1 STUDY: Even if you only have a bet at weekends, try to learn as much as possible about the horses you are backing, their jockeys and trainers. As well as familiarizing yourself with the characteristics of different racecourses, Newbury, for example, suits the bigger long striding horses, whereas Kelso suits the smaller nippier horses. Be aware of the effect of the draw, it can give some horses a significant advantage in certain races at certain courses, at Newcastle, for example, in races over 5f,6f and 7f, high numbers are favoured UNLESS the going is soft, when low numbers are then favoured. And heavy going in a race can sometimes result in a surprise winner - even a rank outsider passing the winning post first, in which case you might be wise not have a bet. I recommend you buy a copy of The Racing Post for an in-depth coverage of UK horse racing, or failing that, The Daily Mail is also highly rated.



2 RUNNERS MINIMUM: I avoid betting on races - both Flat and National Hunt - with 7 or less runners as they tend to be won by a very short priced favourite and will give a poor return for your money unless it is part of a multiple bet. However, if the favourite is a decent price, say 3/1, for example, then needless to say, it is worth having a bet.

3 RUNNERS MAXIMUM: I try to limit my race horse betting - both Flat and National Hunt - to races with 13 runners maximum. If you are are tempted to back a horse in a race with a large field of runners I suggest you limit yourself to a race with 17 runners maximum, and opt for a decent priced Each Way bet instead of a straight win to improve your chances of winning.

4 COURSES I AVOID: I never back horses at the following UK racecourses: Brighton, Folkestone, Goodwood and Wolverhampton, they are my bogey courses, never giving me any winners. Fortunately, with 55 other racecourses in the UK to choose from I can easily live with the disappointment at not being able to find winners at these four racecourses. So if you have had a succession of losers at a particular course, perhaps you should try backing horses at other courses, you may find that your luck changes.

5 BETTING SHOPS: For those of you who prefer to visit the betting shop to place your horse racing bets. I recommend you avoid the shops run by the large UK betting chains such as Ladbrokes and William Hills, they do not always offer the best prices. Personally, I have found that the small independent bookmaker offers better prices on horse racing as well as a range of other sports.

6 BETTING ONLINE: If you bet online or thinking of doing so, always make sure you are visiting a genuine site and not a phishing (fake) site. Always look for "https" in the address bar on the log in page of the site (the "s" denotes a secure site) or a padlock icon on the bottom bar of the screen. And never respond to a seemingly genuine email claiming to be from a site you had previously visited to carry out a financial transaction or recently registered with - requesting you to log in because there is a problem with your account - they are fake. Genuine sites do not send out such emails. If there really is a problem with your account you will find out when you log in to the site, and not by email.

7 CAUTIOUS BETTING: Last, but by no means least, never bet more than you can afford to lose. You are not going to win all the time, so don't waste your money chasing a losing streak. I remember watching the 2005 Cheltenham Festival on television and one of the presenters was talking to a racegoer who had 17 losing bets in a row! Remember, just as you will experience losing streaks, you will also, hopefully, enjoy winning periods which will help to make your horse race betting more enjoyable, and hopefully profitable.