John Burke

John Burke

I have a MA in International Politics and having spent a number of years working in political campaigning but I eventually I realised that politics was not the world where I wanted to work I had been interested in horse racing since the late 1980s but in the early years I was merely just betting and watching racing like most people as a bit of fun and a hobby, then the hobby becomes a passion and that’s what happened to me with horse racing. I soon realised that to make money from my hobby I had to learn as much as I could about the sport and betting in general. The whole process took time but after a number of successful years of betting, I decided in 2011 to take the plunge, gave up my full time day job and decided to bet on horse racing as a part time business and I haven’t looked back since. I like to specialise in the better class of races and I love to solve the puzzles posed by big field handicaps the latter races often provide punters with great value betting opportunities. Whilst most of my time is spent reviewing previous races I like to keep things as simple as possible as even the biggest field handicaps can usually be pruned down to half a dozen strong contenders with the right sort of approach.
  • Nov- 2017 -
    11 November
    News

    Micro-Angles – Weekend Big Race Trends

    Two big handicaps this weekend, the November Handicap at Doncaster and the Badger Ales Trophy over jumps a Wincanton. Here are some key trends from both races that will hopefully help you when it comes to shortlisting. Starting with the November Handicap. Doncaster – November Handicap – 1m 4f – The figures are from 2008 to 2016 and consist of…

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  • 9 November
    News

    Micro-Angles – Profile Horse

    This week’s horse in profile is the Paul Nicholls trained Le Prezien. The six-year-old made a decent start to his chasing career last season, winning two of his seven starts over the larger obstacles. He made an encouraging start to the season when beaten just a neck at Cheltenham last month. The ground was good that day which wouldn’t be…

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  • 8 November
    News

    Micro-Angles – Trainers to Note in the Next 7 Days

    Hi all, Well, the winter jumps horse racing season had really moved out of first gear after events at Wetherby & Down Royal at the weekend. This week’s article has a handful of trainers whose runners are worth keeping onside in the next seven days or so. I also have another of my profile horses for you, ante-post advice for…

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  • 7 November
    News
    horse racing

    Weekly Eye-Catchers – Horse Racing

    Hi all, Well, we can safely say that the winter jumps season has cranked into top gear and is well and truly with us after events at Wetherby & Down Royal on Saturday. Coneygree and Cue Card were expected to fight out the finish in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby but neither managed to finish the race, as Coneygree…

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  • 4 November
    News

    Saturday Preview – Weekend Trainer Stats: Wetherby & Ascot

    Last weekend the National Hunt season really cranked into gear with Cheltenham’s two-day Showcase Meeting and Old Roan Chase Day at Aintree on Sunday. This week we have Charlie Hall Day at Wetherby, which will hopefully see a clash between Coneygree and Cue Card in the feature race and there is also a very decent Ascot card as that track…

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  • 2 November
    News

    Micro-Angles – November Profile Horse

    A new month and this weeks horse in profile is the Sue Gardner trained Sirop De Menthe. The 7-year-old’s career record is – 5 wins from 28 runs Strike Rate 18% 10 placed Place Strike Rate 36%. Three of those five wins have come in November – 3 wins from 4 runs, 4 placed with form figures of 2111. He…

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  • 1 November
    News

    Micro-Angles – Trainers to Note in the Next 7 Days

    Hi all, It’s a new month and another dose of eyecatcher horse racing stats and angles for you. This week I have a trainer whose horses are worth noting over the next week or so, a horse that has done well in November in the past two seasons over the jumps (which will be published, tomorrow) and I have some…

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  • Oct- 2017 -
    31 October
    News
    horse racing

    Weekly Eye-Catchers – Horse Racing

    Hi all, It was great to see the return of horse racing at Cheltenham a sure nice that winter isn’t so far away. Meanwhile, over at Doncaster, we saw the final Group 1 of the 2017 flat season the Racing Post Trophy. A race that also saw some history being made as trainer Aidan O’Brien broke Bobby Frankel’s record for…

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  • 28 October
    News

    Cheltenham Showcase Meeting Stats

    Here are some Trainer trends from the meeting from 2009 to 2016. There have been 126 winners in that period from 1324 runners and the top six trainers in the number of winners have provided 59 of those winners coming from just 297 runners. The top trainer at the meeting is Paul Nicholls who is ten ahead of his nearest…

