Looking at the formguide window :
The online checkbox
will connect the formguide program to the Internet. Doing this will allow TAB prices to be viewed
and compared with market prices generated from the program. Additionally adjustments
are made for scratchings. Time of race (8.45, night meeting in this example) Distance (2500m) Race Name (Plumbers Supplies Co-Op Handicap) including Prize Money (Of $23,000)
More Information opens another window. More...
Time (1:56:42PM) updates every minute.
The meeting Race Number and Track condition have already been discussed
Starters: Number of starters after scratchings Date of Meeting
These checkboxes allow for various ratings changes.
Margin Adjustment: adjusts for using the average margin instead of the normal finish margins
Use HR: uses the Highest Rating run by the horse during the period
Use Plus: adds bonuses allocated from video analysis or stewards reports.
Commented Runners: This indicates the horses that have additional added comments. Selecting a runner will then produce its form.
Runners at the Track: Indicates horses that have already run at the same racetrack as the current meeting and gives summary information about their performances. Selecting one of these runners will show the form of those on-track runs.
This button shows the number of blackbook horses in the system. Clicking this
button will display the blackbook horse names and other information.
Rail: The false rail position is shown for each meeting. Refer to this before making any further analysis
BR: This is a base rating for the race. Runners with higher ratings than this number should perform well.
This completes the top part of the Analyser window
Covering each column in order:
| No. Odds: | No= TAB Number Odds are the odds as calculated using the ratings and other adjustments |
| Name: | Simply the horse name (includes the barrier draw, after scratchings and the WOM change) |
| Form: | Form figures from the horse's last few runs. This number can be increased/decreased |
| CR: | Current Rating as used in calculations |
| HR: | Highest Rating as run by the horse during the form period |
| CF: | Current Form, usually a bonus for recent form performances |
| BarP: | Barrier Draw Penalty - usually based on the barrier, horses drawn outside the middle of the field get a progressively larger penalty |
| Wt: | Weight as carried, adjusted for apprentice claims |
| DistP: | Distance Penalty depending on the distance of today's race and previous performances |
| TOff: | Time off penalty based on time since the last start |
| CondP: | Track Condition Penalty, depending on the track condition and the horse's best performances |
| JockP: | Jockey Penalty or bonus depending on the jockey |
| Imp: | Improvement adding a value to increase the rating based on likely improvement. |
| CRFin: | Current Rating Final. This figured is used to calculate the market. The highest rating is of course the shortest priced runner. |
Any of these figures can be adjusted to produce a fully flexible market or finish order.
Looking at an example:
Masai: number 1 odds calculated to be an $18 chance from barrier 2 after scratchings up 5kg WOM from his last run. Finished 10th or worse at his last run, 4th at the prior run. s stands for a spell of 90 days or longer (these times can be adjusted. L is a let up usually 60 days but adjustable). CR of 38.4 with a highest rating of 39.1 no current form bonus, no barrier penalty, weight to carry 58 kg, half a kilo time off penalty and a 1 kg distance penalty produces a final rating of 32.4
Next: Viewing Form...