The Novice Punters Diary

Allez France

It has been a very long 2 months. Far more going on in the world than I could ever have imagined happening in my lifetime. Added to that, a sense that this somehow closer to the beginning than the end right now.

24th March, the last time I had a bet on the racing (a behind closed doors jumps card at Clonmel) feels a lifetime a go. Yes, there are undoubtedly far more important things than racing going on in the world. Of course I miss it, but I am also very philosophical and am not clamouring for racing to return here before the time is right.

Avoiding the pitfalls of getting involved in sports that I know very little about, Table Tennis, the Darts from Home Tour, or early morning racing in Hong Kong and Australia. My punting over the past 8 weeks has been limited mostly to the weekend Football from Belarus. Not the greatest quality, but I am so grateful to have been able to watch it and pass some time.

This week has felt like a turning point. The slight easing of lockdown has made very little difference to my every day routine, but there is now some light at the end of the tunnel. The return of French racing on Monday has really lifted the mood. Being able to watch the Horses again has given a sense of normality. Now prior to this year, French racing was not one of my strong points, with perhaps an occasional bet in the Arc or the Prix du Jockey Club the extent of my punting.

However, with the time on my hands, I have been able to get back into the routine of making notes, watching replays and comparing horses. Everything that I was working on in pre-lockdown times. The first point I must make is to commend France-Galop, their website is superb. Full replays, weights, data, breeding, all in one place. The second point, is to congratulate them on not only showing that racing can safely return, but that it can be managed and planned well too. A quality set of cards, with group action spread across the week and a well thought out program.

In many ways, the racing on offer has been very similar to the early season flat program in the UK. Emerging 3-year-olds, some who have wintered well and improved and others who have badly needed the run. 2 year-old races, where the betting market seems to be the best guide, while many look like longer term projects.

The week started well, a 28-1 winner in the shape of “The Summit”, the only front runner in the field who stole it from the home bend in the Prix de Fontainebleau. This has been backed up with wins on Port Guillaume, Irska and Monsieur Croco. As usual, for every winner there have also been disappointments, Hellenistique, Bailleul and Bionic Woman to name a few.

In February, as mentioned in a previous post, we took a short break to Paris as a family, before the world changed. That seems a lifetime ago, though it was in fact less than 3 months. Now in May, the French have once again lifted the spirits and got some sense of normality back into everyday life. While I am still eagerly waiting and hoping for a return to British racing in June, I have discovered a passion for French racing, that I hope will remain in the future.

Vive Le France! Stay Safe

Christmas in March – Part 2

It’s Friday morning. 75% of the way through the festival. Right now I would describe it as a close 1-1 draw that could go either way.

Wednesday was tough to take. A series of places, Easywork, Third Time Lucki (placing 4 in the bumper), Allaho and Saint D’oroux kept me ticking over. However, having backed Defi Du Seuil at 14/1 and 10/1 in early season, I faced first the elation of realising Chacun Pour Soi was out and Defi was in to 2/5 favourite, to the misery of realising in the back straight that he was already beaten.

S**t happens. There is nothing that I could ever have done to foresee that. The horse clearly wasn’t right and that’s just the way it goes some times.

Thursday had followed a similar pattern. Places for Faugheen, Tout Est Permis and A Plus Tard kept me going, before Paisley Park ran no sort of race and most of my ante post multiples took a crashing fall. At this stage, with the list of ante post bets still going cut to single figures, it would be very easy to lose heart. Months of looking had really identified Paisley Park as bulletproof, but as his trainer said “they are not machines and can’t tell us it’s an off day”. Given everything else going on away from Cheltenham, some perspective is important.

Simply the Betts does wonders to lift the spirit. At last. An AntePost punt that’s come off. Concertista obliges in the Mares Novices and we are back in the game.

At the beginning of the week, my loving wife, having very little knowledge or experience of Racing and Cheltenham asked me “How much could you win if everything wins?”. Rather foolishly I replied “£11,000 or so”. Setting the bar far too high, at this point I am £38.74 up for the week. Even if today is a complete disaster, we will make a small profit and given the results and how competitive the Festival is, that has to be seen in a positive light. Although, the trip to the Caribbean may have to wait for Punchestown.

Christmas in March – Part 1

All the waiting is over. Cheltenham is here. 12 months in the build up, the best racing week of the year has arrived. All the hours of studying, watching videos, looking at times and form lines have led up to these 4 days.

