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Sunday 1st March - Today's Bets, Betting, Race & Runner Analysis + Future Pointers

chaumi

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Well, Chaumi's blog is just over a month old.

March 1st. Sun's out.

So, let's take stock.

The point was to keep some sort of record, given I knew my strengths were in finding the big-priced winners at an average of at least one or two a month, was already avoiding any win bets at the lower end (which traditionally I'm crap at), and finding those from 16 upwards into the mid 20s or thereabouts was doable with a reasonable level of consistence.

Results so far bear all that out, nothing new there. So it's mildly worrying that the bank isn't as healthy as it might be. Yes, it's healthy, but on the back of three 100+ winners in the last month alone, you'd have thought it might be better.

So something is not optimal.

The answer is obvious, I think. Just stick to betting anything that goes off in 3 figures (chances are that elusive 1000-1 is going to remain just that - elusive).

But - problem 1 is - that's no fun. Sure, it is when they win. But the reality is it's the thrill that counts, not just building the bank. And sometimes that thrill comes from getting it right, whatever the odds or the return.

Problem 2 is - the wins can come from unlikely quarters. Taking yesterday as an example, I'd ruled out Both Barrels as a possible but not worth risking in single figures. Wasn't even going to watch it. But clicked on maybe a minute or two into the race, and there he was in the 20s in running. Probably fortunate I'd missed the early stages, because by all accounts he wasn't going well early on, but that 20s was taken and the Barrel did me another favour.

It's been a long time since Donald had a Class 2 win - indeed, 8 years (8 years!! Really!) since Keyboard Gangster's 33-1 win also in a Kelso Class 2. Big congratulations to the yard, and there are two youngsters from this season who might yet do the same over the next 2-4 years.

Problem 3 is - several big-priced runners get in the frame without winning. In fact, 5 or 6 in the last week alone - including Run Boy Run in Meydan yesterday in the 30s - who beat everything except a 50-1 shot. And a 25-1 shot running 2nd in France. And I don't recall going for the place on any of them. So, am I leaving something on the table with those? Not sure.

I need to track it better for a month and properly see what's happening. Potentially tricky (and perhaps unusual) month, with the Festival coming up. But let's try breaking it down into:

Odds 51 upwards (with an eye on what the places are paying and whether the success rate is actually strong enough).
Odds 30-50 (again, with places)
Odds 10-29
Odds 4 - 9 (bets should be pretty sparse, if any)
3 or 4 Places lower than 4

Give it a month and see what happens, Chaumi. Try tracking with 1 point level stakes. Though you probably already know that tracking this way is unlikely to be workable timewise.


**************************

Today is an easy start. Just the one runner in France I've been waiting for: Marvel Delablairie 4.35 Auteuil. We'll find out today whether my interpretation of the last run was correct or not. Hard to tell what odds will be available. La Pagaille (same race) might be interesting if up near 3 figures.
 
I so subscribe to problem 1. I really hate losers, can’t stand them and sink into miserable depression. So the inevitable string of losers between long price winners is a big no, no even if the p&l looks good. Love winners and need plenty of them, hence i swim in the shallow end of the pool :)
 
We are near polar opposites in approach, BJ, but intrinsically linked in the love of winners and the test of getting them :-)

Yeah, for sure, if you're backing long shots, you need to be able to (and will) sink a lot of losers.

The questions I'm asking myself right now (and with this attempt at better tracking) is...

"After all these years, with betting banks built and then dwindled away gradually, have you learned enough to keep growing one Chaumi?"

And then...

"How can you (or can you) bet more cleverly (using or refining current selection methods, or identifying new ones) to get you through to 90+ (in years) with the current bank?" Because there is unlikely to be another one.

It's a test of persistence and resilience. As, I think, is 'resilience' with all betting on horses (some names excluded who may not need resilience, you'll know who you are).

Persistence, I've never failed. So far. The next winner is always around the corner.

Resilience. I've never failed. So far. But there are aspects of resilience that can become insurmountable. And that can affect persistence.

Failure is near unthinkable. A life without betting on horses is near unthinkable. The task is not to let it happen.
 
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I know you don't do it, Ian...and that's honorable...but you can feel free to 'hijack' mine.

I think it much depends on what form the 'hijacks' take.
 
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So, a light day...

The French runner was pulled up about 4 hurdles in, ROFL. But was only around 12s, nowhere near big enough. May get another chance on much better ground, it did look very deep there. The other one was only 14, so no bet that one either.

The Bailey bumper horse looked a good thing on paper, and Kim exuded confidence. But I've seen Bailey bumper runners beaten before at short odds, so wasn't going to chance this one at 2.8 the win. Hacked up, and will likely be a force over hurdles (and fences, ultimately).

The Andy Irvine mare in the bumper - Dance Again - wasn't backable in this field even at 120+. But did try and tack on about 4 out for a bit before running out of steam. One for low-level 3 mile hurdle handicaps in time.

Running total for the day - 0.
 
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I bet mainly at the top end of the market, after all most winners are in the top 3 of the betting.

Like @barjon I hate losers & losing runs even though my stakes aren't usually significant to me.

However I know big priced winners give a buzz not easily matched so I have a separate bank for those type of bets, but I know from experience profit for the year can all hinge on one bet.
Back when I used to play much more fast & loose I once had a 5 figure win off one 3 figure win single, I'll be suprised if I match that winning buzz again, better than any drug imo so no wonder some p&ss their lives away chasing it.
 
I'm returning to action in April by which time I'll be 3 months sober and before you put up your next set of Christmas Deccies I'll have shown you my Moby Dick.

I'm back.
 
I'm returning to action in April by which time I'll be 3 months sober and before you put up your next set of Christmas Deccies I'll have shown you my Moby Dick.

I'm back.
Please you're not on your onlyfans account now 🫣

Oh well you asked for it.....

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Chaumi, when you say tracking for a month or so I really feel that will tell you very little. For as many failed attempts as Pawras has had at breaking my spirit with his cold hard stats they do reflect some hard truths. If you look at that chart of a 1000 bets and a strike rate of 10% max losing run was 65 and at the prices you're operating at the max losing runs can be huge. You need a very large sample group at those prices to get anything in the way of meaningful data. For you may have a losing run of 65 then have a winner and have another long losing run of say 40 follow so in 106 bets you'd of had 1 winner but then in your next 100 bets you might have 15 winners. If your average price was 14/1 then you're a winning punter.

Would you of felt like it with your 1 winner in 105 ?

By all means track what you are doing but I wouldnt expect to see any meaningful results for a long time at the prices you're playing.

You know your stuff, you put the time in, you're mostly using exchanges so betting into a stronger book and you're not backing horses that 99% of punters are. You'll do alright in the long run i have no doubt.

I
 
If I set the number of bets to 1000,000 you the get see what the real outliers can be , basically double what's showing at the moment for many of them :eek:

Mind you one I posted above pretty much matched the max wins and losses on my main bank last year for my overall strike rate
 
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