PRO-METHOD

At first sight this method may seem a little obvious; we're looking for horses that have dropped in class and racing at a less competitive racecourse. Many selections can be found by looking beyond the horse's last race - taking form from its second and third to last race. Because the majority of punters only take the horses last race form into consideration these system selections often start at a larger price than their winning chance suggests. A horse lowered in class has merely to repeat its normal level of ability as shown in the higher class to have a good winning chance.

RULES

1. Using the Racing Post ignore all handicap and selling races and any races where at least 90% of the runners have not run 3 or more times. The method works best the better the class of race so no betting in class G and be wary of class F's if a lot of the horses are from class G in their last race. Ideal races are "Conditions" races and "Claiming" races. Look out for these words in the race card heading in the paper.

2. From the races left check each horses last 3-4 races in the form pages of the Racing Post, we want a horse that has ran in a higher class race than today's race.

3. The horse must have had a good run in the higher class race and within; 4¾ lengths for -1 class 6¼ lengths for -2 classes 8 lengths for -3 classes

[From the winner.]

4. Always check the odds of the good run, if over 14/1 (12 runners or less) 16/1 over 12 runners then no bet.

5. Next check that the race with the higher class run was at a higher grade racecourse. We want a total drop of 3 classes or grades E.G.:

6. -1 class -2 grades or -2 classes -1 grade. Minimum -1 class all bets, but the same racecourse is OK as long as down 3 classes.

7. Weight Maximum +7lb from higher class race to today's race.

That's the basic system above. The following are some things to look out for.

If the form of the higher class race is from its 2nd or 3rd to last race then check its last race - is it better off today than its last race? If down in class or from a handicap race etc it's a bet.

If the horse was already dropped in class for its last race, which is the same as today's but wasn't a bet because it wasn't dropped enough weight or needed a drop in racecourse grade and today it is a bet (from its second or third to last race) then how did it get on last time? If it was a close 2nd or 3rd (within a length or two of the winner) then today it will be a bet because it's slightly better off today because of the drop in weight, grade or from a handicap etc.

If today's race is worse off than its last race then it's only a bet if it won its last race. (The horse would have been a system selection for its last race.

Only take form from sellers if the race was at a grade A or B racecourse and the horse won or was a close second.

Don't take today's claiming jockey weights into consideration.

If today's race at 7 furlong then the horse must be proven at 7. (At least been placed to within approx. 4 lengths, check the race time also)

If today's race on all weather then the horse must be proven on AW as above.

Only consider higher class form from the present season. At the beginning of the seasons both flat and national hunt, the selections may get a little thin on the ground, but the end of the season that we're in should still keep the selections coming regularly.

Be wary of the horse's fitness late in the season after a long campaign, at the back end of the season horses can fade and lose their form within just a few days. Follow horses that have ran within days, their fitness is guaranteed.

The best races for selections are usually claimers and normal conditions races. There are plenty of selections to be found in maiden races but you have to be wary of the opposition.

Horses that have only ran once or twice are sure to improve, but horses with three or more runs behind them will have shown their limitation. Selectivity will pay off, when most of the horses are on their debut or only ran once or twice then leave alone.

That is the "class" method in full. It may take some time to fully understand the method, but once you've got the hang of it you'll never make a bet in the future without referring to the horses class etc. Over the jumps the method is very successful. Just by betting on any horse with a good drop in class, regardless of weight, racecourse grades etc.

That is the basic system. When there is just one selection as above in the race then that is the selection. 90% of all the selections will be found just by following the above. If you are new to studying form or horseracing then just stick to the above (more than one selection in same race then leave race alone).

Where to find the figures for the above and an example race selection are on the last page.

Checking the form in the Racing Post is much easier than trying to follow these rules by themselves. It is going to be frustrating at first trying to understand the above and trying to find the form figures in the paper, but please stick with it.

As soon as you know where to look and what to look for it will just "click into place" and from then on you've got a great money maker that will last you years!

Once you've got fully used to the above after a few weeks (and only then) or if you already know your way around the form pages of the Racing Post then continue for a more advanced "fine tuning" of the selection process. Just stay with the above if you want, it's up to you. But using the "advanced" section will find the extra 10% of selections and help you spot a few likely losers that will crop up in the above rules.

Advanced

[On the flat where times are most important, the last furlong of true run races is completed in around 12 seconds, thus in 1 second a horse travels approximately 18 yards or 6 lengths.