The eager anticipation waiting for the Supreme to start and the nervous energy building for every punter up and down the land just adds to it all. And then…we are away.

The most important thing to remember, is that it’s a horse race. Yes, it is Cheltenham, but the horse doesn’t know that. Day 1 has been very painful. Elixir D’ainay came down when still in with a chance in the Supreme. Brewinupastorm fell in the Arkle, as did Esprit Du Large. No Comment came down in the Ultima. Knight in Dubai unseated at the 3rd fence and finally, Carefully Selected unseated when beaten in the last. The common denominator here, I backed all of them.

The day could have been worse, places for Discorama, Whatmore and Darver Star kept me above water. More importantly, it’s only day 1. With everything going on in the world, we are lucky to have racing to watch and enjoy. 7 out of 28 races have been run, 21 chances left.

Life as a punter is fantastic. I am so lucky to have the support and opportunity to do this and (try to) make my living from racing. If I couldn’t have a bet, I would still love the festival. The Racing and the Horses are what makes it special. Something that will be important to remember at 5:45pm on Friday when it’s all over and the reality of another year of waiting will begin.

The Opinion That Counts

The Festival is less than 1 week away. Without doubt, the best Racing week of the year as 12 months worth of anticipation builds to its climax. The AntePost book is moving along nicely at this stage and barring a complete nightmare week, we should come out with a decent profit.

AntePost punting is very similar to driving. At aged 17, after 25 hours of lessons and a disastrous first attempt, I managed to pass my driving test. On my first day without the L Plates on, I thought I had made it. My 1991 Renault Clio, with no 5th gear and an alarming knocking sound every time I turned hard right, was all I thought I needed, but as every driver knows, you learn to pass your test and then you learn to drive. Driving alone, without an instructor in the car to help and guide you, is very very different.

My AntePost betting is very similar. In the early days, it took a scatter gun approach, mainly backing the obvious favourites for the Festival and the National in a combination of multiples and specials. The danger with such multiples is that the failure of just 1 or 2 selections can bring it all crashing down. The New One being hampered in 2014, Annie Powers Fall in 2015, Cue Card in 2016, Benie Des Dieux last year, all painful memories of near misses.

I am pleased to say that this year has been different. Carefully plotted AntePost bets and a staking plan put in place in October has helped to give me more control. There are very few multiples for a start. The odd bookmakers special where I felt the price was fair, but other than that it’s been singles all the way. Yes, the opportunity to win huge life changing amounts is more limited, but equally, so is the risk of one faller ruining months of planning.

This week has been quiet, watching the racing more than getting involved. The plan for this fortnight was always to ease off, as the quality of racing diminishes in the lead up to Cheltenham. I have a decent “bank” built up in readiness for next week and am very keen to protect the balance as much as possible. With that in mind, it was only a casual glance over the midweek card at Catterick. However, a horse stood out for me, Stradivarius Davis for Sandy Thomson. In my tracker since its days under Paul Nicholls and further notes to an eye catching effort over too short a trip at Newcastle. I was already to go in and the 8/1 available against the hot favourite Django Django for Jonjo O’Neill seemed fair.

On a wet March afternoon, I settled down to the racing with a cuppa. Tipsters and Pundits have a very difficult job, trying to find a winner amongst the lower level fare on offer on an afternoon such as this is an almost impossible task. It is sometimes too easy to think that they will always be right or to take comfort if their selection agrees with your own opinions. Now to name the tipster would be unfair, but I made the mistake of allowing myself to be influenced by their views that the horse was a work in progress and would find the quirks of Catterick too much on the day.

Inevitably, the horse won. Every punter will have stories of winners that have got away, but to lose one because I valued someone else opinion more than my own is a painful lesson to learn. Go on twitter and type in “Cheltenham tips”, there will be so many matches that it will nearly crash the app. Remembering that racing is a game of opinions, that it is my opinion against everyone else’s, is key. It is surely better to lose on my own views, rather than those of others.

Taking a Break

The closer we get to Cheltenham, the more it feels like Christmas. If they did Advent Calendars for the Festival, I would buy one! 15 days to go and counting. Every article, every twitter feed, every issue of the Racing Post are Cheltenham focussed. Its great isn’t it?

