Making a living on Irish Racing?

The reason we have had so much immigration from eastern Europe and Africa over the last 15 years is because it's so easy to make a living from Irish racing using only the form.
The ones that went home had their money made.

Making a living punting is not easy imo full stop.

i agree with rocketfingers, as someone who trys to make aliving at the game both sides..its very hard to keep the wolf from the door some months.

I know its not easy,been at it on and off in UK for more years than I care to remember,just never had a handle on Irish form apart from group/graded races.

I would be interested in peoples opinions on the form book and how it works out in the average Irish meeting,does the form usually stack up?

I'm not certain on this and before everyone laughs, I get the impression that short price favs seem to win more often in Ireland. I'd rationalise it by saying that there is generally a better quality more consistent kind of animal running in Ireland than accross in the UK. We certainly have less low grade racing, not that irish racing isn'y as hooky as f u c k at times.

your right neill,..i,d say the form does stack up better in ireland..but just as tough to try and make it pay..just less of it

no.

It can be done and is done by a few. Like anything, you get out what you put in.

I nickd my daddy's cue and now Imake a living outta playin pool,

Unfortunately you have to deal with probably the most corrupt institution in flat racing the Coolmore Mafia, so that won't help in your quest to make a living off Irish racing.

you will probably need more than a good knowledge of the form book to make it pay....sometimes unusual things happen, lets just leave it at that.

Think you summed up Uk racing fairly well,to answer your question think form generally works out used in conjunction with market moves. Also the fact there is less horses and racing gives you a fairly good idea of their capabilities(ie less to concentrate on and knowing your horse).With Premium charge and a reluctance of bookies to facilitate winning customers you might have your work cut out trying to make a living at it.
Think the best thing to do is try to find examples of where form should work out,White feathers and westhaven yesterday was one,where it did to the letter almost,today golanbrook should finish about 12l ahead of whodothink.maybe by trying these fairly simple example over a period might give you a clearer idea. GL

if you went to every race meeting and listen to every thing u hear

ud make a living laying zarito!!

extremely difficult,alot of shysters operating with impunity,on track bookies getting away with murder as regards overrounds,horses improving completely out of the blue,happens all the time.as advised earlier,u need to put alot of work in,watch the market,get to known how trainers operate.my advice is stick to what u know

Irish form stands up very well IMO. The problem you will have - vis-a-vis English racing - is getting on; bookmakers much more reluctant to lay on Irish racing than English. Again IMO.

Thanks for the input fellas,it is most helpful and appreciated.I am trying to get a handle on the Irish form and thought Kilbeggan yesterday was pretty straightforward to work out,even though I did not wager.

The type of horses I have consistently backed over the years in the UK are the like of JOIN UP at Nottingham 5.30.It is that type of profile I look for in a horse,but prefer to see it in a higher grade of race.

* Join Up ran yesterday by the way

I've heard Powers are erecting a statue in honour of Zaarito and his contribution to the bookmaking industry.

its the least they could do for the horse..and the ir layers likewise!!

and for Davy's loyal Yawl layers

They should make the contribution to the trainer and not the horse,the poor little fellow wouldnt train ivy up a wall.

Agreed, trainer and jockey combo unbelievable.How connections couldn't see the light is beyond belief.Such Talent never realised.RIP.

odds on drifting d russell rides worth laying imo.

bogey.

its all about the market in irish racing imo.

i-r tg4 @ the galway festival should keep u going for 6 months, waaaaay ahead.

got caught out with zaarito at punchestown couple seasons ago, then again condon gave it a VERY odd ride. finished 'abnormal' i believe.

i have concentrated on dundalk over the last 2 seasons..i´d say ive seen practically every race, from the shows the night before to the market development through the day to the race itself and the ir punting of every race!!
i´ve found it impossible to make money to be honest backing horses

i do think theres money to be made from knowing the form and using that advantage in the ir market which in ireland is weak and very erratic..a lot of silly fingers.. i mean for example if you know your horse tends to get outpaced early and run on great they you will get a good price ir.. also if you want to lay one that you know goes to the front wait till there off..etc

also have found it to be profitable to go against the gambles on favs in hdps...all too often backed off the boards to finish where they should
also had a great winter laying word for word!

i have concentrated on dundalk over the last 2 seasons..i´d say ive seen practically every race, from the shows the night before to the market development through the day to the race itself and the ir punting of every race!!
i´ve found it impossible to make money to be honest backing horses

i do think theres money to be made from knowing the form and using that advantage in the ir market which in ireland is weak and very erratic..a lot of silly fingers.. i mean for example if you know your horse tends to get outpaced early and run on great they you will get a good price ir.. also if you want to lay one that you know goes to the front wait till there off..etc

also have found it to be profitable to go against the gambles on favs in hdps...all too often backed off the boards to finish where they should
also had a great winter laying word for word!

That last race at Wexford tells a fella all he needs to know about the value of form in Ireland.

The beast is tailed off three times; gets a mark of 47.

It's any price in the morning, is backed into evens, and wins a 'competitive' handicap with three stone in hand.

They knighted Mark Prescott for similar in Britain.

Wow imagine that! Tommy Stack trains an unexposed handicap winner; hold the front page!

You're correct, Royal. It's hardly news.

Happens in some shape or form every day.

But it illustrates the utter futility of backing horses in Ireland based on form.

The form of an upside down handicap wouldn't be my idea of finding winners Blackwater but today's gamble was a very obvious pointer for a stable with serious punting patrons.  Irish form is generally reliable as you move up the food chain. As a curiosity I find many Irish pUnters prefer to believe in the conspiracy theory (plots in every race) and this is far, far from the truth. Handicaps are difficult to win no matter what.