UK Horse Racing Tips

Since the advent of the betting exchanges, the ability for ordinary punters to lay bets as well as back horses has completely changed the face of the gambling landscape in the UK.

But is it better generally to back and lay, or is it preferable to simply place your bets using the best race guides you can find and let your wagers take their course?

You will of course hear punters being equally adamant in either direction. Obviously, with backing and laying back at shorter odds, you’re playing more of a percentage game and hoping to benefit over the long term through the shrewdness of your value selections. If you lay a horse back at a lower price, you can effectively have a free bet on the odds difference if things move favourably for you. But this is no different, in theory, to letting the odds ride. After all, if your selections are good, you’ll win on the same number of occasions but your wins will be bigger. The downside is that you’ll lose your entire take on more occasions.

But there are other situations where you can profit no matter what happens by laying back more than your stake at shorter odds and taking a profit.

Of course, this is no different to the way bookmakers have been operating for many years.
It’s really a question of trial and error and seeing what works well for you. One easy way to find out is to establish two exchange accounts and to run them simultaneously with the same selections. One will lay the horses back at a pre-set price you decide on, and one will not. Then, see which works best for you over time.

Each punter is different and what worked well for one won’t necessarily do so for another. If, for example, you’re a value hunter by nature and can see that a 20-1 shot, for example, Arsenal in the Premier League title race, actually has more like a one in 16 chance of winning, then backing at 20s and laying back at 15s may be the way to go. But by running two accounts and being consistent in your approach on each – you should find out which system suits your gambling style best on the bottom line.

A break from our regular tips t0 bring you an incomplete list to some of the tic tac terms used for various betting odds. Tic Tac is a method of signing used by bookmakers at race courses to communicate odds to each other. Technology has for the most part consigned tic tac to the past, but it’s an art form in its own right as far as I’m concerned and some of the slang terms given to the signs bring a smile the face.

Major Stevens – ‘tic tac’ for Evens

Ear’ole – ‘tic-tac’ term for 6-4.

Double Tops – 15-8

Bottle – ‘tic-tac’ term for 2-1

Top of the head – 9-4

Carpet – The ‘tic-tac’ term for 3-1.

Burlington Bertie – ‘tic-tac’ for 100-30.

Roof – ‘tic-tac’ term for 4-1.

Handful – ‘tic-tac’ for 5-1.

Xis – ‘tic-tac’ for 6-1.

Neves – ‘tic-tac’ term for 7-1.

Enin – The ‘tic-tac’ term for 9-1.

Cockle – The ‘tic-tac’ term for 10-1.

Elef – ‘tic-tac’ for 11-1

Double Net – ‘tic-tac’ for 20-1

Double carpet –  ‘tic-tac’ for 33-1.

Century – ‘tic-tac’ for 100-1

The racing on the Monday preceding any Cheltenham Festival inevitably has the feel of the ‘calm before the storm’ so, with all due respect to the authorities at Plumpton, Stratford and Taunton, we’ve decided to concentrate on events later in the week in today’s 2015 cheltenham tips piece.

The feature race on the first day is, of course, the Stan James Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy, for which Willie Mullins’ Faugheen is a red-hot 5/4 favourite. The Germany gelding is unbeaten in nine starts, including a point-to-point, and has only really been tested once, when ridden out to beat Ballyalton by 4½ lengths in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle, over 2 miles 5 furlongs, at last year’s Festival. The 7-year-old gelding appears highly versatile, having won at distances up to 3 miles on going ranging from good to heavy, but may still have room for improvement in his jumping.

Faugheen faces by far his stiffest task to date against stable companion Hurricane Fly, Jezki and The New One, all of whom are rated of similar ability by the BHA Head of Handicapping, so if his jumping lacks fluency, as it has on more than one occasion in the past, he could be vulnerable.

Hurricane Fly, winner of the Champion Hurdle in 2011 and 2013 before a creditable fourth behind Jezski last year, has won three from three since returning to action at Punchestown in November, notably beating Jezki on all three occasions. His very best form has come on soft and heavy going, so he’d appreciate some rain but, as the joint highest-rated horse in the race, he’s not a bad ‘second string’ for the Mullins’ yard.

Unless the rain forecast for Cheltenham on Monday is heavier than forecast, The New One could be the one to take advantage of any jumping frailties that surface in the favourite. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ 7-year-old could finish only third, beaten 2¾ lengths, behind Jezski last year, but was badly hampered by the fall of the ill-fated Our Conor at the third flight and can be rated better than the bare result. The King’s Theatre is unbeaten in five starts since, including the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle last April, and may be able to make amends this time.

One of the highlights of the National Hunt calendar, the Cheltenham festival is once again just around the corner, starting on 10th March. This prestigious four day festival appeal to both casual punters and serious racing fans alike. The Cheltenham atmosphere is said to be one of a kind with the crowd letting out a ‘Cheltenham Roar’ at the start of the first race.

The Cheltenham festival, first held in 1860, consists of a grand total of 27 competitive races, a number of which (Supreme Novices Hurdle, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and so on) are grade one events. As the festival approaches there are plenty of rises and fall in the betting market so let’s take a look at the betting market. The Gold Guide to Cheltenham is a good starting point.

The 22 fence, 3 miles 2½ furlong Cheltenham Gold Cup is seen as the jewel in the crown of the festival. It’s one of the most valuable chases in UK races won by Bobs Worth in 2013 and Lord Windermere, ridden by Davy Russell and trained by Jim Culloty, in 2014. This year Silviniaco Conti is seen as clear favorite at 3-1 (and 12-1 to win the Gold Cup in 2016). With a field of this size there are plenty of contenders in the 8-12-1 range too. Many Clouds, Holywell, Carlingford Lough and last year’s winner Lord Windermere to name but a few.

Other highlights of the festival include the Champion Hurdle on day one (with Faugheen 5/4 favourite), the Queen Mother Champion Chase on day two (current favourite Sprinter Sacre) and World Hurdle on Day three. 19 time champion jockey Tony McCoy has tipped Jezki at 9/2 to pip Faugheen to the post, so this could be one to watch and worth a punt.

“The horse I’m most looking forward to riding at the Festival is Jezki. I think he has got the best chance of winning,” McCoy said.

“I know Faugheen is the one that they are all talking about, but there’s no form like Champion Hurdle form.

Whatever you choose to bet on, best of luck and enjoy the festival.