Imagine Racing – Making sure you’re up to speed at the races.

The L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, at Kenilworth on Saturday the 11th of January 2014, launches (quite aptly in the year of the horse) the calendar of glamourous and fashionable events on the international horse racing calendar. It is a perfect platform to showcase the best of horse racing from champion horses to elegance and tradition.

Since taking over the sponsorship of the Queen’s Plate in 2005, L’Ormarins has grown the brand to a race day that epitomises the elegance and stylish fashion of a traditional race meeting while imbuing the race day with fun and excitement of the modern generation.

While socialising and dressing up are a big part of it, horse racing is so much more than just another social event to tick off one’s must-attend calendars.

The pure heart, athleticism and majesty of the Thoroughbred race horse stirs a primal passion in all of us and standing at the finish line feeling the thunder of hooves across the turf, one would have to be numb not to experience the pulse-quickening rush.

Of course, the saying that great horses can turn big men into little boys was aimed at owners of race horses and if you have never experienced your own winner, you really should consider it.

If you are simply attending a race meeting as a guest and spectator one can still be part of the racing excitement by “having a flutter” or placing a bet on your favourite in each race. While some people make an art of studying form, for the less regular race goers, it may seem rather complex.

Imagine Racing suggests the following tips to get you up to speed:

A race card is a good starting point as it lists each of the races and all the runners, with details and results from previous races so that one can make an informed comparison. For a final decider, it is always good to view the runners in the parade ring and watch them canter down to the start. Note the horses that catch your eye as they parade and in the canter past, one should be looking for fluid, easy movement. Once you have narrowed your short-list, you are ready to place your bets.

From the simplest bet to the more exotic combinations:

Win

Place your bet by giving the number of the horse that you predict will be first past the post.

Place

Choose a horse that you think will finish in the first two if there are six or seven runners, in the first three if there are between eight to fifteen runners, or in the first four if there are sixteen or more runners in a race.

Swinger

Select 2 horses to come in any 2 of the first 3 positions in a race. 1st & 2nd, 1st & 3rd and 2nd & 3rd.

Exacta

Select two horses to finish 1st and 2nd in the exact order.

Trifecta

Select the first three horses past the post in the exact order. (You can elect to “box” the trifecta at reduced odds which means that as long as your selections run in the first three past the post, they do not have to be in the exact order.)

Quartet

Predict the first four horses past the post in the exact order. (You can also elect to “box” the quartet.)

Double

Predict the winners of any two consecutive races.

Pick 3

Predict the winners of any three consecutive races.

Jackpot

Select the winners of 4 consecutive races designated as the ‘Jackpot’ races. See racecard for the Jackpot races.

Pick 6

Select the winners of 6 consecutive races designated as the ‘Pick 6’ races. See racecard for the Pick 6 races.

Place Accumulator

Predict horses that place in the top 3 of 7 consecutive races designated as’ Place Accumulator’ races. See racecard for Place Accumulator races.

In all the cases of the last four bet types, you can choose more than one horse in each race for your selection. This will simply affect the total cost of your bet but will give you more chances in each race to select the winner.

With this being just the start of the Cape Summer season, followed on the 1st of February by the J&B Met, there is plenty of opportunity to look closely at the horses and refine your selection skills!

Imagine the Racing Lifestyle.

Author: Catherine Hartley from Imagine Racing.
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More Info link: https://lqp.co.za
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The finish of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate 2012. Photo by: L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate

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