In the world of racing, nothing is really new. Well, that’s what THEY say, and we know how much THEY know about everything!
As far as systems go, there’s always something new popping up. Good or bad, systems arrive on a regular basis as punters around the world put their minds to the task of finding that wonderful new angle that no-one else has come up with.
I’ve drawn together a collection of system ideas, most of which I believe are new, and I feel they deserve consideration. You may, of course, write them off as rubbish and go about your normal business.
But, if you’re at all like me, you’ll at least pay them some attention, if only for the fact they may contain a little golden nugget of an idea that could set you off on a winning tangent!
The first system comes from a British-based racing website specialising in weird and wacky system ideas.
It’s called the 10K System and here’s how it goes.
THE 10K SYSTEM
The purpose of this system is to take a starting "bank" of money and steadily increase it on a week to week basis, using a very clever and somewhat unusual method of staking.
This system is not based on any in-depth study and record-keeping. It is very simple to use. It is based on a sound staking strategy.
In fact, you don't need to produce a high strike rate of winners for this plan to work, a hit rate of one in six is good enough!
Now although the system is based on clever staking, we still need to select horses to bet on. As you will see further on, the horses we select to bet on have to be within certain price ranges. One day we will need to find a 2/1 shot, another we may need a 4/1 chance, etc. (You will understand why when you have finished studying the system.)
Obviously we appreciate that finding winners at any price is never easy and trying to find a winner at particular odds is exceptionally difficult.
However, remember that as this system requires such a low level of winners, all we really need to locate each day for the bets are horses at approximately the correct prices and which are in with a reasonable chance of winning.
So long as now and again one returns as a winner, the system will work, without the worry of having to hit a high strike rate.
If you are not confident about picking horses yourself, here's what we suggest: Follow the advice of one or two reliable tipsters in your daily paper. If the system requires a 4/1 shot for that day’s bet, find a horse from the tipsters’ daily lists which is approximately around the price desired.
Now that we have explained the selection requirements, let’s turn to the crux of the system, the betting plan.
In most staking plans the backer is required to increase stakes after each loser. It is usually hoped that the eventual winner will return enough to pay off the losses to date and still yield a profit. This idea is full of problems.
Continually increasing stakes during a losing run will soon see you needing to bet very, very high stakes to return even a small profit.
However, with the 10K system, stakes gradually diminish as each week goes by whilst the odds of horses backed increase! In this way we overcome the fundamental deficiencies of the usual type of staking system.
The staking plan works like this:
On Monday and Tuesday of each betting week, you look to back a 2/1 shot. On the Wednesday and Thursday you back 4/1 shots and on Friday and Saturday of each week you stake on 6/1 shots.
The price requirements for each particular day apply regardless of the number of winners and losers you back.
At the start of each week divide your betting bank up into 20 equal parts. Each part is one unit. Now you stake on the horses each day as follows:
Monday Odds = 2/1, Stake = 3 units
Tuesday Odds = 2/1, Stake = 3 units
Wednesday Odds = 4/1, Stake = 1.5 units
Thursday Odds = 4/1, Stake = 1.5 units
Friday Odds = 6/1, Stake = 1 unit
Saturday Odds = 6/1, Stake = 1 unit
Remember at the end of each series to total up your bank and then divide the total by 20 to give you your new "unit" for the following week.
With this system, if you only get one winner for the week, the most you can lose is up to three units. However, if just two horses win, you will see a profit on the week of between three and seven units, depending to some extent on which ones win.
Well, that’s an interesting one, isn’t it? Anyone game enough to give it a try? With sensible selections, I can see a future for it.
Another system with some potential is The Bookie Basher, which I have adapted from a UK system. It goes as follows:
THE BOOKIE BASHER
- Formguide required is the Sportsman plus your morning newspaper formguide with betting market.
- Look at pre-post favourites with odds in the range 8/11 to 9/4 inclusive (that is, in tote terms, $1.75 to $3.25).
- The second-favourite must be at least 4/1 ($5).
- The horse must have been placed in the first three last start.
- It must have run within the last 28 days.
- It must be top-rated by Zipform in the Sportsman.
- Minimum of five runners, maximum of 14.
- Must be ridden by an experienced jockey or a top apprentice (must be a really good kid).
- Must be able to handle the going:
(a) If three or more runs in its lifetime, it must have won or placed (beaten a maximum of 3 lengths) on going similar to the expected conditions.
(b) 3yo and older horses with less than three runs: no going qualification needed.
(c) 2yo with less than three runs must handle the going by either having won or placed (beaten maximum 3 lengths) on the EXACT going as listed. - Eliminate Maiden races and all jumps races.
Those of you who like to get an automatic route to picking your selections may find the Curtis Rating Plan a useful addition to your armoury. I pass on the details without comment. Judge for yourself whether the idea has merit. T
This has been adapted from a UK list of rules.
THE CURTIS RATING PLAN
The basis for the Curtis Rating Plan originates from a method that was devised over 70 years ago by one of the first truly professional backers, and so far as I am aware the original method has been in constant use, by a few fortunate people, since its introduction all those years ago. I believe that we can safely assume that this has more than stood the test of time!
It was only ever passed on by word of mouth; in fact, any interested parties were invited, and then only at the sole discretion of the originator of the plan, to a series of presentations, paying a fee for each session. They were, by all accounts, very successful, and those fortunate enough to attend doubtless went on their way armed with their new-found knowledge and plagued the bookmakers for many years.
The Curtis Rating Plan is a greatly enhanced version of this earlier system and has, over the past 20 or so years that it has been in use, provided the user with consistent profits every season.
SELECTION METHOD
All meetings are considered and all types of races can be considered.
Take each race in turn and award form points for the last three runs of each horse.
The form points are as follows:
| Last start | 2nd-last start | 3rd-last start |
|---|
| Win 9 pts | Win 6 pts | Win 3 pts |
| 2nd 6 pts | 2nd 4 pts | 2nd 2 pts |
| 3rd 3 pts | 3rd 2 pts | 3rd 1 pt |
EXAMPLEHorse A: 012 Form rating 0 + 6 + 6 = 12.
Horse B: 113 Form rating 3 + 6 + 3 = 12.
Horse C: 001 Form rating 0 + 0 + 9 = 9.
Horse D: 113 Form rating 3 + 6 + 3 = 12.
Horse E: 212 Form rating 2 + 6 + 6 = 14.
Horse F: 001 Form rating 0 + 0 + 9 = 9.
As you can see, Horse E is clearly top-rated with 14 form points.
You now consider the runners with the three highest points tallies. In this instance, it would be Horse E ahead of Horses A, B and D.
You always back the horse with the highest number of points, but you only back one of the others, and this is the one that is best-fancied in the early betting market.
Thus, you always back two horses in a race.
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Part 2.
By Peter TraversPRACTICAL PUNTING - MAY 2004