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In last month’s article, we examined whether the BHA’s official handicap race ratings offered more meaningful insight than the broad-brush class labels (Class 1 to 6). Handicap ratings, such as 0–105, define eligibility thresholds and implicitly signal the standard of competition. By segmenting these rating bands within each class and tracking movement between them, we…
The premise of this article is to investigate the widely accepted wisdom — something of a cliché since it’s routinely cited by analysts and commentators — that punters should pay particular attention to horses dropped in class, because, for example, a shrewd trainer may be giving their horse a better chance of winning in a…
While browsing through the Smartform data dictionary looking for a feature to research for this month’s article, I came across an intriguing but underexplored data item: the winner of the corresponding race from last year. Despite having this information for every daily race, we’ve never fully researched its significance. What Is a Corresponding Race? A…
One of the best aspects of working with a programmatic horseracing database like Smartform is the near-infinite scope it offers for analysis. With data spanning decades and hundreds of variables available, you can explore niche areas of performance for any combination of data that you can dream up. However, for those short on time, the…
Since it’s Christmas, I hope you’ll forgive a more emotional offering this month than the usual analytical fayre. With that said, the subject is topical – time sensitive, even – and, in the best traditions of Christmas, there is something you can do to help (if you feel inclined) that will take only a few…