You don’t need to be a horse racing expert to benefit from the various tools that THM has to offer. In fact, you don’t need much prior knowledge at all. Our step-by-step Beginners Blueprint shows you just how easy it can be. It’s a simple yet effective betting strategy that can be used by anyone.
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1. First stop – THM Score
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Our THM Score provides a modelled rating for each horse in its previous races. Looking at the score each horse achieved in its most recent race (Prev Race column) allows you to quickly identify the better, or more in-form, horses. All scores fall within a range of 0–1000.
You need to check two things:
• The conditions under which the scores were achieved (Course, Ground, Race Type, Distance in the Race Info column). The closer these conditions are to those of the race you are analysing, the more powerful the score becomes.
• The weight carried by the horses. In handicap races, horses with the highest THM Scores last time out often carry the most weight. You can see the weight being carried (in stones) under the horse’s name on our racecards. Ideally, you want a horse with a high score and a relatively low weight compared to the other runners.
Often this perfect combination won’t exist—and that’s fine. You need to be selective and avoid betting on every race. It’s also worth checking the Prev Race 2, 3, and 4 columns, as standout scores may have been achieved in earlier races where the conditions more closely match the race you are analysing.
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2. Second stop – Average Speed Analysis
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The "+\- to STD AVG" column on our Avg. Speed tab shows how much faster or slower each horse’s average speed was in its previous four races, compared to the THM Standard Average. Although not a deal-breaker, this can add extra credibility to a horse’s chances. Don’t be put off by a low speed figure last time out, as it may simply have been a slowly run race.
We have found our Average Speed figures are more reliable when races have been run on firmer ground and over shorter distances. Be cautious with speed figures from Ireland or France—the Standard Averages there tend to be quite slow, which can make horses look better than they really are.
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3. Third stop – Further Validation
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If you want to further validate your bets, you can use our Ground, Distance, Course, Jockey, and Trainer tabs. The more supporting data you can find, the better—but it’s certainly not essential.
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Best of luck!