Do Your Homework

A free course in horse-race handicapping, by Mr. World Pool.

16 chapters, 80 quiz questions and real racecards. Learn to read the form, build your own probability line and know when to pass. A free course by Mr. World Pool.

Two ways in, each complete on its own: a short Intro for your first racecards, and the full course.

The Intro

  1. Your First Racecard — Where everything is, and what it tells you.
  2. The Rating — How good was that run?
  3. Today's Race — Distance, surface, going and draw.
  4. Is the Horse Ready? — Breaks, first runs back and excuses.
  5. From Opinion to Odds — Turn what you think into a price.
  6. One Race, Start to Finish — A short routine that ends in bet or pass.

The full course

  1. Welcome — What This Is — A course for people who want to understand the race.
  2. The Rating — A Common Measure — Start with ability; leave room for today's horse to be different.
  3. Handicapping — From a Figure to a Race Opinion — A repeatable process, with room for judgement.
  4. The Horse — Suitability and Readiness — A past figure belongs to a physical animal.
  5. Trainers — Preparation and Intent — Compare today's choices with the stable's usual work.
  6. Data Literacy — How Much Should You Believe? — Use statistics to improve a decision, not decorate one.
  7. Draw and Track — The Route Matters — Today's conditions include the ground the horse must cover.
  8. Pace — Reading the Race Shape — Think in possible races, not a single predicted replay.
  9. Jockeys — Skill, Fit and the Meaning of a Booking — A rider is both a participant and a possible source of information.
  10. Breeding — A Starting Expectation — Pedigree is most useful where direct evidence is thin.
  11. Machine Learning — Use the Baseline Properly — A consistent estimate is useful even when it needs questioning.
  12. Pricing — What Chance, at What Odds? — Finish the assessment before choosing the bet.
  13. Betting — From a View to a Ticket — Buy only the outcomes you have assessed, within a fixed risk budget.
  14. Psychology — Keep the Original Decision — The result is memorable; the reasoning needs a record.
  15. Discipline — Bankroll and Bet Tracking — Make the uncertainty visible before it becomes a financial problem.
  16. Put It Together — Your First Complete Race — Choose a race, preserve your view and learn from what follows.