There is no doubt about it: there is a special rush you get when you are at the racecourse on a big race day, straining anxiously as the horse you've backed comes into the home stretch, neck-and-neck with another horse. It is an exciting enough spectacle in and of itself, but it is even more meaningful when you have a little wager on the outcome.

So just what, if anything, can you do to become a more discerning and successful punter when it comes to the gigs?

Well, the first thing to remember is to choose your races carefully - do not just speculate wildly. Also, bear in mind that it takes it to make it, referring, of course, to money. While being mindful of the first rule, choosing races carefully, in order to maintain your bankroll, it is important to invest enough money to make a decent bet once you find a race that you want to bet on.

Once you arrive at your choice of race, start looking at the horses themselves. Check the past performances of a horse, along with its more recent races. This will give you an excellent overall guide as to the quality of the horse. If you are ever in any doubt as to which one should carry more emphasis, especially in the event of finding two horses with similar past records, remember that the horse with the best recent form is most likely to be successful.

Next, examine the running surface of the racecourse. Horses tend to be either track or turf racers, and never the Twain shall meet. Horses will also be affected by weather conditions, known as 'the going', and whether it is firm or soft. Always look at a horse's wet record, and bear in mind the difference between the tracks in the U.S., which are dryer on average when compared to softer running conditions on European racecourses. This is one reason why European horses tend to perform less well when racing at US meetings.

Look also at other horse betting [http://www.onlinebettingindex.com/] factors, such as whether the horse has raced recently, and if it has not, why not? If the horse has been sick or injured, and is just coming back, the odds are that, whatever its past record, it is unlikely to run well, at least for a while.

A change of jockey can also affect a horse's performance, so be mindful of that. However, remember also that a good jockey cannot make a poor horse run excellently. The jockey, in and of himself, is not such a major factor. You can, however, look at a jockey's past record and which horse he usually rides, to get a better idea of overall form factors.

You can also research whether or not a horse has changed trainers, as this can have a big influence on a horse's performance. To get an idea, compare the horse's record with the current trainer, as opposed to the last.

Finally, do not spread yourself too thinly; don't go overboard when you win; nor keep chasing the intangible when you lose. There is no reason to keep flogging a dead horse, and idioms do not make it into common usage for nothing.