What gives you the most satisfaction?

[RussP]

1. Winning real money
OR
2. Solving the race puzzle?

I would have said winning money is the only thing that matters but I now get such satisfaction by sussing out the race....deciding how they will run, who will run to form, winner, etc.

Comments?

[billy the punter]

2

It's always been 2 for me. People (my dad basically) cannot understand it and they blame that mentality on why it took me so long to get the game right (after my teenage achievements we expected me to be a millionaire at this game by 21 - it wasn to be ).

Tonight is a prime example. I'm over the moon. I was doing a fortune yet got out of it with one of my bets of the day Brave Hawk. Now I haven't won much on the day at all - but managing a profit under the circumstances (results/ridies) today is something that's pleased me. More than it would another day when making the same profit - if that makes sense.

I don't even recall my biggest win, I think it was when Mr Monet won at Ascot a few years ago. Not 100%. It means little as it wasn't my biggest fancy, it was just a strong fancy of mine that day and I had a lot of money/was betting bigger at that stage. However I recall every pleasing result, the big priced winners, the T/C's etc.

Therefore, it's obviously the sense of achievement that is important to me. In the 'Who are we' thread, by best racing memories are nowhere near my biggest wins - they are the wins seen as most difficult.

Vanity, definitely my favourite sin.

[billy the punter]

I replied with the wrong number!

Edited now.

[mowgli77]

The latter for me, there are some races I won't bet in but will have a look at for future reference, I like to find the winner even if I haven't backed it. I like to find horses to follow, I know Bowles has followed suit, especially with last seasons jumps and it paid off for him with good profits. I also know Billythepunter has found a few to follow this season that are ahead of the handicapper or improvers with potential for better class wins etc.

2 I can think of off the top of my head are Silkwood and Boscobel, I know we discussed them after the race day at Wolverhapmpton, I made these 2 to follow along with Man Of Vision and they ended up Royal Ascot winners, who'd have thought that after ordinary Wolverhampton races???

I guess it depends if you like gambling only or have a love of horse racing too, everyone wants to win money but seeing horses like Yeats win the Gold Cup or Inglis Drever win the World Hurdle are what it's about for me, regardless of if you have £5 or £50 on it.

I'd compare the satisfaction to revising for an exam and passing it. You study the form, consider conditions, class etc etc and then when your horse comes home in 1st it feels like the study was worthwhile.

[Trotter]

For me it is definitely solving the puzzle.........

I'm almost ashamed to admit in present company, but I don't actually bet..........

Well.........almost never.........my last bet was at the Aintree Grand National meeting...........and the one before that was at Cheltenham........

[TheRat]

I think if you are serious about the game then it has to be number 2, but 2 and 1 come hand in hand almost
There have been times when I have been skint but still study the form to see if I can "solve the puzzle" and will keep myself on my toes.
Of course winnig money is great too for me! But I think the reason we all do this, and post on here is get the race right

[jtw1]

Got to be 2 for me .
If you get that then 1 will follow.

Nothing better than getting a bunch of stats + form figures together , studying them and then making a decision based on them and hopefully you get a return .
Of course , how you interpret the figures is entirely up to the individual and sometimes 2 people using the same ,or similar , figures come up with a differennt view on the outcome and it's always interesting to see who 's opinion is the nearest to the result.

[Cassius Marcellus]

Originally Posted by RussP

1. Winning real money
OR
2. Solving the race puzzle?

If you reverse this you get the true answer?

What winds you up more ?

Losing money or not reading the race right.

For me, it's losing money.

As a backer you hope to see the race unfold as you envisaged it, and your horse winning. As a layer, you hope to see your horse get in trouble by virtue of the draw, distance, going etc etc, but don't give a monkeys who wins it as long as it's not the one you layed.

Btw Billy, thanks for NOT posting Brave Hawk as BBOTD. It was one of the first horses I looked at yesterday morning as the name rang a bell. After studying it for about 5 minutes (in the game that is all about different opinions) I threw the bastard out of calculations for the competition. I never backed it either, not even for a place.

Glad you got out of trouble on the day with it though

[TheRat]

This might sound strange too but I am also pleased if I back a horse and I beat the price it goes off at, this does give me satisfaction when they run, however this can soon change if it doesn't run a race!!

[stewartd14]

Personally, it is a bit of both. I cant stand reading a race correctly and not making money on it, that may just be a personal thing, but I cant stand seeing a horse I fancied but didnt back bolt in.
There was a lot more I was going to say, but cant remember any of it, so will try to come back to this tomorrow.

[Gingertipster]

Think the satisfaction of getting a race right is better. By that I do not mean necessarily backing the winner. Working a race out, who is going to lead, race prominently, track the pace, race mid-div, held up and dropped out. Getting the early pace right (slow, medium or fast).
For example the 3:15 Salisbury. I would think is going to be truly run despite only 7 runners. With Warringah wanting a good pace at 1 1/2 miles to make a test his stamina (made all last time), Killcara Boy also front run last time, Any Given Day and Resplendant Light may well track the pace with It's A Date in mid division. Seattle Storm and Spell Caster held up to get the trip / stop them for pulling.

Working the prices out, horses I rate as poorly priced drift, while prices taken shorten dramatically, that gives me satisfaction, whether it wins or not. Though I am not as hell bent on getting the very best price available these days.


However, if there is a long losing run, that satisfaction dwindles and all I want is a good win.