{"id":2022,"date":"2023-06-16T19:49:05","date_gmt":"2023-06-16T19:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.top10bettingsites.co.uk\/?page_id=2022"},"modified":"2023-06-16T19:49:05","modified_gmt":"2023-06-16T19:49:05","slug":"can-you-bet-on-a-horse-race-after-it-has-started","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.rulesofsport.com\/betting\/horse-racing\/can-you-bet-on-a-horse-race-after-it-has-started\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Bet on a Horse Race After It Has Started?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many punters reading this article will have already placed a bet or two \u2018in play\u2019, be it on the football, tennis, golf or another sport.<\/p>\n

But horse racing? Surely betting on races that seem to pass by in the blink of an eye is impossible after the action has already begun?<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not the case, and actually there\u2019s edges \u2018in running\u2019 for sharp punters that do their homework to exploit.<\/p>\n

So can you bet on a horse race after it has started? The answer is a resounding yes.<\/p>\n

Horse Racing In-Play Betting<\/h2>\n

\"InThe good news is that the absolute vast majority of bookmakers offer in-running odds for horse racing, although of course comparing prices is very difficult given the speed with which you\u2019ll need to place your bets.<\/p>\n

So you\u2019ll need to choose your in-play bookie based on other parameters, with the quickness of their site\/app and how easy it is to find and place bets two of the most obviously-important attributes when it comes to in-running betting.<\/p>\n

You can use a racecard for that day\u2019s action \u2013 these are readily available online \u2013 to make a note of what time each race starts; that will save you the hassle of toggling to each bookies\u2019 \u2018in play\u2019 section to see what\u2019s available.<\/p>\n

You place your bets in the normal way \u2013 simply tap the odds to add them to your betslip, enter your stake amount, double check and then confirm your bet. The only complication, compared to pre-race punting, is that the odds will move frequently, so you will need to move fast to lock in a value price.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also worth trying to set up in a way that allows you to watch the live stream of the race \u2013 remember, most bookies offer racing streams for those that have a funded account and\/or have placed a bet in the preceding 24 hours \u2013 as well as see the odds fluctuations at the same time. Two screens, say a mobile phone and a laptop, will allow you do this easily.<\/p>\n

The trick to betting on horse racing in-play is to be able to read the action. Who has started too fast? Which of those horses at the back of the field have the pace and stamina to get to the front at the business end? Who will thrive\/struggle with an uphill finish?<\/p>\n

You will need to do your homework too to examine the tactics of each jockey as they relate to their horse\u2019s preferred running style.<\/p>\n

Frontrunners, Stalkers & Hold Ups<\/h2>\n
\"Denman\"
Denman – Will Palmer<\/a>, CC BY 2.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As you are no doubt aware, all horse races are run differently \u2013 almost like a chess match on the grass.<\/p>\n

It would be nonsense for a jockey to send their horse off at top speed in a bid to simply outpace the field \u2013 that is only viable in the shorter sprint races. For a three-mile outing over fences, it would be a recipe for disaster.<\/p>\n

That said, some horses simply run better when they are the frontrunner \u2013 trying to open up a gap to the rest of the field early on. They may not be the best of stayers and therefore need a lead heading into the final furlongs, or maybe they get spooked by the presence of other horses; giving them space at the front of the pack can get the best out of them.<\/p>\n

One of the great frontrunning horses was Denman, the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner whose nickname \u2013 \u2018The Tank \u2013 spoke volumes of his favoured style.<\/p>\n

Paul Nicholls\u2019 horse, who also twice won Newbury\u2019s Gold Cup, would be settled in front or tracking the leader and simply never relent. He was the dream \u2018back to lay\u2019 horse for those using the Betfair Exchange, with his odds shortening as he routinely hit the front early on in a race.<\/p>\n

The day he demolished the outstanding Kauto Star in the Gold Cup<\/a> at Cheltenham back in 2008 will long be remembered \u2013 especially by those who backed Denman in running.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, your in-running bets will be based on a hunch \u2013 typically, that will be a \u2018stalker\u2019 horse who is travelling well just off the lead.<\/p>\n

Requiring a perfectly timed ride from their jockey, stalkers will simply wait until the leader(s) start to weaken, asserting their dominance and staying on. That charge can come in the home straight or a few fences from the line, and requires a jockey to have an excellent feel of how much their horse has left to give.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, some horses are most comfortable at the rear of the field \u2013 their staying power meaning that their charge to the front will come late on in the piece.<\/p>\n

Red Rum was a famous \u2018hold up\u2019 horse who would have stamina to burn in the latter stages of races \u2013 take a look at this triumph in the 1973 Grand National, where was at least 30 lengths<\/a> off the pace for much of the action.<\/p>\n

Right Place, Right Time<\/h2>\n

\"InKnowing the horse and the strategy of their jockey is vital when betting in-running.<\/p>\n

Make sure you read the notes about each horse on the card and, if possible, watch highlights of their most recent runs. You may be able to determine a pattern that confirms how that horse and jockey partnership will run their race.<\/p>\n

Try and paint a picture of a race in advance, so that you know who will run from the front (and whether they have the class to stay on) and who will be held up \u2013 do they have the pace and power to hit the line in first place?<\/p>\n

There are some huge priced winners to be found in-running as back markers\u2019 odds drift, but if you know they are being deliberately held up then you might just secure a better price on them to win in-play than was available pre-race.<\/p>\n

When you bet on any sport, be it pre-off or in-play, doing your homework is absolutely vital. But for in-running betting on the horses, it is an absolute pre-requisite.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many punters reading this article will have already placed a bet or two \u2018in play\u2019, be it on the football, tennis, golf or another sport. But horse racing? Surely betting on races that seem to pass by in the blink of an eye is impossible after the action has already begun? That\u2019s not the case, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":54,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-2022","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry"},"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rulesofsport.com\/betting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2022","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rulesofsport.com\/betting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rulesofsport.com\/betting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rulesofsport.com\/betting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rulesofsport.com\/betting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2022"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.rulesofsport.com\/betting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2022\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2027,"href":"https:\/\/www.rulesofsport.com\/betting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2022\/revisions\/2027"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rulesofsport.com\/betting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/54"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rulesofsport.com\/betting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}