For all the new players this is why trialing is so important. If I didn't trial every season I would have missed this horse. Now a 2 time group 1 winner in the league.

Flat ( never won a race )



NH ( managed 2 wins at a low level )

I've got shot of a 2m4 front running chaser and I ran some races over that distance and he was miles better in CK so now I'm hoping he either comes up for sale again or goes into the computer barn.

I think I trial different to everyone else , I think most people trial horses over the big race courses like Cheltenham Festival or Epsom Derby but I like to find the fairest courses so it gives all horses equal chance .

Out of curiosity ghost what tracks do you deem as fair ? I run 5f -1m2f at Newmarket then as you say Epsom 1m4f and then anything upwards ascot. I use Newmarket for the draw potential (fair) Epsom as I want a horse to like Epsom as that next season would be the aim for those horses and obviously ascot for the big staying gold cup race.

Which ones do you tend to use to see what difference in trial results I get

I think its easy on the flat , if u find a horse that likes ascot( speedier) and Newmarket(stamina) then u got a nice even sort . My game is totally different from everyone else's because my game is 90% dirt racing US/OZ and I made a really fair US course Saratoga that is good for dirt trials. I don't have the time for playing and running races so I probably run less trials than everyone .

Over jumps im not looking for horses for certain races , I bet most people trial Chelts - Autuiel because of the festival and big races at those courses but I stay away from them . My jumps game is a UK/OZ game so I don't even have French courses in my game. The track I love the most is Chepstow ( got to be welsh ) its a very fair track that all horses has a chance and u know u going to find the best horse . I also use Newcastle and Sandown because they are fair race courses . When I trial im looking for my best horse over a distance and not a course/race. My horses are never trialled/aimed at certain races.

My in game is totally not set up for the league, most of my flat courses are 5 or 6 furlongs long that can throw up wild results ( no monster in game) they are all dirt courses that a few has a turf track in real life. Most US people wouldn't know some of the track I made I love small tracks racing in the US I play the game to enjoy it and not for the league like most people in the league. My Jumps game is a bit odd as well with having all the OZ races in it , if we had some top Oz jump races then I might have a advantage I just playing my flat/jumps games to enjoy them and not play them for the league , I'm shocked at how well my jumps/flat team has done . I thought I was aiming my flat team at the AW final races . When I was single and when SO6 first came out I played the game probably 40 hours a week and I think all that breeding experience has helped me be competitive this game with only having a small amount of time to play. I think that's one thing all newbies don't get is the experience of breeding , u need experience of breeding then u will always have it going forward. Whats the old saying u never forget how to ride a bike even when u don't ride.

Leon u was talking about times and when I click to come on the forum this always comes up on my page

I have no idea what game it came out of and it was a few years ago

Thanks tried to find that page but there were too many pages. Interesting. I never got anywhere near those times before but much closer now and my horses are running better. I have won more G1's on the flat this season than all of the other 9 ( we have records for ) combined.

It's from SO5. There is another post from that month listing league staff including myself and Gray as race secretaries (race runners).

Boys we showing our age

That's when I first started I was amazed at Andys times and his dominance though his horses might not have passed a drugs test

Does anyone use the FILTER option when trialling. I ask because quite a lot of mine seem to disappear when I do including some that win over that distance in the proper game.

How accurate do you think it is. I have just used it and an 8yo 2 mil chaser won my 5f sprint trial by about 6 lengths and his 9yo version came 2nd. When I ran a 6f trial using the FILTER button he wasn't even selected to race.

Never used it personally

Me neither. Have all my horses in groups for hurdles, chasers and various distances. Use the groups, ages and sex as filters to restrict number of runners.

Thanks. I think it is probably no good for trial purposes then. After reading your comments I went back in and ran a 6f trial without the filter and the horse previously not selected by the filter came 1st and 2nd in that too. Thought I may have stumbled on a nice little tool there. On the plus side I have a new geriatric sprinter for the transfer window