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...they might have forgotten to enter Cirrus Des Aigles for the Champion Stakes.
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Ironically, Mordin's greatest flaw as an ante-post tipster is that he never checks to see whether a horse is actually entered, let alone an intended runner, in a race.
Always prepared to put his neck on the block with a selection and a comment, but with a rationale.
I see him as another valuable tool in the betting armoury to be used selectively.
Initially gave Silver Pond as an early Arc selection,subsequently trounced by Cirrus Ds Aigles at Deauville but still run 7 length eighth to Danedream traded at over 400/1 on here before the race, great inplay lay opportunity.
Dismiss NM at your peril.
I see him as another valuable tool in the betting armoury to be used selectively.
Initially gave Silver Pond as an early Arc selection,subsequently trounced by Cirrus Ds Aigles at Deauville but still run 7 length eighth to Danedream traded at over 400/1 on here before the race, great inplay lay opportunity.
Dismiss NM at your peril.
How many horses did old Nick put up in the Arc then? Off the top of my head Galikova, Hiruno, Nakayama Festa, Silver Pond, he gave Workforce a chance of it came up soft. Between his Weekender column and weekly reports he's bound to come across a few that outrun their odds. Good luck if you follow him but to my mind it would be an expensive pursuit to use him as a tipster.
it would be an expensive pursuit to use him as a tipster
Herein lies the problem.
The haters just pull up a load of his left field selections and put him down as a clown.
What he is almost peerless in is using his speed ratings and judgement to identify horses that have particular preferences or who may have been underrated by the wider punting public. As such, USING his opinion IN CONJUNCTION with your own opinion, a few facts and a bit of nous, can be a profitable exercise.
I'd happily state that what i've learnt over the years from Nick Mordin's writings has actually enabled me to 'Out-Mordin' Mordin is certain circumstances.
And there is no widely published horse racing writer that comes anywhere near him for original writing and thinking.
As such some say MAD, others say BAD, and I say there's always worth in intelligent analysis.
So there
Herein lies the problem.
The haters just pull up a load of his left field selections and put him down as a clown.
What he is almost peerless in is using his speed ratings and judgement to identify horses that have particular preferences or who may have been underrated by the wider punting public. As such, USING his opinion IN CONJUNCTION with your own opinion, a few facts and a bit of nous, can be a profitable exercise.
I'd happily state that what i've learnt over the years from Nick Mordin's writings has actually enabled me to 'Out-Mordin' Mordin is certain circumstances.
And there is no widely published horse racing writer that comes anywhere near him for original writing and thinking.
As such some say MAD, others say BAD, and I say there's always worth in intelligent analysis.
So there
Out Mordin Mordin. We have our chief Mordinite 
As you say he's an intelligent man and always an intresting read. I know a lot of people are very grateful to him for putting a portion of his work in the public sphere (I'm certainly one of them, so I've no axe to grind). Fine if your using it selectively but there are some people who treat him as a great racing prophet to be blindly followed ... well. Maybe it's some of the advert inspired titles he gives to pieces that undoubtedly gull people, maybe it's just in my head his strange resistance to the greats of both codes in recent years, Denman and Kauto, Sea the Stars and Frankel, though he has come round the latter recently. Perhaps its a case of being too original. I've an open mind but his recent Weekender column about backing horses that finished distressed because their hard triers was one of the more difficult to swallow. At least he sparks debate and that's his greatest contribution.
As you say he's an intelligent man and always an intresting read. I know a lot of people are very grateful to him for putting a portion of his work in the public sphere (I'm certainly one of them, so I've no axe to grind). Fine if your using it selectively but there are some people who treat him as a great racing prophet to be blindly followed ... well. Maybe it's some of the advert inspired titles he gives to pieces that undoubtedly gull people, maybe it's just in my head his strange resistance to the greats of both codes in recent years, Denman and Kauto, Sea the Stars and Frankel, though he has come round the latter recently. Perhaps its a case of being too original. I've an open mind but his recent Weekender column about backing horses that finished distressed because their hard triers was one of the more difficult to swallow. At least he sparks debate and that's his greatest contribution.
I agree with the latter. He is often a very interesting read.
