9/04/2015 Harness Racing Tips

While we've been focusing on the 2015 Autumn Racing Carnival and the punters making profit from their tips, some tipping stars have gone unnoticed in other racing codes. In particular, 31 year old Victorian Harness Racing enthusiast Cody Winnell, who has made a small fortune from his harness selections recently. Over the past 90 days the Communications and Media Manager from Harness Racing Victoria has found no less than 24 winners from his 83 harness tips for a massive 96% profit on turnover. Punters following him with $100 bets are smiling with an extra $7,968 in their pockets.

That effort isn't a flash-in-the-pan either. Over the past 6 months and 12 month periods Winnell still shows solid double figure profits proving his sound knowledge of the sport. A true lover of harness racing, Winnell has followed trotters since he was 12 when he listened to them on the radio. These days he finds himself watching them race live more often at the track through his media role with Harness Racing Victoria.

 

Value Punter

Listening to Winnell's approach to form analysis, he has all the traits of a disciplined value punter. Assessing form purely to find value rather than to just have a bet or tip in the race.

Nowadays I'm all about trying to find value. When a runner I like is over the odds, that's when I'll play.

Winnell sees it as making the most of winners when betting on the trots through all-up bets or playing exotics around a standout runner.

It's easier to pick a winner at the trots than it is at the gallops, but they are generally shorter priced winners for that reason.

When he punts on racing he is more inclined to bet each-way.

 

Black Book makes form analysis more effective

Winnell owes a lot to his detailed black book that he maintains and his sharp memory which he uses to recall race replays. He can do serious form analysis for an entire harness meeting in 3-4 hours because of these aids. All of this is possible because he regularly watches the trots and has a sound memory and black book system that works. Without them he would spend much more time in the study.

If I didn't keep a thorough Black-Book and be able to memorise replays, the time needed to properly assess a meeting would balloon.

Winell also uses speed maps when assessing the form, it's vital for serious harness form analysts he acknowledges. Again he relies on his memory of various trotters and their racing patterns to create the maps, assess the running and identify the value.

 

Punting Advice

Winnell left three pieces of advice for punters which translate nicely to all codes of racing.

1. Watch race replays - Winnell points to the great resources available at harness.org.au where punters have free access to race replays. Similarly, various other racing authorities have the same resources available on their websites. Winnell makes a very key point - words that describe a run are never perfect and it is often an imperfect substitute for watching past runs yourself. With access only a click away, there's no excuse to limit your form analysis to print.
2. Discipline - easily understood but often difficult to implement. Most of us enjoy a flutter even when we struggle to see a good thing in the field, but it's one thing we hear repeated from successful tipsters like Winnell. He also points to sticking to your judgment in a race, even when the media has overlooked it or put a knock on it. You have picked it for a reason so back your judgment and stay with it.
3. Have Fun - whether you're serious or a part-time social punter, Winnell underlines the fact that the trots and gallops are two of the best sports in the world, so enjoy yourself.

Follow Cody's tips by visiting his tipping page and click the mail icon to free subscribe to his tip alerts.

Mike Steward