Time can therefore be translated to distance beaten. 1 second = 6 lengths. A major factor affecting race times (fst 0.3) (slw 1.5) etc is the going. Before the value of a time can be assessed the nature of the going must be known and the time adjusted accordingly.

As a rough guide the following can be used:

Firm	Add 0.2 seconds per furlong to recorded time
Good to firm	Add 0.1 seconds per furlong
Good	No adjustment needed
Good to soft	Subtract 0.4 seconds per furlong
Soft	Subtract 0.8 seconds per furlong

Now lets dig a little deeper into distances beaten. I've already given the absolute maximum lengths that a horse can be beaten according to how much class it's dropped. These distances are for all horses, regardless as to what the going and time of race was.

But now we know the score about race times differing on different going and that 1 second equals roughly 6 lengths, we can also spot good selections that have been beaten, lets say by 11 lengths on good going but the race time was faster than standard (fst 2.9).

Multiply 2.9 seconds by 6 lengths 2.9 x 6 = 17.4 lengths. Because the horse was only beaten by 11 lengths then the horse had 6.4 lengths in hand over standard. To take the example further; the horses higher class race was won by a horse 2.9 seconds faster than the average standard time for that course and distance on good going, so if all the other horses ran at exactly the standard time from start to finish then our horse would have won by 6.4 lengths.

So now we can pick horses beaten more than 4¾ lengths for -1 class, 6¼ lengths for -2 classes etc. As long as the horse that won the higher class race recorded a race time that would have put our horse past the winning post (not just within 4 lengths etc) at standard time.

Occasionally you will come across horses that have no speed for fst and slw, in these cases just look at all the horses last two or three runs and compare class, going, odds of the selections etc. Don't try to force a selection out, if there is an outstanding candidate you will spot it. Overseas horses come along occasionally also. Just note the class or prize money to get the feel of if it's worth a bet.] End of advanced.

RACE CLASS

Group 1

GP 2

GP 3 E.G.: Group 1 to a group 3 is down 2 classes

A (Listed) B to an E is down 3 classes

B

C

D

E

F

G ( no bets in class G )

FLAT RACECOURSE GRADING

A	B	C	D
Ascot	Ayr*	Bath	Carlisle
Goodwood	Chester*	Beverley	Catterick
Kempton	Doncastor*	Brighton	Folkestone
Newbury	Epsom*	Chepstow	Hamilton
Newmarket	Haydock	Leicester	Lingfield (AW)
Sandown	Lingfield (turf)	Nottingham	Musselburgh
York	Newcastle*	Pontefract	Southwell (T+AW)
	Salisbury	Redcar	Wolverhampton
	Ripon
	Thirsk
	Warwick
	Windsor
	Yarmouth

NATIONAL HUNT RACECOURSE GRADING

A	B	C	D
Aintree	Ayr	Carlisle	Bangor
Ascot	Chepstow	Exeter	Cartmel
Cheltenham	Doncastor	Hexham	Catterick
Haydock	Lingfield	Huntington	Fakenham
Newbury	Newcastle	Kelso	Folkestone
Sandown	Uttoxeter	Leicester	Fontwell
Wetherby		Market Rasen	Hereford
Kempton		Nottingham	Ludlow
		Perth	Musselburgh
		Stratford	Newton Abbott
		Towcester	Plumpton
		Warwick	Sedgefield
		Wincanton	Southwell
		Windsor	Taunton
		Worcester

For jumps I suggest within 10 lengths for down one class, within 13 lengths for down two classes. Maximum weight up to +10lb

Finding the Figures

Looking at the picture you can see today's race is at 8.35pm and is a class F. Looking at this form picture you can see that Chorus's last race was at Windsor which is a grade C course and was a class D race. If today's race was at a grade D course then the horse would pass the first requirements; down a total of 3 class's/grades. (Dropped from a Class D race last time to a Class F today & dropped from a Grade C racecourse to a Grade D). The next thing to check is the odds of its last race, which must be under 14/1 (12 runners or less) or 16/1 (over 12 runners). As you can see the odds were 10/1 so it passes this stage. (15 runners in its last race above) So the next things to check would be the Distance beaten by the winner. In this example you'll see that the horse that came 2nd was 1/2 a length behind the winner (the 1st figure after Dist:) the 3rd horse was a further 3/4 of a length behind, 4th horse another 1/2 a length, 5th horse a neck and our horse a head behind. Quickly total them up to give us a distance beaten figure of around 2 lengths so it passes this stage also. So as long as 90% of the horses in the race have all ran at least two or three times before then we would have a qualifying selection.