First time racegoer? Here's the betting inside scoop

The pinnacle of the jumps season at Musselburgh Racecourse, the bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials Weekend – on 1st and 2nd February 2025 – features some big-ticket races including the Scottish Triumph Hurdle and the Scottish Champion Handicap Chase. On day 2, it’s The Edinburgh National, one of the longest races in Scotland which – thanks to a prize fund of £75,000 – is also one of the most valuable races in the mix.

It's an adrenaline fuelled weekend, but for those in the know, it’s also where the future winners of Aintree, Cheltenham and The Scottish Grand National emerge. Nirvana for tipsters, it’s also the perfect time for racegoers to hone their betting skills. So, if you want to up your chances of picking a winner, where do you start?

In The Parade

The Parade Ring is where to get a feel for which horse looks the strongest, listen into the chatter and look at who's moving well. Which horses look calm and relaxed? Who's getting a little hot and sweaty before the race? Also take a look at how tall they are compared to rest of the field - generally taller horses have longer strides but you can’t negate the little pocket rockets who can do well on our round track.

Form Follows Function

Form is the record of a horse's performance in previous races and a great way of predicting how they’ll perform on a raceday.  The Musselburgh Racecourse race programme will give you an idea of how the horses have run recently. A reputable service that provides detailed ratings and analysis for horse racing, you can also check their recent race results. But remember, numbers can often be deceiving – a 3 looks like a good third place, and would be in a large field, but this might also have been last out of only 3 runners. However, take note of any recent (P)s meaning they pulled up, (F) they fell or (U) unseated their rider, as negatives.

Check in too with bet365’s Horse Riding tips page they have everything from tipster videos to horse racing news and betting guides.

Stay The Course

Of course, it’s not just about how the horse has performed, it’s about how they’ll perform on our course. The ‘Going’, meanwhile, refers to the ground, with different horses having different preferences for soft or firm, so look at the going of the races where they’ve finished fastest.

Study Hard

Study your race programme. Detailing every aspect of a race, from who is running to the race conditions and odds, it will serve as your roadmap to the day so use it wisely:

The first thing to look for would be a C or D abbreviation noted against any runners. (C) lets punters know the horse has won at this course, Musselburgh, or won over the distance the race is run across (D). A ‘CD’ abbreviation means they've won at Musselburgh over the same distance as they're entered for, which is a very good sign.

Musselburgh is a sharp, right-handed circuit, with tight bends but is essentially flat with only minor undulations. This suits some horses more than others, with those who take well to the course often winning on several occasions. The last piece of research therefore is the Edinburgh Gin Championship results in which can be found in the Musselburgh Racecourse race programme or on their social channels to uncover past winners at Musselburgh this season – it’s good to know how owners, trainers as well as jockeys have been performing before putting down your hard-earned cash.

Watch and Learn

Don’t feel under pressure to place your bets too early – prudent punters like to see how the first few races go for a reason. How are the horses finding the ground? What jockeys have got in an early win? For long races like The Edinburgh National you may want to take their weight into account – the lighter they are the less the horse will tire.

Listen To Your Instinct

And of course, at the end of the day, you might just like the horse’s name or love the colour of the jockey’s silks – and that’s OK, plenty of bets placed on a whim, lucky omens or personal preference have delivered cash winnings!

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