hi All.

where can I down load a user guide/manual to play in jockey mode?
ie what keys to use to control the horse etc.

is there an overall general manual to all modes of the game that can be downloaded?

Thanks

It should be in your game folder:

Here are jockey instructions:

Jockey control
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Cursor left/stick left, cursor right/stick right. Pull left or right.
Cursor down/Stick down. Pull on reins (slow down). Release to return to the Relaxed position.
Cursor up. Increase reins to push (speed up). Hold the key down for push. Let go again for relaxed.
Repeatedly Tap L-CTRL or tap Action1 button Increase reins to whip (speed up). Do not do this close to a fence as the same key/button jumps.
L-CTRL/Action1 button Jump.
Left Shift/Action3 button Jockey salute (Last 1/2 furlong only).
Z/X Look left/Right.

During the race press 'H' to hide the runner list. Press 'G' to hide the HUD for added realism.

At the start of the race a red START indicator flashes up. Try to hit Left CTRL or Action1 when the indicator is at it's brightest to get a better break.

A indicator (five arrows) is displayed corresponding to the horses known preferred tactics (From Hold up to force pace). If the horse is starting to get out of position a feint red light will show at the top-left of the rein slider. It will turn bright red if the horse is completely out of position. These indicators are NOT displayed if the player has selected ADVANCE JOCKEY MODE in the game options.

The level of rein is indicated by the height of the blue/red slider to the left of the screen. The lowest setting is HARD PULL and the highest is HARD WHIP.

The thin green bar on the centre of this slider is a pace guide for your horse. The pace is adjusted by moving the rein up/down with the cursors or the joystick/gamepad. The dull white bar to the right is the GAINED POTENTIAL. Gained Potential can be raised by slowing your horse to a point beneath it's cruising speed. Note other parameters may also affect the horses pace in the closing stages.

Adjusting the rein has a variable effect depending on horse parameters. To slow the horse slightly you should tap the DOWN button/key once. You will notice the rein indicator on the display reacts and then moves back to neutral. The horse will react to this adjustment but sometimes the reaction may be delayed. This is intended. After a short period you should see the pace slider change. To increase the effect hold the down button/key longer so that the on screen rein indicator moves down further. Again release the button/key and you should shortly see a response. Holding the down button will have an increased effect. There are three holding positions. The first is 'slight pull', the second 'hold' and the third 'hard hold'. You only need to reduce the rein to the desired position for a moment to have a effect.

Holding the UP button/key results in the jockey pushing the horse along. For a brief niggle/push just tap the up button/key once. Hold for an increased effect. When it comes to whipping the horse (and this should ideally be left to the closing stages of the race) you need to tap the action 1 button or left-ctrl key rapidly. The acceleration and amount a horse finds under the wip depend on individual parameters. Note that most horses have an intolerance to being whipped in a sustained manner over a long period and this can result in the horse giving up and slowing right down. Some horses react well to the initial whip and gain a variable reserve boost.

As mentioned adjusting the rein/whip has a slight delay that can vary depending on horse parameters. It also takes time for the horse to react and accelerate. Consider this when producing a horse with a late finish.


Jump races:

When approaching a fence the blue approach icon will appear (this icon does not appear if advanced jockey mode has been selected). Use this or judge the distance from the fence to hit the JUMP button. The icon quickly fades in during the jump zone. Try to pre-empt the point it flashes to make a good jump. The good jump zone will vary depending on horse jumping parameters. The better the jumper the wider the jump zone is. The horse may only take off at the point when the leg indicator is on (the flashing horse show). The difficulty of the fence is also a factor.

Taking off too early or late may result in a mistake or fall. An early take off mistake may be avoided if the jockey is pushing the horse the fence. A mistake caused by a late take of may be avoided if the jockey pulls the reins helping the horse 'put in a short one'.

Pushing a horse into a fence can increase the chances of a horse putting in a fast jumps. Alternatively pulling on the reins increases the chance of a slow jump but may in certain circumstances avoid a mistake.

The safest jump is to relax the reins and hit the take off button at the correct point and let the horse jump.

If the player makes a good jump it is still possible for the horse to put in a slow (or fast) jump of it's own accord. It is also possible (but unusual) for the horse to fall despite a good player jump activation.


Break and jumping helper
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A RED flash after breaking or jumping indicates you were too early. A Blue flash indicates too late.

thank you Teleprompter - your reply is very much appreciated