Chuck I couldn't agree more! At least with paper formguides you can refer back to them and they give superior data than the 'net IMO. I don't know of any internet site that gives a comments line? If you forget to set the video, as I'm prone to sometimes then reading a brief and mostly accurate account of how the horse ran the last few races is often invaluable. It also helps filter out the 'losers' faster and allows easier comparisons, IMO. I don't know what your formguides are like in Oz, apart from the Sportsman (which I don't rate overly highly. Sorry) but we have primo ones that show the last 4-6 starts, dist, track, etc.

Paper formguides are king

always looking for nags with exposed form nearing their prefered distance with a few miles in the legs.

i find recent good form is not always essential cause its all so easy for a nag to go over the top, so i would rather catch em getting ready to peak, not at it.

Good early speed /on pace horses .
Beaten lengths last start.
Cheers.
darky.

Days since last start coupled with class and fitness is a pretty good guide if you're selective.

Nashy
Make sure you give special consideration to 10yo's racing on a hvy.track and going for their 2nd win in their past 37 starts.
Especially if it is a leg of the quaddie.
It also helps if the horse has finished further back than 10th. at it's past 3 runs.
FORM! Forget about it.

Tell me about it Imagela. Was tipped out of an $Mil dividend by a $159 winner at Flemington some years back. It's form read 0001000 - only win was to tip me out!! Murphy's Law.

But, ultimately, even given this setback, form's the only thing we can go on. Bit like women, can't live with 'em can't live without 'em.

By the way Imagela, what was the name of this beauty?

My bets are now purely on the form guide + T.V

When i have a race where i have seen no-one race on TV. I look at the distance of their last start. This distance.
* How they ran in the last three starts, eg: how they started Early 8 600:4 400: 1 and make my assumption on how they run
* Weather conditions
* Have they raced at the track
* Their competition, whether any of the races that won in their last start have gone onto win again.
* lengths of the leader
* Class factor
* Where the race is started, as in if there is a turn just after the start then barriers and racing pattern play a part.

And I make my notes on each horse, then select a top 5 regardless of odds and box them in a quinella. But usually the races were on spring carnival and had 16 horses in them

Bwheatle
The horse's name was Another Neptune,114 starts,10 wins, 22 places.
Cranbourne, Nov. 7th. $26000-00 open hcp., 1400m.
In fairness though,If Snappa Cane was not to win this race, then it was open for anything.
Trouble is, when it comes to form study, my brain is like a computer firewall.
It has been programmed not to let 10yo's in.
(isn't it about the equivalent of 50 yrs. in human terms.)
Vetinary science seems to be working wonders these days keeping these geriatrics on the tracks.

Nah mate, 70 years, like us ole fellas jumping inta bed with an 18 year old, get the distance OK but it would take us a while ta get there, wot a beautiful way ta die.

Well Imagela, if it's any consolation, I'd never have found this winner. Not that I mind backing older horses per se. It would have been the 114 starts that would have had it running without my funds. Maybe not such a relevant factor on a heavy track?

As they say in the classics.....sh*t happens!