Horse Racing stats man, Andy has contributed to OLBG for 18 years - An Ipswich fan and F1 fanatic, he also contributes EFL football and Motor Sport opinion.
My passion for horse racing and gambling is not just a fleeting interest, but a long-term commitment.
Over the past 30 years, I've been a dedicated fan, and for 25 of those years, I've been putting my knowledge and love for the sport to the test through betting.
My love for the sport is fueled by the satisfaction of winning and outsmarting the horse racing bookmakers with a selection I have thoroughly researched.
The intrigue of multiple entries and the potential of minor meetings still captivate me as much as they did in the early days.
My love for the sport of racing and its endless possibilities fuels my enthusiasm, keeping me engaged and excited.
My Checklist
Multiple Entries For The Same Horse
- Look at 5 Day Entries available at the Racing Post, note multiple entries for the same horse.
- Look at 48 Hour Entries available at the Racing Post, note multiple entries for the same horse
- Look for the early booking of the stable jockey or top jockey on the horse.
- Look at the smaller meeting entry for the horse when there are bigger meetings on the same day.
- Check the prize money between the possible entries.
Trainer With Two or More Entries In the Same Race
- Look at 2 or more entries from the same trainer in the betting market, note prices FOR BOTH, and do not ignore the outsider of the runners.
- Look at trainers with fewer resources running two horses in the same race.
- Look at trainers with fewer resources running horses at opposite ends of the country
- Look at the smaller meetings when there are bigger meetings on the same day.
Trainers With Multiple Entries Across Courses
- Look for big trainers spreading their runners across major tracks - such as Ascot and Newmarket on the same day or Cheltenham and Haydock on the same day.
- Look at the prize money that the trainer has targeted.
- Check the jockey bookings.
Multiple Entries
I am not saying every horse with multiple entries wins, or every trainer with multiple entries in the race wins but they do warrant a second glance, and can often win at decent prices.
When I say multiple entries, I mean a horse entered for at least three races over a short period, say about three or four days, or a trainer with at least four entries in a single race.
Quite often, horses that have multiple entries end up running in the lowest graded race and can often go under the radar, as you notice it was entered in the big race at the 5-day stage but often misses it when running elsewhere.
Trainers with two runners in the same race
In a previous season i had noticed that Irish handicap shrewdy Tony Martin had entered the same horse for five different races in England & Ireland.
The horse was called Heathfield. He ran in one of the weakest races he was entered for and won at 5/2.
When a horse is often ready to run well, the trainer gives it multiple options and looks closely to see which race provides the horse with the best chance to win.
Horse Alert System
Minor Horse Racing Meetings
When the bigger multiple-day meetings such as those below are taking place you should always pay attention to the so-called better trainers running horses at the minor meetings.
- Cheltenham Festival
- Epsom Derby
- Galway Festival
- Glorious Goodwood
- Grand National
- Newmarket Guineas
- Punchestown Festival
- Royal Ascot
- York Ebor Meeting
Goodwood 2024 Winning Trainers Who Also Had Winners At Smaller Tracks
With all the focus on the Sussex track the following trainers had winners away from Goodwood, Beckett was especially worth noting as he had a 11/1 winner at Nottingham.
| Trainer | Goodwood Wins | Away Track Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Beckett, R M | 2 | 3 |
| Haggas, W J | 2 | 3 |
| OBrien, A P | 4 | 3 |
| Appleby, Charlie | 2 | 2 |
| Appleby, M | 4 | 2 |
| Crisford, Simon | 1 | 2 |
| Dods, M | 1 | 2 |
| Balding, A M | 2 | 1 |
| Clover, Tom | 1 | 1 |
| Evans, P D | 1 | 1 |
| Gosden, J H M | 3 | 1 |
| Johnston, Charlie | 2 | 1 |
| Varian, Roger | 1 | 1 |
Most punters seem to focus on the bigger meetings and can forget other cards for betting opportunities, but if you look closely you might see something that could run a huge race.
One huge example of this was during a Royal Ascot meeting, I cannot remember the name of the horse or even the meeting the horse ran at but Richard Hannon sent a horse to a smaller meeting.
Running in a class 6 race, that had never ran below a class 4 race in its life and over the last 4 runs had dropped almost 10lbs down the handicap.
Like most, I never even noticed, but was told about it later that day, the horse went off at 6/1 and led from start to finish.
This isn't the first time it has happened, but it's worth looking at the so-called minor meetings for the bigger yards having runners.
Which Meeting?
Ante Post Entries
On many occasions trainers may enter a host of horses months in advance and or may enter one horse in a host of races.
As the race gets closer they start whittling down their horses and which races they have decided on.
Below is an Aidan O'Brian horse who as you can see has a few targets, his decision making can help make our mind up when it comes to a bet.
- Whether to run the horse
- What race he chooses
- Whether he has more than one entry
- Who he books to ride the horse
| Date/Time /Horse | Big Race Entry |
|---|---|
| Thursday, 08 August 2024 - 6:22 The Euphrates | (Overnight) at Leopardstown Xin Gin Ballyroan Stakes (Group 3) |
| Saturday, 17 August 2024 - 4:35 The Euphrates | (Early closer) at Curragh Comer Group International Irish St. Leger Trial Stakes (Group 3) |
| Wednesday, 21 August 2024 - 3:00 The Euphrates | (Early closer) at York Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings) |
| Saturday, 14 September 2024 - 3:35 The Euphrates | (Early closer) at Doncaster Betfred St Leger Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (No Geldings) |
It is important to note these ante post entries and follow them through to the day of the race.
You can read more about ante post betting via the article below.
Ante Post Betting Guide
Summary
These "clues" should help you when deciding to place a bet, you need to have as much on your side when looking for a winner.
There are of course multiple statistics readily available but i hope the above can steer you in the right direction.
The following OLBG article should also be of assistance.