Sometimes his systems make so much sense he is almost compulsory reading. You learn a lot from him.
personally I cannot take to his dogmatic style, when he tends to disappear up his own sense of self importance. This is especially when he says things like "Bekhabad is the fastest horse on the planet according to my personal speed ratings" and stuff like that.
Still he has a bit of influence on the markets and when he goes right off on one you can lay his selections, rebacking when people suddenly realise he has been spouting complete bilge.
So Nick is ( a bit like Thatcher was) a mixed bag.
As Jair and bisbee say though, he is always interesting to read; I never miss his Weekender column, so that says a lot.
Sometimes his systems make so much sense he is almost compulsory reading. You learn a lot from him.
personally I cannot take to his dogmatic style, when he tends to disappear up his own sense of self importance. This is especially when he says things like "Bekhabad is the fastest horse on the planet according to my personal speed ratings" and stuff like that.
Still he has a bit of influence on the markets and when he goes right off on one you can lay his selections, rebacking when people suddenly realise he has been spouting complete bilge.
So Nick is ( a bit like Thatcher was) a mixed bag.
As Jair and bisbee say though, he is always interesting to read; I never miss his Weekender column, so that says a lot.
Always trying to create a system with Raceform can have its negative aspects for sure. But he does come up with some sound insights. This year he made the point that previous winners of Group 1s who had won by lengths have excellent record in the Arc. Danedream not supplemented yet and didnt mention her, but impicitly he had flagged her up.
Have to say that he is miles ahead of someone like Willoughby imo. Remember when they first made him 'chief correspondent' of Racing Post and tauted him as 'revolutionizing' the way we look at the game? Turned out he was a one trick pony: sectionals. Just about everything he has to say is Andy Beyers warmed over.
Have to say that he is miles ahead of someone like Willoughby imo. Remember when they first made him 'chief correspondent' of Racing Post and tauted him as 'revolutionizing' the way we look at the game? Turned out he was a one trick pony: sectionals. Just about everything he has to say is Andy Beyers warmed over.
there is no point relying too greatly upon one source when backing but that said there are plenty of poorer pundits writing much higher profile columns in the racing press than nick mordin
as for the 'im a fantastic judge of equine ability so just stay close to me sunshine' approach to tipping, well that just seems to be the dominant trope
and maybe we readers dont want nuanced, maybe we need to know one way or another whether or not we have found an authority, a guru. because maybe everything else just stinks of prevarication and the hedging of bets. afterall, a tip is a tip and there is a judge on the finishing line.
i often think that is one of the attractions of sport - results
so on that basis there is no real point to criticising a writer if you have no sense of how their selections fair
i think i have an idea as i actually back his 'garbage' and frequently try to adopt his tactics when rummaging around for my picks
what worked for me this year was -
the weekender section he wrote back in may about the optimum amount of time colts take off before returning from winter breaks. This was highly profitable to follow through April, you needed to dutch in many races but the sp's supported multiple choices
the stuff he has repeatedly written about the german breeders/trainers raiding European groups races over classic and staying distances was profitable (and would have got you to the ARC winner)
there is shorter stuff in the weekender column which i do not tend to back (if youve all found it then theres no joy - by which i mean profit - in being a smartA) and yes most of it comes courtesy of timings and speed ratings but for me such an approach is preferable to those that claim authority off the back of an experienced eye, connections and intimate knowledge of a horses pedigree (which usually just amounts to knowing what was paid at the sales)...
And with the jumps coming he will soon be writing about the form of racing he really seems to enjoy...
I've had Menorah against the crowd, Tricky Trickster galloping the legs of rivals and a couple of great runs in the national from monster priced nags.
as for the 'im a fantastic judge of equine ability so just stay close to me sunshine' approach to tipping, well that just seems to be the dominant trope
and maybe we readers dont want nuanced, maybe we need to know one way or another whether or not we have found an authority, a guru. because maybe everything else just stinks of prevarication and the hedging of bets. afterall, a tip is a tip and there is a judge on the finishing line.
i often think that is one of the attractions of sport - results
so on that basis there is no real point to criticising a writer if you have no sense of how their selections fair
i think i have an idea as i actually back his 'garbage' and frequently try to adopt his tactics when rummaging around for my picks
what worked for me this year was -
the weekender section he wrote back in may about the optimum amount of time colts take off before returning from winter breaks. This was highly profitable to follow through April, you needed to dutch in many races but the sp's supported multiple choices
the stuff he has repeatedly written about the german breeders/trainers raiding European groups races over classic and staying distances was profitable (and would have got you to the ARC winner)
there is shorter stuff in the weekender column which i do not tend to back (if youve all found it then theres no joy - by which i mean profit - in being a smartA) and yes most of it comes courtesy of timings and speed ratings but for me such an approach is preferable to those that claim authority off the back of an experienced eye, connections and intimate knowledge of a horses pedigree (which usually just amounts to knowing what was paid at the sales)...
