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.
  • Oct- 2017 -
    5 October
    News

    Micro-Angles – Horse in Profile – Tenor Nivernais

    The ten-year-old trained by Venetia Williams hasn’t won as many races over fences as his ability merits – 4 wins from 25 runs 10 placed over fences Three of those four chase wins have come in November & December – 3 wins from 7 runs Strike Rate 43% SP Profit +10.25 5 placed Place Strike Rate 71% and he is…

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  • 4 October
    News

    Micro-Angles – Fergal O’Brien Novice Hurdlers October & November

    Fergal O’Brien – Now, I am more of handicap man myself and staying handicap chasers. I tend to stay away from novice hurdle races, particularly at this time of year but I was taken with the record of trainer Fergal O’Brien in such races. Since 2012 he has had 11 winners from 57 runners – Strike Rate 19% SP Profit…

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  • 3 October
    Advice
    horse racing

    Weekly Eye-Catchers – Horse Racing

    Hi all, Well, it’s been a tough month for plenty of horse racing tipsters yours truly included although yet another profit has been banked for Eycatcher Pro subscribers. Not sure about you but October is a month when I start to turn away from the flat and gravitate towards National Hunt racing and the jumpers we have come to love…

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  • Sep- 2017 -
    28 September
    Advice

    Micro-Angles – Autumn National Hunt Horses

    Something new, as I look at two horses worth noting in the autumn: Blue Kascade & Thomas Brown. 1. Blue Kascade’s career record is – 5 wins from 29 runs Strike Rate 17% SP Loss -5.75 8 placed Place Strike Rate 28% But his career record in October & November is – 4 wins from 7 runs Strike Rate 57%…

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  • 27 September
    Advice

    Micro-Angles – Autumn National Hunt Trainers

    The ‘proper’ winter jumps season starts next month so with this in mind this weeks micro angles feature looks at two trainer’s who normally have their runners ready to strike after a summer break in the autumn and as a bit of a bonus two horses whose profile’s suggest they are worth looking out for when they run in October…

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  • 26 September
    Advice
    horse racing

    Weekly Eye-Catchers – Horse Racing

    Hi all, A death in the family meant I was unable to do last week’s eyecatcher article. The abandonment of last week’s Ayr Gold Cup meeting has put a bit of a hole in this weeks look back at the weekend big horse race action. That said it’s that time of the year when the flat eyecatchers are starting to…

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  • 14 September
    News

    Micro-Angles – Sue Smith Runners at Catterick

    Horse’s either handle the sharp jumping track at Catterick or they don’t. However, there is one trainer who really places the right horses at the course and that’s Sue Smith. Since January 2014 at the North Yorkshire track, she has had – 24 winners from 73 runners Strike Rate 33% Points Profit +83.93 A/E 1.83 39 placed Place Strike Rate…

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  • 13 September
    News

    Micro Angles – St Leger Festival

    Roger Varian Three-Year-Old + Runners A very simple one for you, trainer Roger Varian likes to target this meeting and if you focus in on all his three-year-old + runners he has the following set of results in the past five seasons: 8 winners from 23 runners Strike Rate 35% Points Profit +52.88 A/E 1.92 14 placed Place Strike Rate…

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  • 12 September
    Advice
    horse racing

    Weekly Eye-Catchers – Horse Racing

    Hi all, Defoe Has Leger Goal in Sight The final classic season of the season the St Leger is a just a few days away. The race is also the oldest of the Classics. The St Leger is the final leg of the Classic British ‘Triple Crown’ which hasn’t been won since the great Nijinsky in 1970. Sadly, these days…

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  • 9 September
    Advice

    Eye-Catcher Big Race Preview

    32Red Sprint Cup – Haydock – Saturday 9th September I was going to do a full in-depth trends preview on the Group 1 32Red, sponsored Sprint Cup to be run at Haydock on Saturday but that hasn’t been possible now. But here is a short preview of the race. Harry Angel winner of the July Cup is a best priced…

