...
Let’s commence with some of the aspects of form that need regular revisiting. Form is a pretty general term, but we are all on common ground because every punter knows what to expect when we start...
In my previous few columns I've been explaining the quick, timesaving method I use to simplify doing the form for a meeting. My main initial aim is to look for losers.