I have to run 2 lots of trials now each season as I end up with about 20 new colts an 20 new fillies an I run their trials separately. So i run the bit 30 runner trials and any of the new ones that get any points stay. Then I run the trials again a second time with what is usually about 15-20 horses. The times are usually about half a second slower the second time, but these are probably the best ones to breed with, or everything will end up hold up. If the same horses are winning both, that's the jackpot.

I've only just started doing this though so no idea if it works for the league. But my horses are a million miles better now than my league lot

I don't think u should look for the fastest horse because the league races are always run slower , u know u horses so u know how races are run but u don't have that in the league so u don't know if its a fast race or slow race. The pace of the race makes a massive difference in how a horse performs.

I agree but in this case, these sprinters are all front runners. I remove front runners from trials to get a more accurate picture. I don't have any pacemakers, else all your horses will need pace. I need to know if my hold up horses can quicken off a slow pace or not. If the race in your trials have no pace you get varying results a lot of times, and it is very difficult to know what is best.
If pace is too quick your horses will need a lot of pace in the league, and that is not good either

I also trial at different courses. Trialing at one course causes you to miss horses and also breed course specialists who aren't to good anywhere else.

From this you can see I spend a long time on trials. It's the bases for my breeding and discarding of horses so need to take my time.

Vinny the bigger the field the quicker the time normally so probably why first trials are faster

Yeah, that's why I run the 2nd trials nowadays too, I'm looking for that horse that wins from both styles, in my eyes that seems to be the dream, as race style shouldn't matter. I started off thinking about times, but scrapped it for this method

This is definitely where I always struggle, these damn trials. What do you guys make of this?

I ran my first lot of trials with all this years 3yos - 36 runner mile races at Newmarket. I had 5 make the cut by getting points in the 15 races. I deleted the rest that were no good, and I'm now left with a 18 runner race. Repeat the trials exactly, and one of the new ones is by far the best, he wasn't in the original trials, he only scored in 3 races. BUT, the times for the 18 runner races are all 2 tenths faster on average, even though I haven't added any pace, if anything taken it out.

On a sidenote, Foshan Parliment who was 3rd in the 2000 Guineas has only scored in 1 race so far too so that's a good sign

I'm confused

All I can say is that through my numerous trials I have noticed that removing/ adding even 1 horse can drastically change the result. Could be the pace gets affected. Also a jockey can make a difference. Although over time the best horses are always near the front. For example my 10f trials the same 3 horses were in the top 3 for ages, until recently where I improved the distance. Other distances things aren't so clear cut. And it may be I don't have stand out horses at those distances. If you have a super horse they will always be near the front. I run most of my trials at Newmarket as there is less of an issue from draw, interference etc. NH my courses are more varied. I used to use Punchestown a lot, but currently that is not possible. Currently I Use Kempton, Haydock, Cheltenham, Aintree and Auteil. Sandown as well to test how well mine jump

I always use the C ( clear button ) after every race

I don't have any more than 12 to 14 in my finals and if I run trials with say 24 on the flat at Newmarket I don't notice whos winning them but whos the poor horses are so I can drop them out of my trials. Whats the point of running races that big when u will never see it in the league. I think I do things differently from most others in the league.

That's pretty much what I'm doing now to be fair, I run the first lot as full trials with over 30 in, but the winners aren't necessarily what I pay attention to. The ones who have been awful are all removed, just the scorers to stay, they then do battle again in a much more 'league like' race.

My final trials for the league I try to keep to 12-15

I never trial more than 20 odd. And usually less than 15 at the business end. Some horses definitely do well or struggle badly in big or small fields.

Think I've found now it's likely to be a monster if its clearing up in both my sets of trials. I lowered the amount of mares from 120 (just for milers) to 45 to save time, and this time I've added into my trialling, which unlike some others, I actually find a great part of the season, really enjoy it. It's one of the few times I get to watch races

Leon and Josh u right u can push u breeding out further in this game .

My best mares will go until 16 and my best stallions will go until 13 perhaps 14

My stallion ‘Nick Sommervile’ who bred so many good league horses for me recently died at 20. His last few breds all look as good as the first ones.

I also may have found one like him in the stud barn, currently 19 so I figure I have one season with him, I had been ignoring him as he was a firm ground horse, but picked up one of his offspring at auction and it looks very decent.

Sadly I have not finished my training and racing for this last crop only just started exporting the first round of 8yo’s, so it is looking increasingly likely there will be no changes to my NH for week 5, I think I shall need 2 days to finish, leaving me 3 to trial and I doubt I will find the time sadly.

Any tips on fasttracking my breeding? Not so much impatience, my life is obviously very different these days, but more time till the next league. Not looking to win anything more than a handicap on a wet Tuesday at Southwell, but I am struggling with breeding anything that can win a decent race in the game, let alone the league lol.

I have autoran 5 seasons.

I will use the breeding charts to determine good sires, ie 50 G1 offspring is very good regardless of game stats. I will also look out for game horses, but am I looking for those winning 30+ G1's or some that win a lot of races at group level or both? Maybe its both.

Buy any Group winning mare, evaluate her bars and then breed if any good. If older give her a chance as her bars might have deterioated? This can be very hit and miss with more misses I presume? Even a very good game pairing will produce bad/average horses?

Any help, tips or threads to read appreciated.

I start my games about the same way each time and having just started one and working on another this is fresh in my mind.

1 - don’t accept what your given, keep restarting the game until you have something day one that will win races. Also look at the starting horses in the barn and in the game looking for great starting options, I started my live Irish jump game probably 60/70 times, I went with a game that gave me a full potential colt by7yo, 2m hurdler who beat Istabraq twice out of many meetings and won some G1’s. After 10 seasons I am producing lots from him and some other really decent starting horses, I am a long way from my league UK game, but the foundations are excellent on paper.

2 - use that horse to gamble on bet the farm and restart races of you lose, you can make millions in your first season, buy your whole stable and fill a breeding barn quickly with cash, money is all and you should start with a way to generate it.

3 - buy all the breeding mares you see also any decent general mares, build your barn and breed back with game G1’s and your starting horse if a colt. Any money being no problem you can start turning out hundreds quickly, this then covers you financially forever sell the rubbish, you will make so much more than the cost of the mare in the first place.

4 - then it is just as per the advice above, look at time’s, results, lineage, produced horses etc etc, cover a lot spread yourself thin and then narrow in once you have a better idea of what is bred from horse to horse, maximise your breeding for a bit and recycle your barn so you breeding crop follows your general progression etc.

Don’t get me wrong it is still a slog, there is not really a fast track to league success but the way you start the game can speed things up immediately if you not bogged down for years on end playing with peanuts and donkeys.

Back to starting my US flat game over and over, this one is taking ages as I want something specific I have likely done well over a hundred new games already some of which have gone 5 or so seasons deep

Josh

Hi Josh

Thanks very much for your detailed and well explained reply. It's appreciated. There's always things in games that can greatly improve your experience and/or rapidly help you get better. This will provide both.

Just trying to string together handicappers for both codes and not those at Ascot or Cheltenham. A nice 0-70 at Ripon or a 0-90 at Bangor will do.