Betting with the Beautiful People...

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

Craig, being a Liverpool supporter, loves the beautiful game. For those who don't know what that means, he loves his football. 

I wonder who are the beautiful people?  

I guess supermodels, film stars, and obviously your wife (we don't want any trouble and strife). 

What I'm saying is each to their own. 

Some girls are so ugly they look beautiful. Anyway, I don't want to talk about my own, peculiar, fascinations! 

My brother, Tony, has many and varied ways of selecting a horse to bet. Like Myself & Craig, we follow the form, takes note of two-year-olds with significant entries and watch the betting. 

Clearly, there is much more to it than those three variants. 

Are you a paddock watcher? Keeping a keen eye on the horses going to the start and even more so racing.  

I don't think I have some strange horse fetish, some perversion which sees me wear jodhpurs at the weekend and flick through the pages of a Rebecca Curtis calendar riding side-saddle, but I do like a good-looking horse (even the boys!). 

I'm talking about horse composition: how it looks; is it big and strong, an athlete. 

Some horses, often the cheaper ones, look a touch weak, spindly and lesser lights compared with others. Remember we are talking about two-year-old horses which vary quite considerably due to maturation. Depending on their birth date, one month can be a fair percentage of their life and physical development. Although, once again, each horse has to be judged on its own merits.

It is often the case more expensive horses look better.  

Now, I am no expert on what a good horse should look like. In fact, I often find it easier to appreciate one horse to another when watching them on TV, rather than on the course. I guess that comes from watching too much television. (I was told that was bad for you).

You will see one horse compared to another and think that one looks much better. It's a matter of opinion. However, there is a point where the majority would say that horse looks better. It doesn't guarantee it will run faster.

For example, I have often changed my mind about betting on a horse simply because of its physical appearance. 

''Skinny twig.''

The horses usually look weak. 

I don't like a weak-looking horse simply because I don't think they take their racing as well as one more robust. Clearly, there are exceptions to every rule and you can get wiry weasels who are naturally lean with fire in their belly. 

Perhaps the one exception is that fillies may look a poor relation especially if racing against the colts. They can often defy their looks. Although even with the weight allowance it takes a decent filly to beat a colt. 

My brother has made some serious money betting horses at huge odds simply because he liked the look of them. Generally, these are horses from smaller stables. Bookmakers usually price these by the trainer's past achievements (lack of winners) or limited horses. For that reason, they may be substantial odds and slip under the radar. 

It's worth focusing on horses making their second start, as statistically, they are much more likely to win than the debut. 

Watch debutants carefully because you may see a horse that catches your eye even if they run down the field. 

They may win at big odds second start.

Author: Jason Coote

**KNOW THE BEST HORSES IN TRAINING (BEFORE THEY RACE!)**