BETTING MASTERCLASS QUIZ
OKAY, SO IT HAS BEEN A WEEK. HOW DID YOU DO? MORE TO THE POINT, HOW DID I DO? NOW IS THE TIME TO FIND OUT… HERE WITH THE ANSWERS, SOME OF WHICH MAY BE CONTENTIOUS; IF YOU DISAGREE, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET IN TOUCH…CATEGORY 1:
What is the trip of the Dante?
A: One Mile. B: One mile-and-a-half. C: One mile two-and-a-half furlongs.
C: The Dante is run over one mile-two-and-a-half furlongs.
Which sounds more probable:
A: A horse can cover five furlongs in A: Sixty seconds. B: One minute and twenty seconds. C: Fifty seconds.
A: Unless a horse is contesting a seller at Catterick that is run in a bog, in which case a time of one minute and twenty seconds is plausible; or the five furlong start was incorrectly positioned a furlong short, then running half-a-mile in fifty seconds would be about right. A horse should clock around a minute to cover five furlongs. It would be slightly less at Epsom in a tailwind.
A horse that leads with his off-fore is more likely to be effective on:
A: A left-handed track. B: A right-handed track. C: In a swimming pool.
B: A horse that leads with his off-fore is effectively favouring his right leg, so a right-handed course would be to his advantage, particularly if negotiating a tight track like Kempton.
Which race places the greatest emphasis on stamina?
A: A three-mile chase. B: A three-mile hurdle. C: The Queen Alexandria Stakes.
C: The Queen Alexandria Stakes is my answer. Stripping away the possibility of falsely run races, and for the purposes of this exercise, assume the three events in question are run at an even pace. In which case, for any horse to last 2m 6f on the Flat, in an event run at a far faster gallop than the other two mentioned, stamina reserves are tested to the limit. Surprisingly, a hurdle race places more emphasis on stamina than a chase, which allows its participants to lob round at a snail’s pace whilst superior jumping wins the day. A novice hurdle is often a mere five-furlong sprint, but a handicap hurdle, or the sort staged at Cheltenham, requires its participants to race at a keen clip throughout.
Three pounds in weight is the equivalent over five furlongs to:
A: One length. B: Three lengths. C: One third of a length.
A: Three pounds is equivalent to one length over five furlongs. After that we hit something of a grey area. It is widely acknowledged that over six furlongs 2lbs equals a length. In my opinion, after that it is a pound a length irrespective of distance, but that is not written in stone.
How far is the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
A: Three miles. B: Three-and-a-half miles. C: Three miles two-and-half-furlongs.
C: The Cheltenham Gold Cup is run over three miles-two-and-a-half-furlongs. If you got this question and the Dante one wrong, perhaps you should stop now!
How many fences do they jump in the Grand National?
A: Thirty. B: Forty. C: Twenty-seven.
B: They jump forty fences in the Grand National; although it could be argued the smart ones find a way to either run out, pull up or unseat well before the final scheduled fence.
What is the ideal trip on the Flat for a horse being groomed for a run in a novice hurdle?
A: One Mile. B: Two miles. C: One mile-and-a-half.
A: One mile to a mile-and-a-quarter, even seven furlongs, is considered the ideal distance for a horse racing in a novice hurdle. As previously stated, if said horse can flip over eight flights, most novice events are merely a five-furlong sprint after what has been little more than a hack round. Dour stayers often lack the turn of foot from the last hurdle to finish to effect. For that reason, winners of bumpers are invariably found wanting when running over the minimum distance over timber.
In a slowly run race, what is the ideal position for a runner to adopt?
A: Near the front. B: Out the back. C: In the horsebox on the way home.
A: Near the front, this is common sense when you consider it. If the pace is slow, when it does quicken it is much harder for those that have given the leaders a soft lead to peg them back. Similarly, when the pace is keen, it often pays to let the leaders tear off and wait out the back. It is a pity such elementary facts are lost on some of our jockeys at times!
Which animal can run the fastest?
A: Racehorse. B: Cheetah. C: The animal the cheetah is chasing.
B: The cheetah is the fastest animal in the world, recording speeds in excess of sixty miles an hour. However, this can only be sustained for a relatively short burst. A cheetah has been clocked travelling at 64 miles per hour over a furlong. It is not known how he would fare up the Newmarket hill in the last furlong of the July Cup. But over a furlong, not only could a cheetah overtake a racehorse but also eat it for breakfast, along with anything else it is able to get a clean run at.
CATEGORY 2:
In France how are horses drawn?
A: From left to right. B: From right to left. C: The stewards decide on the morning of the race dependent on how many British horses are taking part.
B: In France horse are loaded in the stalls from right to left, so at right-handed Longchamp, 1 is on the rail and 15 on the outside, at least on the round course. However, being France, an exception is made in the Abbaye where, being on a straight course, they load from left to right. Confusing? Of course, the French would not have it any other way!
In Ireland which is the most testing ground?
A: Heavy. B: Yielding. C: Soft.
A: Heavy to be sure!
Where is soft ground most likely to be encountered?
A: Punchestown. B: Chepstow. C: Henley.
C: Henley, where for the Regatta the going is always soft. Bit of a trick question this.
A horse with a high knee action is most likely to prefer?
A: Soft ground. B: Fast ground. C: An arena in a circus.
A: A horse with a high knee action is invariably going to be suited by soft ground. Although, if those legs are lifted too high it could find itself spending so much time in the air that it might end up in a circus.
