Tuesday April 22, 2008 19:35

What Next?

Posted by slipperytoad as Warts and All

Image you are a car mechanic. After a number of years, you turn up for work and find that you tools have been removed and you’re told that you need to rebuild your tools from scratch using a different set and from a different manufacturer.The equivalent has happen to me.

A few days ago I received a letter from Superform who provide an excellent professional electronic formbook service. After 31 years in business they have decided to terminate their service from early May.

For £11/month their handicappers produced ratings for every UK horse race (flat/national hunt) and their service was reliable, fast, easy and more importantly cheap.

Using their data enabled me to determine which horses were “well in” at the weights and review the recent and previous form of each horse to determine likes and dislikes easily in the context of the race. An excellant, well run and professional service!

This for me is an absolute disaster as I have been using their service for the last four years to evolve my handicapping methods and historical database for exampe, pace bias for each of the all weather tracks.

My overall losses so far were in no way due to their service, it was my interpretation of the data that was at fault, however now Superform has ceased their ratings service I am left wondering what are my next steps?

The alternative solutions to Superform (Timeform, Raceform etc) in my view are inferior and more importantly expensive. Whatever the choice, I would need to go through a lengthy period of evaluation to understand the nuances of their data and at £40+ per month I may not be able to justify the added expense at this stage of my developement.

So what now for Slipperytoad?Well after much consideration, deliberation and soul searching I have taken the demise of Superform as an opportunity to start again, because frankly I have no other choice bar giving up.

First on the rebirth list is to revamp the website. It has served me well for the last four years but frankly needs a good lick of paint and I need to move away from the Blogger platform software as it is becoming restrictive.

If you are reading these comments and have suggestions for the new web site, I would welcome any comments and criticisms.

In terms of handicapping, investing methods and process, I have one of two ideas.

As fate would have it I am attending one of Betfair’s free education events this Wednesday. They apparently provide everything including a light buffet, free bar and funded demo accounts for me to practice trading. It will give me a chance to mix with the other mugs.

From the end spring new beginnings.
Pliny the Elder

Roman scholar; scientist (23 AD – 79 AD)

Related Posts

Tags:



3 Responses to What Next?

Anonymous

April 22nd, 2008 at 22:31

That’s bad news slipperytoad. Perhaps you could contact Superform to see if they will part with their method for a lump sum (or free if they are jacking it all in!). Good luck with the new venture and hope the new website gets up and running soon. PM me with the details on TRF if you can’t post it here when you are up and running as I enjoy reading your blog

Regards

davidbrady

Anonymous

April 22nd, 2008 at 23:02

I use Superform as well Slippy, have done off and on for 25 years,Timeform is very good but expensive if your betting to small stakes also its used by too many people now, when I started buying the blackbook back in the seventies it gave me a definite edge but there so much info around now an edge is hard to find. I use Turftrax and find their sectional times useful on the allweather. To replace superform I will make much more use of the Racing Post website.
Hope the new website goes well, keep posting I enjoy your musings.Baz

Slipperytoad

April 24th, 2008 at 16:28

Thanks for the comment Baz and Dave. The new slipperytoad will be ready on the 1st May so please call back then

Comment Form

Recent posts

Back in the 1980's Jan Carlzon was trying to breathe new life into an ailing Scandinavian Air Services. He was famous for saying "You cannot improve...

Friday May 4, 2012 22:18

Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes 2012 Ratings

Newmarket 15:10 - Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1) , 3yo only, 1m, Class Result [ad#Google...

Saturday April 21, 2012 10:03

Scottish Grand National 2012 Ratings

Result A "hd" between top rated glory and defeat! [ad#Google...

Saturday April 14, 2012 11:29

Grand National 2012 Ratings

Instead of throwing a dart, thought I would apply my ratings to the worlds greatest steeple chase Result [ad#Google...

Saturday March 24, 2012 06:44

The All Weather Winter Derby – Lingfield 2012

The show piece event of the All Weather season, the running of the Winter Derby has produced a familiar pattern over the years. I see minimal...