Another thing that used to catch my eye was the use of the whip.
I would have a couple of hundred dollars riding on the top favourite, to win a measily 10% for a place.
He would come cruising in, in 4th place, no whip at all whist the rest are whipping the living daylights out of theirs.
I know the jockeys know when their horse has gone as far as possible, but when you see the next race and everyone of them are thrashing them right over the line it also gets you thinking.
I don't mind the horses at the back not get the whip but when there is still every chance, it is a bit of a bummer when it is your money on them.