And with the jumps coming he will soon be writing about the form of racing he really seems to enjoy...
I've had Menorah against the crowd, Tricky Trickster galloping the legs of rivals and a couple of great runs in the national from monster priced nags.
Monastrell at Naas was one of his to follow - he picked him out last year on the basis that jumpers that unseat after completing alot of the race learn from the experience.
I read Mordin, Taylor and Segal, all very good at what they do, mordin's site is excellent and has a good archive. I pick and choose which selections I back based on the strength of the argument/tone of the piece, I HATE token selections, I know it will always be the way but anyway....... I'm not a pro, Mordin is an enjoyable read.
I wanted to revive this thread because i have some observations about the mordin column from wednesday 30th Nov weekender - in a way they are the kind of limitations the so-called systems approach reach
NM wanted to find nh improvers after receiving HUNG or Green form book comments (though still earning relatively high RP ratings); he then wanted to wait a two more runs so as to see them learn and improve - the idea being that they become profitable to follow
and on those criteria he found a shortlist - two of which Cantlow and Dark Glacier may run in the next few days
of the others i did some checking with Racingpost website and found that:
Sweden's learning days are over; he was fatally injured on the outing after his 'hanging' comment
Plenty Pocket was already a Mordin selection after winning a low value hurdle and receiving a good RP rating - he then came third in a listed event at Haydock and hung left in the process, This sets up a conflict when reading his form: are you now supposed to be on him regardless of the need to see his jumping improve?
Similarly, Spirt Son ran during the summer and despite having hung when coming second then hosed up (earning the form book comment of 'impressively') on his next run; meaning you would have effectively been put off that run because you would be waiting for improvement (he is lightly raced and much of that racing is at pattern class, where he wins, often easily)...
Plenty Pocket and Spirit Son seem to have hung under pressure in competetive races; I may be way out here but pressure as well as green-ness can result in horses wandering off a straight line... useful to know if you anticipate a tight finish but would waiting for Spirit Son to improve over fences be advisable?
So there are inaccuracies (dead GG), conflicts (Plenty Pocket) and an over-examination of perfectly good form (Spirt Son seems a sound hurdler).
NM wanted to find nh improvers after receiving HUNG or Green form book comments (though still earning relatively high RP ratings); he then wanted to wait a two more runs so as to see them learn and improve - the idea being that they become profitable to follow
and on those criteria he found a shortlist - two of which Cantlow and Dark Glacier may run in the next few days
of the others i did some checking with Racingpost website and found that:
Sweden's learning days are over; he was fatally injured on the outing after his 'hanging' comment
Plenty Pocket was already a Mordin selection after winning a low value hurdle and receiving a good RP rating - he then came third in a listed event at Haydock and hung left in the process, This sets up a conflict when reading his form: are you now supposed to be on him regardless of the need to see his jumping improve?
Similarly, Spirt Son ran during the summer and despite having hung when coming second then hosed up (earning the form book comment of 'impressively') on his next run; meaning you would have effectively been put off that run because you would be waiting for improvement (he is lightly raced and much of that racing is at pattern class, where he wins, often easily)...
Plenty Pocket and Spirit Son seem to have hung under pressure in competetive races; I may be way out here but pressure as well as green-ness can result in horses wandering off a straight line... useful to know if you anticipate a tight finish but would waiting for Spirit Son to improve over fences be advisable?
So there are inaccuracies (dead GG), conflicts (Plenty Pocket) and an over-examination of perfectly good form (Spirt Son seems a sound hurdler).
His weekender column is pretty poor IMO and I rate the guy
anyone notice there's been way fewer website articles this year for nm?
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