However, what this does mean is that the racing in this period can be somewhat lacklustre. Most of the big festival entries have now had their final run and will do all of their preparation at home form now until 10th March. It was also the kids half-term holiday last week. The lure of a last minute trip to Paris came into view and we decided to take the kids there for 3 days.

3 Happy days of great Coffee, Croissants, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and my desperate attempts to remember my school boy French. The food and scenery was spectacular, my French, not so much. The trip was booked on the Tuesday night and we were on the Eurostar by the Wednesday afternoon, so there was not much time for anything other than to throw a few clothes in the bags.

At first, I had thought I would bring the laptop and the iPad with me. Follow the racing as much as possible and work in the evenings to keep on top of things. However, this was a break for the kids, my attempts to force some history and culture on to them and most importantly, for them to have a good time. Being stuck in a hotel room waiting for Dad to finish reading the paper or trying to sleep while Dad typed away on the laptop in the evening would not have been fair.

So, the Laptop stayed at home. The iPad was only used to entertain on the train and in the evening. In hindsight, this was the best decision of the trip. Having a break has made such a difference. A few days of not worrying about the Novice Hurdles at Doncaster or the sectional times of the All-Weather handicaps at Southwell were ideal. I hadn’t realised quite how absorbed I had become in Racing. Yes, it is my passion. Yes, I am living the dream by being able to do this. But, taking a break is just as important.

After 5 days off, I feel far more refreshed than before. Sure, I might have missed a winner or 2, but looking at the results whilst was away, I am sure there were equally as many losers too. If I was working in a 9-5 full-time job, then I would expect to take a break and this has to be the same.

15 days to the festival and there is some serious work to be done. Thanks to having a break with the kids, I feel in a far better place to tackle it.

Narrowing the Field

It’s been an OK week. When most punters are asked how their luck is, they respond either with “great” if they’re on the up, or the famous “just about breaking even”, which can mean anything from breaking even to a monumental loss with a brave face on it. This week has not been a disaster, but the betting account reached £104 last Monday and this morning, with a couple of ante-post bets in place, we are at £98. The proverbial 0-0 draw with the bookies in the last week.

Yes, there have been some highs. Bob and Co winning the Hunters Chase at Bangor, with Ballynagour in 2nd, landing me a winner, a betting without winner and a forecast to boot. Add to that a small 50p each way on Gay Kelleways 33-1 Novice Hurdle winner at Ludlow and a decent bet on Getaway to theRock for Alistair Ralph on the same card and the mid-week was not too bad. However, come Saturday and defeats for Nube Negra, Stolen Silver and Two Taffs leave me back where I started last week.

In hindsight, Saturday was careless. I am convinced Esprit Du Large is the Arkle Winner, for that reason, Nube Negra’s 2nd in the Henry VIII at Sandown before Christmas was rock solid form. 5/4 on Saturday seemed a fair price and I perhaps overlooked the form of Rouge Vif. Had I studied the race with more care, I could perhaps have seen the danger and covered it with a forecast. Hey Ho. We live and learn and all that. In reality, turning in with the lead was a massive advantage at Warwick and in truth, Nube Negra was beaten 3 out. Two Taffs ran his race to be 2nd in a competitive handicap, but was also behind turning in and Clondaw Castle took advantage.

Those 2 I can let go. However, Stolen Silver is another matter. When trying to make a profit as a punter, avoiding 20 runner plus competitive handicap hurdles must surely be high on the list of do’s and don’ts. Yet, here I was placing an each-way bet in this race (all be it with 6 places offered by the bookie). Unsurprisingly he was unplaced. The carnage after the fall of Lightly Squeeze at the last didn’t help, but I suspect that if the race was run 20 times, we would get 20 different results. As such, betting in this race with a view to trying to make money was foolish at best. If I had backed Hurricane Fly or Istabraq in this field, it would still have been a bad bet.

Learning when to bet and when not to is the key. Discipline. Sticking to races you can fairly assess and make a sound judgement on, an 8 runner race takes less time than a 24 runner race to assess and so more care can be taken. Yes, there will be exceptions at the big festivals and the Grand National of course, but in the main, there are enough races to study without picking the impossible ones.