The Polytrack surface most resembles
A: Soft turf ground. B: Dirt. C: Good to fast turf ground.
C: Polytrack is just about the perfect surface for a racehorse yet we still hear commentators posing the question: will so-and-so act on this surface? Any horse that is unable to function on Polytrack is simply not a racehorse.
The weight-for age-scale allows three-year-olds in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
A: 10lbs. B: One stone. C: 12lbs.
C: Three-year-olds receive 12lbs from their seniors in the King George. It used to be a stone but it was felt that this gave an unfair advantage to the younger generation. So the scale, that had withstood a century or two, was changed in favour of the older horses to the tune of 2lbs.
In an all-age Group 1 race, what horse carries top weight?
A: One of four-years or more. B: None as they all carry the same. C: There is no such thing as a horse carrying top weight in a Group 1.
C: This is a moot point, but although there is a variance in weights according to age and sex, there is technically no such thing as a horse carrying top weight in a Group 1. The weight-for-age scale is designed to ensure that all horses have the same chance in a Group 1 and as no penalties apply, all horses effectively carry the same weight.
Which of the all-weather tracks has built their artificial track on the outside of the turf course?
A: Lingfield. B: Southwell. C: Kempton.
B: Southwell is the only artificial track laid outside the turf equivalent. The reason being that as they used a relatively cheap material – sand – they could afford it.
At Ascot on the straight course, where is it best to be drawn?
A: Stands’ side. B: Far Side. C: No one knows.
C: No one does know where you want to be drawn on the straight course at Ascot until it is too late and the results are in. The re-laid turf was placed on top of sand, meaning it drains quickly as sand is porous. So watering is never even and although rainfall is, the rate at which the water seeps away varies. The Ascot authorities deny this but results speak for themselves. It has become a tricky track to bet on, which is nothing short of a scandal.
At the Cheltenham Festival what attribute is most needed to give a horse a chance of winning?
A: The ability to jump and race at speed from flag fall. B: To cope with a big occasion without sweating up. C: Being ridden by Tony McCoy or Ruby Walsh.
A: Cheltenham is something of a law unto itself, particularly at the Festival. Races are run at breakneck speed so it is essential for a horse to find a rhythm from the outset and sustain it. So often, chasers and hurdlers that have been impressive on park courses are all at sea when faced with the frenetic pace of a race at the Festival and can be nominated as losers some way out. It is a factor often overlooked.
What is most likely to prevent a horse from winning?
A: Being drawn twelve of twelve at Chester. B: Being drawn one of twelve at Beverley in a race over five furlongs. C: Being Lesley Graham’s charity bet on the Morning Line.
C: Lesley Graham has succeeded the infamous Lord Oaksey as one of the worst tipsters in the world. On the assumption that a bad draw at both Beverley and Chester will result in any sensible punter overlooking a possible selection, and ultimately in a vet’s certificate resulting in a horse’s withdrawal, the logical answer has to be Lesley as she could stop a train.
CATEGORY 3:
What is the most important component in finding a winning opportunity for a horse?
A: Racing on the right ground. B: Making sure it is running over the best trip. C: Employing the services of a top jockey.
B: A horse will always give his best performance when racing over the right trip. Good horses, or even indifferent ones, can perform on unsuitable ground, and of course the services of a good jockey is a bonus. But run a horse over the wrong trip and it is extremely unlikely to perform to its best.
What day of the week is the hardest to find winners?
A: Saturday. B: Sunday. C: Monday.
A: Littered with televised handicaps, Saturday is by far the hardest day of the week to find winners. In a business dominated by bookmakers it also happens to be the biggest betting day of the week, but that is surely no more than coincidence!
If you place a £100 each-way on a horse that is placed at 10/1 at one-fifth the odds, what overall price are you paid out at?
A: 2/1. B: Evens. C: 1/2.
C: If the horse is only placed then you have forfeited your winning stake. Therefore, your outlay is two hundred pounds and your return £300, making your net return equivalent to 1/2.
As a fraction, what price does 85/40 also represent?
A: 9/4. B: 18/8. C: 17/8.
C: 85/40 is only the next extension to 15/8. For some reason some drunken bookmaker decided to call this top-heavy fraction 85/40 and it stuck. Rarely used these days, but 17/8 is a much friendlier and easily understood fraction to deal with.
Which is the biggest price?
A: 5/6. B:10/11. C: 4/5.
B: To a £1 stake 5/6 returns £1.83, 10/11 - £ 1.91 and 4/5 £1.80. Of course if you reverse the prices so that they are odds against then you also reverse the answer.
In America winning dividends are paid to a stake of
A: One dollar. B: Five dollars. C: Two dollars.
C: In America, the Tote returns its dividend to a $2 stake.
If you are in the box seat you are:
A: In second place. B: In the lead. C: Sitting on Jim McGrath’s knee?
A: The box seat was something unheard of until Aussie Jim McGrath introduced us to it on his arrival as commentator at our racecourses. I assume is refers to the seat in one of those old-fashioned Leyland buses where it is possible to sit on the humpy part of the gearbox just behind the driver.
If you back a horse that dead-heats you receive
A: Half the odds. B: Your money is returned. C: Odds to half your stake?
C: A dead-heat means you receive odds to half your stake, not half the odds. There is a difference! Half of 4/1 is 2/1. Half your stake on a horse that dead-heats means you are being paid out at 6/4.
When was the last time you backed a winner?
A: Yesterday. B: Can’t remember. C: So that’s what it is all about!
As for the last question, I fear my answer is B, but I trust yours is more encouraging.
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