Below is the 'quality' of Sat. Metro racing this time of year we have to contend with. This Sydney meeting tomorrow is indicative of what is on offer at other meeting tomorrow as well. We all know why this crappy demise of racing quality is happening [outside of the carnivals] -Too many races 24/7. I can remember Wed. meetings with a better standard of races not too many years ago.

Race 1 : 2 2YO-HC C 1100
Race 2 : 3UFM3UP-HC C 1250
Race 3 : 3U CL3 C 1550
Race 4 : 3 CGCL3 C 1250
Race 5 : 3U FRANK 4N 1900
Race 6 : 3U CL3 C 1900
Race 7 : 3 F CL3 C 1250
Race 8 : 3U 3UP-HCP

For serious Handicapping purposes there is not one race above I would feel confident to handicap. Just too many unknowns. 3yr. olds are basically still 2yr. olds with few runs under their belt. Race 5 and 6, how many have ever been the distance? Race 2 and 7 ? Ditto.

Basically it becomes a bit of a guessing game this time of year.

My proposal is that at certain times of the year, there is a good argument to put faith in systems, not handicapping. The few I use seem to do well at these times, yet fall to 'unsatisfactory' levels during the better handicapping times of the year, when known form is a useful guideline. Which is not now.

Sandown with just over 50 runners for the whole eight races is no better either Crash.

I agree with you about systems, there is nothing wrong with them, even if they are only used a pointer to reduce the amount of form work required. I've been having a bit of good fortune over the last little while with one being used for place betting with 8 from the last 9 saluting.

Far better than attempting to work out the form lines of horses that are coming from far and wide in many of the restricted races of late.

Hi La mer,

Sandown is a shocker tomorrow.

This time of year, regardless of my best efforts, I tend to specialize in 2nd. place getters [mostly]. If I were to put all my weekly win bets on the forum [I do post a few tips here and there but not many], anyone could run a very profitable place system on my handicapping efforts :-)

Why don't I do it? Well I just 'gag' on place betting I guess. It's unfounded and crazy I know. Probably more to do with ego than anything else [I'd rather lose].

sorry state of affairs all round with still no coverage of syd/vic racing up my way except in tabs & pubs (both places i try not to frequent that much ), ive had to bite the bullet & start betting on melb & vic racing again as i find them to be best suited to my strategies, however todays card at sandown has got to be the most pathetic metro meeting in melb that i can recall.

i gave up following sydney racing except for the features sometime ago because of the hopeless fields, but please - not melb too!!

First 4 races at Sandown with 6 runners, 2 with 8 or less and 1 race with 10
runners. Shocking class races too for a Sat.

I had 4 place getters from 6 [win] bets in Melb. A handicapping nightmare with inconsistent form to handicap from and inconsistent results the order of the day. These garbage races [inc. Gold Coast yesterday as the worst] on Sat. are becoming little more than Bookies picnics.

I am giving serious thought to picking for the win and betting for the place next week [if I can find races with more than 7 runners] or sticking to a couple of my systems for awhile. Probably more chance of winning.