Having been a trainer and driver of racehorses; having witnessed 1000’s of races over the course of the past 30 years, anything can occur before the race starts. With this knowledge, here are some tips that may assist you in making a good bet, while using your brains instead of your gut reaction.

Although ante-post racing has been a huge market with betters or punters, you should be very careful when placing your bet before race day. Here is my thought on this subject. I never bet on a horse before the horses warm up or parade. I want to see if the horse I am betting on is sound e.g. healthy, not lame on the track. Thoroughbred horse racing is completely different from standardbred horse racing. 

Thoroughbreds parade for approximately 10 minutes before the race. Watch for traits indicating lameness. Your horse should not exhibit any limping or favoritism to one leg. White foam, or sweat, observed on the horse’s neck is indicative of nervousness or the horse being “washed out.” Washed out is a term used for a horse that may not race well due to excessive nervousness. A positive indicator that you have a good horse to bet on occurs when the horse “empties out,” another term for “pooping” before the race. I find this to be an advantage, as the horse is relaxed and free of excessive bulk, thereby permitting him to run more quickly. 

Harness horse racing is different, as you are able to watch the contenders warm up. Typically the horses are warmed up 60 minutes before the actual race time. This is a perfect time to watch your horse travel around the track. You can see if they are limping or sore. If you observe any incongruence in their running pattern do not bet on them. 

An aspect to look for in both thoroughbreds and standardbreds, when determining your winning horse is, “equipment changes.” This alteration in equipment can change the way the horse runs that day. For example, if you see a horse go from blinkers to no blinkers, that horse may be prone to the distraction of his competitors and may try to outrun a horse when they see a competitor coming up, on the outside or inside of the track. There are so many variations of changes of equipment. The track must list equipment changes week to week. Make sure, if you are a serious better, that you check for changes and evaluate how this may alter the outcome of the race.

The last variance I would like to cover is track condition. Imagine you bet on a great horse that cannot lose, in your mind. On race day it rains and the track is muddy. This horse does not like the mud. Those betters who have followed the conditions as it pertains to their winning horse know about this disadvantage and pass on the horse. If you placed the bet days earlier, without this knowledge, you may have bet on a great horse that cannot triumph in mud. This great horse loses and you lose your money. You could have prevented this by not making your early bet. On the other hand, your identified winner may be a horse that loves the mud and under such conditions, may be your winner. You have no way of knowing this if you have not vetted your horse, checked the conditions, examined for equipment changes, and personally seen him parade or warm up. 

As you can see, I never bet ante-post for these reasons. A common adage which I frequently refer to is, “You can beat a race, but you cannot beat the races.” However, that has never stopped me from taking the time to exert my knowledge and pick my winner! Horse racing especially races like the Grand National are exciting events that combines skill, talent, and of course - Luck!

The two day William Hill Winter Festival is scheduled to take place At Kempton Park Racecourse on Boxing Day 26th December and Tuesday 27th December 2011 .  The racecourse, which is situated on the outskirts of London, will host the festive two day sporting extravaganza featuring some top class Jump racing.  After the excesses of the Christmas celebrations it’s a perfect way for family and friends to watch some thrilling outdoor action.  The event which attracts thousands of racing fans to the racecourse near Sunbury-on-Thames, is one of the highlights of the Jump racing season.  Seasoned racegoers and newcomers alike will thoroughly enjoy the amazing atmosphere and the chance to make the most of the Christmas Bank Holidays.