A Sure Thing

The last week has been full of excitement. Cheltenham fever is now in full swing and having enjoyed the Dublin Racing festival immensely, the usual quandary of knowing who and what to back at the Festival is underway. There are 2 major points I feel I need to make about the festival, first, the strict rules I have based my punting on will go out of the window for those 4 days. Not betting in handicaps, Novice races only, set stakes and no multiples….hardly likely to follow that at Cheltenham. If anything, I will see the week as a break from the rulebook. However, the second point, is that the careful study will be continued, far more than in years gone by, where I have been far too cavalier.

Anyway, that is 5 weeks away and there is plenty of time to talk about Cheltenham. The last 2 weeks have been very interesting. Probably, in the last 5 years, this has been the quietest betting period I can remember. There were 2 days last week, when after a long look over the cards, there was simply nothing to back. For this reason, I left the racing alone. Nothing wrong with that and, having checked the results at the end of the day, I didn’t have any real feeling of missing a winner. Andy Gibson, a very successful pro-gambler, stated on a Starsports betting people interview that he doesn’t bet Monday to Wednesday, when generally the quality of racing is at its lowest. The lower grade horses are by their nature and form, less consistent and so the chance of being turned over or let down are increased. As an example, todays 7 race card at Sedgefield (04-02-20) has no race above Class 4. This point has really hit home for me in recent weeks, when the old thought of “every race has a winner” has to be thrown to one side.

Yes, this thought process has no doubt saved me money in races where I would have made a bet more in hope than expectation. However, not having a bet does mean that I am not making any money either. Fine for a normal punter, but hardly a good situation for someone hoping to make their living this way.

With that in mind, it is even more important to make money from the good things. Last Monday, Sirwilliamwallace, a very decent Novice hurdler from the Sandy Thomson yard was favourite for the opener at Kelso. He had been in my tracker following a very solid 2nd in an exceptional time at Ayr in early January. The form was already working out, with the 3rd having run a very solid time at Ayr again the weekend prior. I studied the race on the Sunday night and could find nothing likely to land a glove, leading me to expect him to be 1-2 on come the morning.

He opened 7-4. 7-4! Not a life changing price, but several points higher than I made him. At this point, with no other bet leaping out at me on the day, I should have gone in. A big bet was needed here. A horse I had been waiting for had been expertly placed and was going to win. This is going to be a rare occurrence, maybe once or twice a season will this come up, yet there was something nagging away in the back of my mind that stopped me plowing in.

Had I missed something? Was there an improver that I had somehow overlooked? Would he fall? No, No and No. He bolted up. Jumped off in front and never saw a rival. He was also backed in from 7-4 to 4-5 before the off. I had made a profit, with £6 at 7-4. £10.50 profit made from a 6 point win. However, there was a real feeling that the chance for something more was long gone.

Falling is a part of jumps racing, the same risk for nearly every bet placed and you just have to accept that it might happen. However, the form book is there for all to see and study. I had picked over the race for over an hour without ever finding a threat to Sirwilliamwallace. The only thing that had beaten me was the doubt in my own judgement, something that will need to be overcome in future if this is going to work.

A Change of Direction

I am now 6 weeks in. 6 weeks of pretty much non-stop racing. Living the dream and making it work. Right now, I’m in profit. Not enough to retire on, but to a level stake of £1, I’m up £18.63.

Sure, mistakes have been made. A few too many multiples and a few losers backed at short odds when I should probably have walked away, but the aim was always to break even and I have achieved that. I am still working with small stakes, minor amounts and combinations so that the losses, when they come, are small. This has helped on the bad days, as it has been easier to walk away, but it also makes it frustrating on the good days, as the inevitable question of what if I had been bolder with my stakes?

So far, I have stuck to the All-Weather. One of the main reasons for this, was to pick an area to specialise in that I already had a decent knowledge of, but also to try and limit the range of selections. As an example, by betting on All-Weather Handicaps, the advantages of knowing that the going is unlikely to change significantly from 1 meeting to the next, the long established draw bias over certain course and distances and the fact that it is easier to decide from the form book whether or not a horse handles an artificial surface, all add up to give a slight edge.

However, there are some disadvantages to following the all-weather. Firstly, the competitive nature of the racing makes it more difficult. Yes, low grade all-weather handicaps do get plenty of crabbing, but whilst the quality may sometimes be lacking, having 10-12 horses in a tight 52-59 handicap can make life tough. Indeed, from 1 week in December, my selections finished 114233233412341. Solid results and proof that I was on the right track, but lots of hard luck stories, being in the wrong place on the track or just finding 1 too good on the day.