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  • 26 October
    News

    Micro-Angles – Horses To Follow

    One For Harry, trained by Nicky Richards, is a horse worth noting in the coming weeks. He might be a 9-year-old now but I think there is a still a handicap hurdle in him on the northern tracks when gets his optimum conditions. His career record is – 7 wins from 33 runs Strike Rate 21% SP Profit +17.63 12…

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  • 25 October
    News

    Micro-Angles – Trainer Stats

    This week’s slice of stats and micro angles looks a group of trainers whose horses should be noted over the next week, it also contains another horse that is worth looking out for when it runs in the coming weeks. Jumps fans have plenty to look forward to this weekend with Cheltenham racing for the first time this season on…

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  • 24 October
    News
    horse racing

    Weekly Eye-Catchers – Horse Racing

    Hi all, Champions Day Brings Down The Curtain Or Does It? Champions Day is over for another year and I have to say its now well over its Frankel Days and is now the day that effectively brings down the curtain on the turf flat season. Yes, I know there a plenty of flat meetings, including the Group 1 Racing…

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  • 21 October
    Advice

    Champions Day Micro Preview – Ascot – 21st October

    On Saturday its Champion Day at Ascot and for many in the racing hierarchy it now signals the end of the UK turf flat season, despite the fact that there is one Group 1 race to be run, the Racing Post Trophy and the last flat meeting year at Doncaster is on November 11th. No denying that the introduction of…

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  • 19 October
    News

    Micro-Angles – Autumn Horses

    Silsol – Paul Nicholls – The 8-year-old hasn’t been the easiest horse to keep sound but he has been well placed by his trainer having had, over jumps – 8 wins from 19 runs 42% +28.32 15 placed 79% Strike Rate 42% +28.32 15 placed 79% SP Profit +28.32 15 placed 79% 15 placed 79% Place Strike Rate 79% October/November…

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  • 18 October
    News

    Micro-Angles – Jockeys for Courses and Distances

    Following on from previous articles, I have got some more micro angles and horses that have traditionally done well in the first few months of the winter jumps season. But like last week I will start by looking at two jockeys on all-weather who seem to excel at a certain track and distance. For the purpose of this research, I…

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  • 17 October
    News
    horse racing

    Weekly Eye-Catchers – Horse Racing

    Hi all, I have just returned from a long weekend in Northumbria. It provided a good opportunity to recharge the batteries after what has been a tough couple of months for me and my partner. There was some top class jumps horse racing last weekend with Chepstow hosting its two-day October meeting. The first Cheltenham meeting of the new season…

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  • 12 October
    News

    Micro-Angle – Horses To Follow

    Autumn National Hunt Horses Following on from Blue Kascade, Thomas Brown and Tenor Nivernais in previous weeks I have another horse who seems at his best in the early part of the season. This week it’s the Oliver Sherwood trained chaser Milgen Bay. Milgen Bay – Oliver Sherwood The 11- year-old has a career record of – 9 wins from…

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  • 11 October
    Advice

    Micro-Angle – Jockey Stats

    Following on from previous posts, I have got some more jumps micro angle’s for the winter months and also two horses that go well in the autumn. Something a bit different this week, we all know about C&D horses but not as much attention is paid to jockeys and their C&D preferences. Here are two jockeys who seem to excel…

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  • 10 October
    Advice
    horse racing

    Weekly Eye-Catchers – Horse Racing

    Hi all, The 2017 horse racing flat season is now on its last legs but before we finally wave it a fond farewell in a month’s time there is still the Dubai Future Champions Festival on Friday & Saturday to look forward too and if you believe the Chepstow racecourse website, then this weekend also see’s the start of the…

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  • 7 October
    News

    Big Race Preview – Totescoop6 Challenge Cup – Ascot – Saturday 7th October

    There are some big handicaps his weekend both sides of the Irish Sea. At Ascot, we have the Totescoop6 Challenge Cup Handicap over 7f on Saturday. Meanwhile over the Irish Sea on Sunday there is the Ladbrokes Munster National at Limerick and the Irish Cesarewitch, which this year will be run at Navan rather than the Curragh. For this weeks…

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