Crooked Necks

Posts Tagged ‘race’

Harness racing handicapping is a game that pays off when you notice the little things not found in the racing program or past performances. When everything stays the same, the favorite wins and only the race track and the connections of the horse make a profit. That is because if the race turns out the way it looks like it should turn out, then the crowd will win. You can’t make much profit handicapping harness races if you bet with the crowd.

On the other hand, favorites do win a lot of harness races and that means you have to find a way to spot a reason good enough to bet against the favorite. One such situation where you will find profitable bets is in claiming races when you have done your homework. By homework I mean, watching the horses and spotting problems that can be fixed.

When you watch a harness race you should be making notes about horses who had rough trips or got a dream trip. Notes should be kept detailing any problems or abnormalities as well. One example is a horse that is rough gaited in the turns, but flattens out in the stretch. While there can be several reasons for this, it means there is probably a problem that can be corrected by a good trainer.

If you are an avid race better you will know just how expensive some tipping services can be. We are talking thousands of pounds a month here for one of the ‘quality’ picking services. The problem with these services is even if they do win more than they lose you will still find it difficult to break even because of the amount you are paying to get the tips themselves. This is why in this article today I am going to be giving you a couple of handy tips so that you can pick your own selections instead of going to an expensive tipping service!

One of the best things about actually going the races is that you have the chance to look at the horses before they get to race. To spot a horse that is likely to run a good race you should look for the horse with the shiniest coat. I know this sounds silly but the fact of the matter is that the healthiest of horses will end up running the fastest they can.

What’s the secret to swimming faster? It may look like there is some secret technique to faster swimming but there really isn’t. Swimmers have been getting faster every year due to better training, improved techniques, nutrition and even suits they wear. Coach’s and swimmers alike just keep trying new things and pushing the limits and finding ways to keep shaving fractions of a second off their times.

A fraction of a second does not sound like much but it could be enough to win a race. When you are at the elite level you want that little bit of extra speed and more. So if you are a swimmer on a school team, club or compete on a recreational level, you too can use the same methods the elite use to go faster.

Work on your technique, this can save you valuable time during a race. Learn to swim like your body is longer than it really is so you slide through the water more easily. Perfect the arm stroke so you can get the maximum pull with each hand to give you the best forward propulsion. Relax while you swim, don’t be tense because this will actually slow you down.

If you look at any race card you will see if a horse is wearing any type of headgear. The more common types of headgear worn by race horses are Blinkers, Visor and Cheek Pieces. Another addition to a horses headgear is a tongue strap.

Blinkers. These are fitted to a horse to aid its concentration during the race. The blinkers are in fact cowls fitted to a head cloth and they can be either full or half cup. The overall effect is to reduce a horses vision from 180 degrees down to a around 30 degrees.

Visors. These are similar to blinkers except that the cowl has a hole or slit in the side to allow the horse to see other horses at its side.

Some people question how genuine a horse is that needs blinkers but there is no doubt that in some cases they can bring about a much improved performance. It is not uncommon that the first time a horse races in blinkers it has the desired effect but in subsequent races they seem to have no effect.