First time visitors to Kempton Park should not miss the memorial to one of the best loved race horses of all time, the legendary, Desert Orchid.  A life sized statue of him, stands by the side of the Parade Ring, where his ashes are interred and the Desert Orchid Steeple Chase memorial race is now an annual feature of the William Hill Winter Festival.  Amy Stark, the racecourses managing director said, “The William Hill Winter Festival at Kempton Park is as much a part of Christmas as turkey, mulled wine and mince pies.  Fans of the sport love Boxing Day at Kempton Park and especially the William Hill George V1 Chase, the showpiece race made so famous by the exploits of racehorse legends Desert Orchid and Kauto Star”.  The feature race on Boxing Day, the William Hill King George V1 Chase, with prize money of £180,000, it is one of the most valuable races of the Jump racing season.  The William Hill Desert Orchid Chase, in memory of the great grey who won so many races at the course, is the highlight of the second day.  In January 2011 at the rescheduled King George V1 Steeplechase, Long Run, put in a stunning performance to win ahead of Riverside Theatre and Kempton Park legend, Kauto Star.  Long Run should be back to defend his title this year but will face some stiff competition. 

Race goers already familiar with Kempton Park will see a great improvement in the facilities in the ground floor of the Main Grandstand.  The area has had a makeover during the summer months and now boasts a brand new Costa Coffee shop.  Visitors are well catered for with the ‘Kings of Kempton’ bars, the Italian Trattoria and plenty of relaxed seating areas which should ensure a more comfortable experience than ever before.  If you’re a jump racing fan, or just like the idea of a breath of fresh air and some sporting excitement after the Christmas festivities, Kempton Park will provide a memorable days entertainment.  As the Winter Festival is so popular, pre-booking is advised, plenty of good value packages are available from the racecourse.  Kempton Park Racecourse has teamed up with online Eclipse Magazine, [who focus on the social side of racing], to give two lucky readers a PAIR of Paddock admission tickets to the William Hill Winter Festival.  A pair of tickets for both days, are up for grabs, with a simple entry form available at www.eclipsemagazine.co.uk

Cork Racecourse Mallow, has recently announced it’s affiliation to national charity, Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland [AADI].  The charity was founded in 2010 and has since placed three trained assistance dogs and six companion dogs with families who have children living with autism.  Achieving independence and safety for children suffering from the condition is a priority and the dogs can provide invaluable help for these children.  Helping the children improve their interaction and socialisation skills, they are a source of unconditional love and affection and often give their owners the confidence to go out in public.  Training service manager, Nuala Geraghty has been working with three more dogs which will be ready to go to homes in Cork, Kildare and Louth very shortly.

Mary Kelly, the Sales and Marketing Manager at Cork Racecourse Mallow, is excited and eager to be working with AADI.  ”From the word go, we have built a very strong working relationship with the charity.  We wanted to put the racecourse’s ongoing support for the work done by the AADI on a more formal footing by making AADI the course’s official charity which is a national first. We are also working on some exciting projects before the end of the year. It really is an exciting time for Cork Racecourse and AADI”.  Brenda Clancy who is the director of fundraising at AADI, is thrilled to have the charity which came into being in 2010, recognised by such a prominent organisation as Cork Racecourse.  Nuala Geraghty said, ‚ ” as a charity, AADI does not receive any Government funding, therefore all fundraising activities are vital to the ongoing work of the charity and having seen the difference an assistance dog can make to the daily lives of families dealing with autism, I can genuinely say that every cent can help us to continue making that difference.”  Cork Racecourse holds 18 meetings annually with an attendance of over 38,000 and the charity hope to raise their profile within this equestrian setting.

Dan Joe Fitzgerald, the Mayor of Mallow, was full of praise for Cork Racecourse saying , “It’s brilliant to see that despite these tough economic times that a well established organisation such as Cork Racecourse Mallow has chosen to affiliate itself with such a worthy cause. In these economic times, it is essential that businesses of all levels and from all sectors work together and this new venture between the racecourse and AADI is a prime example‚”  I’ts hoped by raising the charity’s profile nationwide, they will be able to provide more ‘best friends’, to children who need them.

More information is available at www,corkracecourse.ie and www.aadi.ie. 

With the Grand National well and truly over for another year, thoughts turn to the other big races in the UK. Summer in England normally means flat racing, whilst I’m not the biggest fan for the flat scene it still holds my interest until the National Hunt jump season restarts in full.