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  • 6 September
    Advice

    Eye-Catcher Micro Angles

    Al Shaqab Racing Angle The Qatar based Al Shaqab Racing is an operation clearly set up to have runners and of course winners in the best races. Today’s micro angle looks at their runners in UK Group races only. The utility of this angle is once again its real simplicity and given there will be plenty of runners for the…

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  • 5 September
    Advice
    horse racing

    Weekly Eye-Catchers – Horse Racing

    It was certainly the case of famine rather than feast on the horse racing front last week. The action won’t live long in the memory. That said a bit of famine can give you the hunger for more top class betting action and for the rest of the month it’s going to be non-stop racing. It all starts this weekend…

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  • Aug- 2017 -
    31 August
    News

    Sandown Micro Angles

    Firstly, here is a trainer whose handicap runners at Sandown are worth noting. Trainer: Roger Charlton Race Type: Handicaps Horse Age: 3-year-old’s only Race Distance: 1m to 1m 2f Since 2014 the trainer has had, with such runners – 9 winners from 19 runners Strike Rate 47% SP Profit +19.74 11 places Place Strike Rate 58% A/E 1.65 (profit to…

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  • 30 August
    News

    Sir Michael Stoute Micro Angle

    Another micro angle that is worth adding to your portfolio’s this time from veteran Newmarket trainer Sir Michael Stoute and his three-year-old runners. Here are the rules and results: Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute Race Type: All Horses Age: 3-year-old’s only Race Distance: 1m 2f to 1m 4 Âœ f Headgear: None Odds SP: 16/1 & under Distance Move: same or…

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  • 29 August
    Advice
    horse racing

    Weekly Eye-Catchers – Horse Racing

    Hi all, This week’s article focuses on the horse racing festival, the Ebor Festival. The “Royal Ascot of the North” usually delivers a great four days racing and this year was no exception. The meeting may have started with more rain than was expected but there were three drying days and by Saturday the racing was taking place on going…

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  • 26 August
    News

    Ebor Handicap Trends

    For some reason as a child, the Ebor was my favourite race. Maybe it was because the great Sea Pigeon won the race in 1979. I don’t know? It’s a race I have had a bit of luck in recently too with three winners since 2011. Let’s hope that can continue in this year’s renewal. Since 2009 there have been…

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  • 23 August
    News

    Eyecatcher York Micro Angles

    Here are a couple of simple micro angles that will be worth noting at York this week. The first of which focuses on Dubawi and the recent record of his progeny at York. Using results at all meetings at York, not just the Ebor meeting, since the start of 2016, we can see that sire Dubawi’s progeny have an excellent…

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  • 23 August
    Advice
    horse racing

    Weekly Eye-Catchers – Horse Racing

    Hi all, By the time you read this week’s article York’s Ebor Festival will have started and with top class horse racing action in the order of the four days. EyeCatcher Pro subscribers go into the meeting with a healthy profit gained over the last month or so which is a good sign for the week. Let’s hope the good…

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  • 11 August
    Advice

    Ralph Beckett & Charles Hills – Micro Angles

    Something a little different this week, with these micro angles as I look at two trainers who do well with certain types of runners at Newmarket & Haydock respectively. Ralph Beckett – Newmarket’s July Course Trainer Ralph Beckett has an excellent win strike rate at Newmarket’s July course with his three-year-olds running in handicaps. Since 2014 he has had – 11…

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  • 10 August
    Advice

    Saeed Bin Suroor 60+ Day – Micro Angles

    Some trainers are adept at getting their horses race fit on the gallops and one of those trainers is Saeed Bin Suroor. Odds SP: 10/1 & under Class Move: Same or Down 1 Days Since Last Run: 60 + Since the start of 2014, he has had – 60 winners from 156 runners Strike rate 38% Profit +129.31 A/E 1.43…

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