Martin Dowling concludes his great series.

So far in this series we have listed 71 betting ideas. To complete the series, we will now take a look at the remaining 29 of the '100 Great Betting Ideas' a series, by the way, which has generated a great deal of interest among keen P.P.M. readers, some of whom have written to say how much benefit they have gained.

  1. RISK OR SAFETY?

    Each punter has a different makeup. Some are conservative, others more in the risk-taking category. Decide which group you belong to and bet accordingly If you're a cautious bettor don't place yourself in the position of risking a lot - you'll probably crack under the pressure!
  2. AGE AND WINNERS

    Age shall not weary them - or shall it? The older a horse gets the more unreliable it is going to be. Older horses rarely win first-up. Be wary of them.
  3. THE SPECIALISTS

    Look out for specialist horses at various distance ranges. This applies particularly to short-sprinter types. They excel at 900m to 1100m and that's all. But they win their share of races. The 'mile' or 1600m is another good specialist distance.
  4. OVERBET LATE CLOSERS

    It often happens that horses that produce stunning finishing bursts and just get beaten are overbet next time out - and fail. This usually happens when they race over a longer trip!
  5. WEIGHT AND DISTANCE

    Weight means less in sprints than it does in longer races. In fact, the longer the race the greater the impact of weight. The further a horse has to carry a big weight the tougher it is.
  6. CLASSY TOPWEIGHTS

    It often happens that a 'class' horse will strike a moderate field and though out of form in better races he represents a top chance in the weaker race. Look for these 'class' horses handicapped 3kg or more above the next horse in the field.
  7. JOCKEY FORM Jockey form can be misleading.

    Do some tests yourself and see which jockeys excel at different distances. You'll discover that some riders can be followed in sprints and others in longer races.
  8. EACH-WAY PERIL

    Many professionals emphasise the poor value involved in eachway betting. They say that mathematically it's not a good approach to betting unless there are nine or fewer runners. The larger the field the more the percentages favour the bookies.
  9. YANKEE SOLO

    American professional Todd Benton, from Chicago, says he has never had more than one bet in a day. He advises that it's easier to find one winner than two or more. And he's right!
  10. EXPECT THE WORST

    If you're the type of punter who bets the exotics - like trifectas, first 4s and so on - then expect the worst. That is, lengthy losing runs. One trifecta in 20 might be a good hit if you are only linking three or four runners.
  11. SYSTEM CHOICES

    Choose a system to follow very carefully. Some may not suit your psychological makeup. Most keen systems fans say your system should not demand too much time or give you too many bets. One bet per six races is considered the perfect system.
  12. GOLDEN STAKING

    Remember always the golden rule: Don't take on progression betting unless you are sure your selections make a profit at level stakes. If you ignore this advice then look out for troubles ahead!
  13. AVOID THE COMPULSION!

    Compulsive betting is a problem for many. When a compulsive gambler is ahead he gambles because he's playing with other people's money, when he's behind he has to get even and when he is even he says he hasn't lost any money. Don't bet recklessly!
  14. CROWD PSYCHOLOGY

    Think carefully before joining the crowd' with your bets. Remember that the 'crowd' is wrong at least seven times out of 10. And when they win their selections are overbet and underpriced.
  15. BET ON THE BEST

    English professional Malcolm Samuels says he sticks to a rigid betting mode. He always bets on the highest quality races and likes to concentrate on favourites and second favourites - if their form is good.
  16. TRACKWORK POINTERS

    Trackwork can be a guide to picking first-up winners. If a horse has a lot of training before its first race after a spell it is likely it will perform above normal expectations. Check the Sportsman trackwork guide!
  17. QUINELLA SHOOTER

    A suggested quinella staking plan is as follows: 1-1-1-1-2-2-2-3-3-3-4-4-5-5-6-7. This calls for $50 using $1 units over 16 bets. As the program develops you only need a pay of $12.55, then $8.40, then $6.30, then $5.05, then $4.20 and finally $3.60 to make a profit for the series.
  18. THE DRIFTERS

    Keep very much in mind that MOST horses drift from their opening quotes.
  19. REMEMBER WHAT IT MEANS...

    When we talk of prices we can get too casual. What does, say, one chance in five actually mean? It's a 20 per cent chance of winning and an 80 per cent chance of losing. For every five bets you'll be correct once. Think about it.
  20. SEQUENCE BETTING

    Small punters can have great fun with sequence betting. Try the favs. Every race commences a running treble. Race 1, bet $1 favourites in races 1/2/3; race 2, bet $1 favs in races 2/3/4 etc. If the favs in races 7 and 8 win you have that collect to put on the fav in race one at the next meeting.
  21. PATIENCE THE VIRTUE

    American professional AI Gronow says patience is what has kept him ahead of the game for 15 years. He bets every day of the week, but rarely more than one or two bets a day. His favourite area is the 9/4 to 4/1 mark.
  22. NEVER TRUST

    Try to act on what you see, not what you hear.
  23. KEEPING A RECORD

    We've said it before, we'll say it again: Don't kid yourself via memory. Write down all your bets and all your outlays in connection with racing.
  24. JUMPING DANGERS

    Bet on the jumps if they excite you - but always remember the fallers. Good things often dip out at the final jump!
  25. LOSING MISTAKES...

    Most mistakes are made when a punter is losing. Remember this when next you start to panic.
  26. MID-SEASON PAUSE

    Take a breather mid-season. Check your records. Which betting is working? Which aspect is losing? Adjust accordingly.
  27. THE SAFETY BRAKE RULE

    If you're on a target plan or a progression staking plan, always build in a safety brake. Don't let stakes escalate out of hand.
  28. SHOOT FOR THE VALUE

    Let's just remind you! Don't take bad value. In the end it'll kill you (financially).
  29. (100) LUCK, LUCK!

    You always need luck. The greatest bettors in the world admit that. Try to make your own luck through hard work.

Click here to read Part 4.
Click here to read Part 1.
Click here to read Part 2.
Click here to read Part 3.

By Martin Dowling

PRACTICAL PUNTING - MAY 1995