The other downside is the opportunity to make a solid profit from a formline. With a few exceptions, most horses running on the all-weather are there for a reason. They either prefer the sand to the turf, or, as is more likely, they are lower level performers and whilst they will most likely find a race or 2, they are not likely to ever climb that high up the ladder and as such are run for the enjoyment of their owners and trainers, rather than any serious prospects. As a result, when you have such a large pool of horses, with similar levels of ability, even a small rise in the handicap following a win, can often put them up to a mark beyond their capability.

There are some exceptions, 3 wins from Agent of Fortune in quick succession for example, but on the whole horses on the database with great times from late November and December, have, in my opinion now gone beyond a sensible mark. For this reason, I have decided to try something else.

Right now, I’m not sure what area to focus on. There are lots of choices, one of the real benefits to loving racing is the variety. Whilst the ultimate aim is to make this a viable choice (and if I’m honest returning to the workplace now would be very tough), that is not a decision or a need that I have right now in January 2020. As I said at the start, the unlimited support from the missus has been invaluable, as more than anything else it gives me time to find me feet and the change of direction is simply step 2 on that journey.

Understanding Multiples

I am a great reader. In racing, as in other walks of life, I feel it is important to gain as much understanding as possible. The more information that you have at your disposal, the better informed you are to make a decision.

With this in mind, I purchased a book, recommended from an interview with a famous pro-punter, “Value Betting”, by Mark Coton (the original Pricewyse for those who don’t know).

The Book was written in an age when Betfair, even online betting did not exist, there was still taxation on off-course betting, the betting ring was thriving and Racing was still a cash based society. The Book refers to the days when early prices meant waiting at 10am for the Betting shop to open, hoping the price would still be there, or, waiting on hold for your call to be answered, with the worry that those ahead of you in the queue are getting a better price than you will eventually be offered.

In some ways, aspects of the book are no longer relevant. Overnight markets are the norm for all British and Irish racing, markets are governed by the exchanges more than ever, with the on course bookmakers more of a side show. The modern world of betting on a mobile phone, FOBT’s and Virtual Racing seemed an elaborate dream at that time. However, the book raises a simple point, backing a winner has not changed.

In the 30 years since it was published, the method of betting may have changed, but the overall principle has remained the same. Winning.

1 Key point that I have taken from the book, is the need to fully understand multiple bets. Lucky 15s, Trixie’s, Patents, Union Jack, Alphabets….the list goes on. My go to bet for a few selections has always been a Yankee. For those who don’t know, it involves 4 picks in 6 doubles, 4 trebles and a 4-fold accumulator. I have placed an innumerable number of these bets over the years, even now, when it has become more serious, it is still my preferred method.

However, I have never really considered the overall strategy of the bet, with my eyes more drawn to the total payout in the unlikely event that all 4 come in. Using the simple analogy of the toss of a coin, it is easy to show how the Yankee is heavily in the bookies favour. A Yankee requires 2 winners to yield a return, a 50% strike rate, how many punters can say that they achieve that on a regular basis?

If you imagine placing a Yankee on 4 tosses of a coin, all Heads, this gives you 4 even money shots at true odds. In reality, with 50/50 chances, on average you would receive 2 winners, giving a return of 4 points, from an 11 point stake and all this at even money odds. Factor in all of the variables that come with horse racing and the odds are stacked even further in the bookies favour.

Add in the lack of reward for finding 1 winner, a 25% strike rate and it has made me question my whole strategy. The same principle applies with a Trixie, a Canadian and a Heinz.

My aim has always been to break even, to prove to myself and others that I can do this, that my knowledge is better than 99.9% of the betting public. As a racing fan, betting for fun, the dream of landing the life changing multiple was always there and to some extent it will never go away. In my lifetime, I have landed just 3 multiples with 4 winners. None have paid more than around £1,200. I don’t have the data, but it would be an interesting read to see what percentage I have made a profit with.

Being a Gambler is about winning. Your opinion being right. To expect to back winners all the time, with every selection, given the variables in racing, would be totally impossible. To average a 50% strike rate, would not be far off impossible given the variables, so perhaps it is time for a change of strategy. If I back 1 winner in every 4 selections, I will be doing ok.

Value Betting, by Mark Coton was purchased for £2.80 (plus shipping) and is well worth a read for any punter.

