TOWERFORM RATINGS FORMAT AND FACTORS CONSIDERED

TowerForm Ratings are usually updated daily pre-8-00PM for the following day's racing and are delivered via the website. Members can access them any time of the day simply by logging in via the home page.

To ensure subscribers get their ratings if the website goes down (rare), we also email a backup ratings list either as a direct copy of the website ratings or as a spreadsheet copy of the website ratings.

As you can see, we do not provide multiple columns as others do. The reason is very simple. Every aspect of a horse's race form is factored in to a handicap rating. So subscribers don't have spend valuable time switching between screens or correlating different columns. We have done that before publishing our handicaps. All subscribers need to do is a small bit of form reading to finalise their bets.

Here is the list of all aspects we consider when arriving at a horse's final rating Overall form
This is simply form in the book, i.e. ability shown in previous runs. For horses with little or no form in the book (debutantes, maidens, NH Flat races, etc) we use a number of methods which include:

    A trainers past performance with such horses
    A trainers past performance in the type of race being handicapped
    A trainers past ability to improve horses in their first few runs
    A horse's breeding
    A horse's future entries
    An ear constantly listening and an eye constantly looking
 Recent form
These are the first questions we ask

    Is the horse progressing, regressing or simply not improving?
    Has the horse been running over the right distance at the right tracks on the right going?
    Have there been any significant market moves for a horse in recent runs?
    Has the horse drifted badly in recent runs?
    Were there any significant comments pre or post-race by connections?
 Overall speed profile
The main problem with speed watching is that too many people take a speed figure or race time at face value. This is where all but the most adept speed watchers fall down. We take numerous aspects into account when assessing speed. It's all very well assuming that each track has its own standard times from which speed can be assessed but two horses with the apparent same speed (via speed figures) do not necessarily have an equal chance of winning. Apart from the fact that a horse could be running over the wrong distance or at the wrong track or on the wrong going, a horse's final speed figure can be affected in a number of other ways:

    It had a good/bad draw
    The pace of the race overall didn't suit the horse
    It was slowly away
    It got caught flat footed as the pace increased
    It ran to freely for a significant part of the race
    It got held up in its run at a vital time

There are many other aspects of racing that can affect a horse's final speed figure. And while we will always encourage people to consider such aspects, we factor time into our handicaps using much of the above. Form in relation to other rivals in the race being handicapped
This is exactly what it says on the tin. BUT: Collateral form is useless if taken literally. In fact all form is useless if taken literally. If it was as easy as that there wouldn't be any bookmaker limousines. But in compiling our handicaps we take into account two things:

    How has a horse run against any of its rivals
    Are there any form lines that connect other horses to its rivals

Can form turnarounds can be spotted well before the off? Horse A beats horse B by two lengths over todays distance at todays track on todays going in today's weather and they meet again today on the same terms. Easy isn't it? Horse A will beat horse B again. While we wait for those laughing to stop, let's just say read what we have said above. Forecasted overnight ground conditions
We handicap every race with an eye to the ground conditions as forecast overnight. So the listings have this aspect automatically factored in. Overnight changes in going don't affect the handicap listings unless there is a significant grade change in conditions: i.e. from Firm to Soft, from Good to Heavy. So the handicaps we compile should be taken as is unless there is that dramatic grade change in the going. Track suitability for the horse being handicapped
This is one of the most important aspects of our handicapping. If the track don't suit, the horse won't win? Not exactly. But it is a fact of nature that a big gangly 2-Y-O won't take well to Chester's tight turning track. Course suitability can sometimes be a complicated factor. With seasoned horses past form makes it easier. With first and second season horses it can be more difficult. The main three things we look for are:

    1:  The size and make up of the horse (Timeform and Raceform help here)
    2  A horse's style of running in its early races (held up, front runner etc)
    3  A horse's running action (Timeform and Raceform help here also)

There is little we can add to this because it is one aspect where opinions will certainly differ. But it is factored in to all our handicapping. The time of year
It is a curious fact of racing that many horses can only run their best when the atmosphere or climate suits them. There are spring/autumn horses, summer horses, July horses etc. We constantly check past form to see if there are any seasonal trends in a horse's past form. Anyone can check this easily by accessing a horse's form on the Racing Post website. It is an aspect that can become very important and is thus always factored into our handicapping.