The next major flat race is the Derby from Epsom, this year all eye’s are on the Queens runner -  Carlton House. The Queen will be taking nothing for granted. As she famously witnessed her mother’s horse Devon Loch collapse just yards from the finishing post in the Grand National in 1956.

You can get the very latest live horse racing odds from all the major races from www.horseracingodds.me.uk.

The 2010 John Smith’s Grand National winner Don’t Push It caught the eye in the opening race on Newbury’s rescheduled Totesport Trophy card on Friday, staying-on well from off the pace to finish on the heels of the leaders in a competitive three-mile handicap hurdle, writes Elliot Slater. 

In the week when the official weights were published for the Aintree marathon and last year’s hero was saddled with joint-top weight of 11st 10lbs, trainer Jonjo O’Neill began the preparation of the 11-year-old in earnest, sending him to the class 3 Newbury contest under amateur pilot Alan Berry, (who claimed 3lbs), as champion jockey Tony McCoy who partnered the horse to his famous Grand National success last April, was claimed to ride owner JP McManus’s apparent first-string Cappagh (finished unplaced), for Philip Hobbs. 

Having only his second outing since Liverpool last year and his first since pulling up in a Cheltenham handicap hurdle back in December, the Old Vic gelding was sent off the 40/1 outsider of the field but really caught the eye down the home straight, staying-on strongly from the second last to press for a bunch finish for fifth place. The outing should have brought O’Neill’s charge a step closer to being just where he needs to be for Aintree in seven weeks time and anyone with a Grand National free bet to place should take note of the run.

No horse has run back-to-back runnings of the Grand National since the legendary Red Rum in 1974, and under a very big weight it is asking a great deal of Don’t Push It to follow-up. Comply Or Die and Hedgehunter have both run gallant races in defeat but not managed to get their head in front, but that hasn’t stopped some firms reacting to Don’t Push It’s Newbury effort by cutting him from 20/1 to 16/1 co-second favourite for the Aintree spectacular. 

Trainer Alan Fleming is clearly a disappointed man after seeing his stable star Starluck finish a well beaten third behind reigning champion hurdler Binocular in the William Hill Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park, writes Elliot Slater. 

Last season the grey ran an absolute blinder to make the high-class Go Native pull out all the stops (Binocular back in third) in the Christmas Hurdle, eventually failing by only a short-head to land the Grade 1 event, but this time around, on ground that his handler feels was rather more testing than had been anticipated, the six-year-old was never travelling well enough to get into the race and make his presence felt. 

Fifth in last year’s Champion Hurdle (behind Binocular) and a good second on his reappearance in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newbury, where he gave the smart Peddlers Cross a good race, Starluck’s best form has regularly been on a decent surface so the glue-like conditions at the Sunbury track last time out would appear a valid excuse for a below-par effort and horse racing fans should remember this.

No firm plans appear to have been made just yet as to where owner Andrew Wates’ classy sort will go next, but he returned home from his Kempton effort in decent shape, ate up and appears none the worse for the outing. Starluck’s Champion Hurdle odds doubled after his defeat and he is now available at up to 50/1 in the horse racing betting odds to improve on last year’s performance, but it has to be assumed that he would be an unlikely runner at Cheltenham if there was plenty of cut in the ground. In any case, it would not surprise in the slightest to hear that Fleming might prefer to keep him fresh and wait until Aintree where underfoot conditions are invariably more suitable for the Key of Luck gelding.

Ahead of every big race there is always a flurry of activity surrounding jockey bookings and this Sunday’s feature Grade 1 William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton Park is proving no exception, writes Elliot Slater.

Noel Fehily, who was expected to ride hot favourite Kauto Star due to the continued absence of the 10-year-old’s regular pilot Ruby Walsh, (sidelined since early November with a broken leg), shocked the racing community on Wednesday by standing himself down from the ride, explaining that his damaged wrist hasn’t sufficiently recovered for him to be sure he could offer maximum assistance from the saddle.

