Ratings are good if used as a pointer to horses you might otherwise overlook. For example look at the API of Torio's Quest (EF race 8) compared with the others in the field and you realize just how well it was placed. (I'm kicking myself because I did not back it.) Also look at the win% of Trusted Partner (EF race 2) and its first up and win distance record. (I did back this one though.)

You don't need to pay for ratings. Just consider top api, win% and place% and fresh horses and make your own decision from there. Note I have left out form. I have tried for years to combine these into an overall rating but to no avail. In fact I found that there is no correlation between any two of these factors. For example, in general high win% does not imply high place % or high API and combining these can have a negative effect on overall ratings by cancelling each other.

In the end the punter has to put in the effort. To this end I am now concentrating on one state only.