Keeping Faith

Another weekend has passed. Whilst most of the racing world was focusing on the much-loved Veterans Chase Final at Sandown and then Envoi Allen strutting his stuff at Naas, I was doing my best to stay focussed on the All-Weather. It has perhaps been the hardest adjustment to make, the switch from looking at all racing, in particular those on ITV on a Saturday, to specialising and more importantly, having the discipline to stick to only that area. Like a contestant on Mastermind, being good at your specialist subject pays dividends, but general knowledge can find you out.

For an All-Weather fan, this weekend was perfect. Lingfield on Saturday afternoon, Kempton in the evening and then a decent card at Southwell on Sunday to keep me occupied. After several hours of careful study, 6 horses stand out on Saturday. A few too many really, as I have tried to focus to 2 or 3 selections each day. Whilst checking each selection, there is nothing that I feel confident enough to ignore, so with 4 at Lingfield, a Lucky 15 is reached for. Still trying to keep to a budget, with an aim to break even at this stage, 10p each way will do for now.

We are off to a bad start, Capriolette seems to find trouble around the last bend and finishes a disappointing 4th, beaten only 3 lengths but it’s an ominous start. The horse is fit and well, running a good time and will probably go in next time given a better run through, but all the same it’s a loser. 30 minutes later and the 2nd selection, Universal Gleam also runs his race, but Sky Defender is given a soft lead and Joe Fanning makes all to win by 3 lengths, with my pick a frustrating 3rd of 7.

Next follows a tough period, 2 hours between my 2nd and 3rd selection, when all the other racing is underway. Staying disciplined and avoiding the temptation of a bet on the jumps because it’s on the box is tough, but we make it. However, the wait was not worthwhile, Alicia Darcy never travels and trails in a dismal 8th behind Sword Exceed, it’s not going well.

In all my research, 1 word has stood out from those whose advice I have sought, Discipline. The temptation to give up on the method and throw a few darts at Sandown to console myself is very strong. Made worse by Fiddlerontheroof, a horse in my tracker, duly bolting up in the Tolworth Hurdle. However, then it all changes. Battle of Marathon runs a blinder to power home in the Lingfield feature, his win, (7/1 on the Lucky 15 at treble the odds for 1 winner), has meant just a small loss on the afternoon and has restored some confidence. My figures said he was the most likely winner, the videos I had watched showed he was the most likely winner and most importantly, he won.

Had Battle of Marathon not been successful, I might have drawn stumps for the day. 4 losers in a row could have been a blow and the Kempton card might well have been left alone. However, buoyed with some new confidence, the 2 selections, Maqboola and Be Fair are duly covered in a 50p each way double.

Maqboola wins like a good thing. She is an unexposed filly, well ahead of her mark and travels like a dream under Shane Kelly, in hindsight, she was more of a 2/7 shot than the 2/1 in the double. She is added to the tracker and provided the handicapper is not overly harsh, (2nd placed Azets is a more exposed 13 race maiden rated 53), she should win again for Richard Hughes. 2 winners in a row can do wonders for the mood. Another wait ensues, with 2 hours until the last pick of the day.

Be Fair, another who is worth noting as perhaps having a little in hand, has been in the tracker since 4th December, when winning in a good time at Lingfield. The form of the race is ordinary, but the time stood out on the day. Be fair breaks well, but is keen, too keen, a big worry on a flat speed track like Kempton where the opportunity to regain lost energy is limited. Somehow she starts to settle and comes with a sustained run in the straight to get up by a neck.

The double has landed, with a 50% strike rate for the day. A small profit made overall and everything is rosy in the garden once again. With renewed confidence, 4 selections are found for Sunday, with Wins for Zapper Cass, Suitcase n’ Taxi and Noble Behest. Even the losing horse, Global melody is an unlucky 4th as having drifted to the stand side rail (by far the slowest part of the track at Southwell at the current time), it had no chance and is beaten 3 lengths more by the surface than the opposition. Still, another decent profit form a 10p each way Yankee and 6 winners from 10 over the weekend is a solid return.

Whilst it’s always nice to make a profit, perhaps the best lesson of the weekend is to keep the faith. Horse racing is not an exact science, if it was every punter would be a millionaire by now. Horses, and Jockeys for that matter, are not machines and it’s the variables that make racing so enjoyable. Put the time in, keep the faith and the effort will be worth it in the end.