Fehily’s absence has opened the door for 15-time champion jockey and recently voted ‘BBC Sports Personality of the Year’ Tony McCoy, to come in for one of the best ‘spare’ rides of his illustrious career. McCoy had actually been booked to partner Jonjo O’Neill’s Albertas Run, but has been released from that commitment, allowing him to step into the spotlight as Kauto Star bids to land a historic fifth successive King George VI Chase.

Those assessing the cheltenham odds  have acknowledge the fact that Irish challenger Forpadydeplasterer, runner-up on each of his last seven outings, (many in Grade 1 company), is set to step up to three miles for the first time in his career and the Tom Cooper-trained gelding will now have the assistance of the fully fit Robert Thornton, after his regular pilot Barry Geraghty was claimed by his ‘guv’nor’ Nicky Henderson for Riverside Theatre. Paddy Brennan has been confirmed aboard Nacarat, a horse who has enjoyed a number of high profile performances at the Sunbury track, including winning the 2009 Racing Post Trophy and finishing fourth to Kauto Star in the ‘King George’ 12 months ago. 

As expected, Richard Johnson will continue his winning association with Philip Hobbs’ Planet of Sound, but riders for the remaining runners will not be confirmed until the final declaration stage.

There is also expected to be plenty of turnaround before the cheltenham gold cup 2011 in March!

In declaring himself unfit to ride the red-hot favourite Kauto Star in Sunday’s William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day, Noel Fehily has lost the chance to ride the biggest winner of his career, but has definitely won the respect and admiration of the racing community, writes Elliot Slater.

Those looking at cheltenham 2011 tips know that it takes real guts and honesty to voluntarily stand yourself down from the biggest opportunity of your career, especially as a win on Kauto Star would have assured Fehily’s name would be guaranteed in the annals of racing history.

But since returning to race-riding recently, it transpires that Fehily has felt that has damaged wrist has not fully recovered and he does not want in any way to prove an obstacle to a historic success for one of the greatest horses of all-time. His magnanimous gesture will not quickly be forgotten, but it has opened the door for ‘BBC Sports Personality of the Year’ Tony McCoy to crown an outstanding 12 months, having been offered and having accepted the ride on the hugely popular 10-year-old, thus improving his cheltenham gold cup odds for success. 

McCoy had been expecting to ride the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Albertas Run, but has been released to partner the Paul Nicholls-trained champion who is generally an even money chance to land his fifth successive ‘King George’ (although sponsors William Hill go a standout 11/10), and surpass the record of four wins that he shares with the outstanding Desert Orchid.

The reaction to Fehily’s decision has been almost unanimous, with Paul Nicholls, Kauto Star’s owner Clive Smith, and most significantly the general public applauding the jockey’s honesty and selflessness in passing over such an outstanding career opportunity.

Racing and betting forums have been full of unusually complimentary remarks pointing out what a fine jockey Fehily is, and what a gentleman he has proved himself to be.

This is one of those rare occasions when I fully share the sentiments of the ‘racing forum’ online communities.

Frustrated by trying to work out your bets? Singles, Each Way and Multiple bets can now be worked out online for free at www.bet-calculator.co.uk, the site is dead easy to use and the calculator is one of the easiest I’ve seen online. There is also more complicated Arbing Calculators for greening up on Betfair.

Grand National winning jockey Bob Champion (aged 61) is going to ride at Aintree again, this time his ride will not be over the fences but as part of a charity event to raise money for cancer patients and the Injured Jockeys Fund.

Bob who beat cancer shortly before riding to victory on Aldaniti in the 1981 National is attempting to ride at all 60 of the UK’s race courses including two that Bob never got the chance to ride at during his career.

Champion knows he must work hard on his fitness next spring if he is to achieve his goal of reaching all 60 racecourses inside 60 days. Champion is encouraged in his ambition by the knowledge that Aldaniti’s 1987 walk from Buckingham Palace to Aintree, with 250 different riders, raised more than £750,000 for charity!

Personally I can’t wait to see Bob in the North West, hopefully I will be able to support him at either Chester of Bangor On Dee race courses.