Hi Butternut,
I am not one of the “Regular” contributors, being only relatively new to this forum, however I am one that has been involved in the punting game for quite a few years – at first as an observer, and now as an active and successful participant. One problem I have always had is with the term “System” – as I feel to be successful in almost everything you have to have a “system” or a more correct term may be a “methodology” of doing things – but in the horse racing circles it appears to have a different connotation.

So in reference to punting or horse selection. After years of observation and participation with the “real folding stuff”, I believe that as a start, systems must be “race course” based rather than generically based (ie (very simplified!!) Back all horses who have won at their last 3 starts – irrespective of the course).

In every city – courses are like chalk and cheese. As a guide:
Brisbane: Eagle Farm – I consider to be a very fair course to all, however Doomben is a specialist track because of its tight turns, which makes widely drawn horses and off the pace runners hard to win – it favours inside barriers and front runners and on pace runners. Yet these courses are less than a “5” iron (in golf terms) apart! (and YES, I am also a golfer (in a loose sense of the term!!))
Melbourne: You have Mooney Valley which I consider to be a very specialist course with its tiny straight (I believe the shortest in Oz???) which gives a huge advantage to the pace and front runners when they enter the straight.

And so it goes on from course to course; from state to state.

So where am I coming from? Well I think if systems are race course based rather than generically based, you are going down the right track! (Pardon the pun!) – Since I have adopted this approach, my results (and profitability!) have become much more consistent.

So after all that I am not sure if this helps, hinders, confuses or is totally irrelevant!!

Sooo Cheers; Enjoy; and good luck with the punt!!