Howdy Brad,
Your basically new here, so deserve more attention than anyone else,

From 35 yrs.[+] of hard work. I can only say pick your races VERY carefully [4yrs,old and up shows heaps of exposed form], The goal is to win money, not to select the winner of every race on the card.
Never bet on anything except 'good" and invest in a great form guide [I use Expert Form] with ratings, but never invest in 'top' ratings alone [useless]. I spend $60 per month for that and it's worth every penny [peanuts] because I have healthy bets. Don't be timid with your bets. Believe in yourself and not the opinion of others [I never listen to the radio about selections or ever take into account tips or discussions in form guides or opinion especially on this forum]. I just 'do the form' and make my selections and decide how I'll bet them. The greater the odds for your selection[s] the greater you bet [I often double my bet when the price drifts out]. Overlays, overlays and overlays is the name of the game.

Many punters here laugh at me when I basically rule out most races as betting propositions, I don't give a fig. I back nothing with more than 14 runners [usually] and am looking for overlays and Horses the 'public' have missed [misplaced].

I do a complete horse history of all runners [There-in lies the gold] for every chosen race, looking for a swag of pointers. Hell, there is a lot more to this. I'd need a big page to explain it all and I certainly cant here. I just do my thing and it has been paying handsomely for many years. I have nothing to prove to anybody. We live in the best street in Paynesville with possibly the best view of the lake at our doorstep and through our lounge room window. We have a 4b a 2 motorbikes and no mortgage. My wife has her own business as a gardener [mows laws and gardens]and I do stuff all except punt [go figure]. That is the first time I have ever admitted that I do very well at this game. Handicapping is the only way to do it for this boy anyway [I do like playing with systems for fun though]. Stick everything else up .,....

Keep your bet selection total down [few races and bets up], choose the best races to bet on and forget the rest. No more than my post race selection today was worthwhile, Ignore the 'bottom feeder' 5/1 the field races. Except for fun [which I indulge in too for very small bets during the week]. Saturdays I'm a very serious punter and so are my dollars. I no longer work for a living [I'm not a 'pro' punter, hate the title ....what a ********]. I'm on this forum at all hours of the day because I can afford to be [for the last few years]. I'm just lucky my hard yards yield for now, I'm not a 'professional' just a hard working punter. I make sure most of my opinions are amateur but [hopefully] never condescending.

There is no mystery to winning in this game. Hard work and careful race selection and a top form guide will beat it. Keep your bets [mostly] for the win at flat stakes. Go for the exacta when confident. Tri's very, very rarely and quins. never. It's a lolly if you do it right. Now, about my new boat....

Cheers. If I can help anyone with punting problems or method,,I am available privately. Give me your em and you problem. It's useually technique. I'm not sure if I have done the right thing here with my tips. I may not do so in the future. Next week OK. but possibly my last exposure. I like my space and can't believe I wrote this. I think it's because i see so many punters here with problems so easily avoided. I'm a tough ************ with a soft heart[?]
Ho Ho !!