11/6/2004 edition

Wide Barrier Winners

One of the biggest betting myths in horse racing is that wide barriers mean a horse "can't win". It's so commonly accepted by may racing media tipsters and many punters who take it as an evident truth. You even hear leading trainers dismiss their horses' chances because of wide barriers.

But in reality it's not correct that a horse "can't win" because of the barrier.

1. The most common barrier statistics you get are misleading. There is always a horse in barrier one. That's not the case with barrier 12.

2. If a horse gets back in the field a wide barrier is no disadvantage.

3. If a horse leads or races on the pace a wide barrier is not a major disadvantage if the horse has early speed. Particularly if there are not many leaders drawn on its inside.

4. Many racing systems automatically eliminate horses drawn wider than barrier nine.

5. Because horses from wide barriers are shunned by systems bettors and the general betting public you are more likely to get value backing those horses.

6. Do not dismiss a horse you like because of its wide barrier.

Look at Sandown Lakeside last Saturday. Winners from wider barriers were:

Show Barry $10.00, barrier 11

River Woman $8.00, barrier 10

Apres Ski $4.20, barrier 11

Apres Ski was plunged from $6.00. You can bet that $6.00 would not have been available if the 4YO gelding had drawn barrier one.

This edition of Punt to Win:
Horse racing betting tips - wide barriers
Get those betting odds
Betting favourites in small fields
Money talks - Rosehill, Sandown Lakeside betting tips from the track
Handicapping tips - weight and class
Future winners - unlucky horses
Punt to Win 4/6/2004
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