Parade,going down and behind the pens

I would love to learn more on choosing the right ones on looks
Any advice etc

You should be able to see the ribs

The way horses act on the way to the start and at the start is probably the single most important part of punting imo.. but how many of us wait and see?

Hardly any

Look at Al Wahed the other day, was allowed to run after bolting( although the stipes report says hardly blowing) but he was in a muck sweat at the start (also had a cut mouth )

Many a race is run before the start, either by runners running free to the start or using loads of energy being loaded.

Horses stride can also give clues, how many of those kimberley trainers are sending poor cripples racing ( lost count of how many horses are scratched at the gates ).Also a good indication if a horse likes a surface or even a happy horse.

A horse "floating or lively" are usually a sign of a well horse , long striding horses usually prefer a sound/fast surface, horses that grab the ground usually a softer surface etc. A scratchy stride is not usually a good sign

gee bob I agree with you 100 percent but we got the worlds best tipster on this site and according to him its not a beauty contest ...

A few decades ago Azzie won the Cape Fillies' Guineas with a filly who had bolted the course. The vet said fine and she went onto win . OK, possibly the exception rather than the rule.

I think runners in the UK go down to the start very hurriedly.

I would really like to see stats showing the winning strike rate of horses loaded last. I dont think it is just I who thinks there is something there.

parade ring
swishing tail might suggest unhappiness
a horse on its toes seldom runs in the money
unruly horses normally don't go down well
nervous ones usually are spent by the time it matters
stressed or unnatural hind leg movement suggest the horse isn't relaxed
what don't you like

colin neil pretorious did a very good insert for tellytrack a few years ago whereby he showed you what to look for in the parade ring and canter past etc maybe if he reads this he can send you a link to those inserts ..had views from jocks and trainers as well if I recall correctly

it and was a part of a series and I recall watching that episode
Would be great to also hear yours and others on it as well

Mac wrote: I think runners in the UK go down to the start very hurriedly.

I've thought so too but then it's the entire field going down at the same pace not just one or two runners.

Coat condition number one - dapples a great indicator - teddy bears rarely win big races let alone Kimberly MR52's

Plaited mane - although nearly all of Woodruff and Azzie horses have this - Mike de Kock very rarely if at all. I know it irritates some horses

Relaxed isn't always the best indicator, a horse like Front Cover used to tow two grooms around and move like a rocking horse on the spot but won 10 races in almost a season
Jackson however showed he was irritated and not want to race - when strung up

Stride to the post very important. I don't like a horse that takes a big hold and the jockey has to near pull his teeth out to take control.
I like a horse that tucks his head down and knows what the job is - relishing his work and task ahead
Looking around for young horses and spooky generally means they will run green and shy away from whatever spooks them - big screens, tote boards etc

Weight carried one of the most important factors. If a horse has taken a big hit with the handicapper - have a look at how big he is and what percentage of his body weight that weight will entail.
Small horses rarely carry big weights well.
A 450kg horse upped from 55kg to 60kg is asked to carry 12% of his body weight and with the penalty 13%
A 520kg horse upped by the same is asked to carry 11.5%
This makes a massive difference and something the amateur handicapper needs to take into account and the real handicapper can't as they use line horses and "theory".
It is a reason why I think weights should be declared - not only to ascertain the level of fitness but to focus on what a weight swing does in terms of stature.

Lots of little things to look for and sometimes you should give them a value before making your decision - spreadsheet perfect

Coat 0-5
Relaxed 0-5
coat at the canter down and start 0 to minus 5
stride 0 - 5
Stature and weight 0 - 5