Winner's Circle System

Another Derby Day with all its excitement and, no doubt, drama has come and gone, and it is perhaps a suitable time for the Highlander to make a confession. Indeed, the time is long over-due, for the Derby Day concerned happened in 1942, a lifetime ago. Let me explain. I was a very small boy then, quite unaware that the 1942 Derby was taking place that year in Newmarket instead of Epsom, because of the War. That terrible War had comparatively little impact on life in the Highlands of Scotland, but the minor events of the 1942 Derby, the very first that I can remember, had hugely embarrassing repercussions on one little boy that day. Our whole family - my father, mother, two elder sisters, and myself - had gathered round the big cabinet of the old Pye wireless to listen to the Derby commentary given then, I would guess, by the great Raymond Glendenning. We were not really a betting family, but we would all make a choice of horse, just for interest's sake, and if anyone happened to pick the winner, then a small prize might be the reward. I clearly remember my horse that day, but as to why I picked it I have absolutely no idea. It was called Watling Street. The race started, and in the way they do on radio, the commentator gave the position of all the horses in the race, ending with - "and last is Watling Street." The race continued; the commentary continued - "and last is Watling Street." Approaching Tattenham Corner - "and last is Watling Street." Going round Tattenham Corner - "and still last is Watling Street." My sisters were starting to snigger and that was the moment when the young Highlander's sense of shame could stand it no longer. I burst into tears and ran out of the house into the garden to find somewhere to hide and die. I could never remember feeling so

miserable, and was even more hurt when, a minute or two later, I heard my mother's

voice calling me; and she was laughing. How could she be so cruel as to laugh at my discomfiture? I eventually crawled out of the rhododendron bushes and when she saw me she ran over and picked me up, still laughing. "You should have waited," she managed to say, "your horse Watling Street won the Derby." And so it did. How was I to know then that Watling Street was being ridden that day by Harry Wragg, universally recognised as the Head Waiter, the master of waiting tactics? How, too, was I to know then, that in years to come the same exciting miracle of snatching unexpected victory from certain defeat would happen for me again and again, and keep me hooked on horse racing to this day? Long may that miracle continue to happen for all of us. Now, two horses' names I've discovered that appeal greatly for different reasons. The first is one of the wittiest combinations of ideas and play on words that I've come across. And the second has a pathos that would bring a tear to a glass eye! Here they are. Bachelor's Pad by Pursuit of Love out of Note Book. And, the good chaser Celibate by Shy Groom out of Dance Alone. I'm quite sure that we are meant to think of another word to replace 'Dance'! The classic system this month is called the Winner's Circle, and it is both ingenious and profitable. It's been on the market since 1991, and I have in front of me as I write, the original advert for it. The headline is "Guaranteed Profit", and it goes on to say, "The Winner's Circle System will make you a net profit on its first day of operation. Otherwise, I will refund the purchase price." I think we'd better have a look at it without further delay. The following system operates from Thursday to Saturday each week. The reason for this is simply that results tend to be more reliable during this part of the week. Users of this method of betting must remain patient and appreciate profits however small they may appear. The approach taken is a highly professional one and has been developed after serious study. The main reason that punters fail to make a profit in the long run is that they show little in the way of patience. Bookies of course love

punters to bet haphazardly, betting on a whim and with little regard or thought to staking strategies. The following system, therefore, takes into account professional opinion, form and expectation, and also takes full advantage of winners by adjusting stakes in a most ingenious way. Here it is then, the Winner's Circle System. Read it carefully, consider the implications, bet with patience and you too will be a part of the Winner's Circle. The system, as stated, operates from Thursday to Saturday each week BUT if at any time during that period a profit is shown, no matter how small that profit may be, then betting ceases for the week. There is a good reason for this. Most punters generally allow success to go to their heads and subsequently begin to make risky bets which invariably turn profits into losses. I know this is true because I used to do it myself. Only with patience can you hope to make a long-term profit. The Method Initially you are looking for just three selections on which to bet each day. Make a note of potential selections by checking the Selection Box of each of the day's meetings in the Racing Post. Any horse which registers ten votes by the country's leading tipsters is a potential bet. Next, check the individual races for more specific information. To qualify further each horse must: 1. Be running in a non-handicap race. 2. Be clear favourite in the betting forecast of the Racing Post but not oddson. If, at this stage, there are less than three selections then there should be no bet for the day. If there are more than three qualifiers you must eliminate according to the following rules until you are left with just three selections.

Shortest quoted odds. I.e. if there are five possible qualifiers quoted at Evens, 5/4, 6/4, 6/4 and 7/4 then the first two qualify outright, the 7/4 shot is eliminated and the next deciding factor must be taken into account to split the 6/4 chances. Firstly, take the one with the least number of runners in the race. If still the same, take the better previous form figure. A disqualification counts as the actual finishing place. If you still can't separate them take the one with the higher Postmark figure. If at this stage there are still more than three qualifiers do not bet on that day. The Staking Strategy The staking method may sound a little complex at first but with a little practice it will become quite easy to operate. You need to write out three separate betting slips, and although it is not essential, it is advisable to place the bets with different bookmakers so as not to expose the method. The example below shows how the three bets are made. The order in which the selections are written is absolutely paramount to the success of the system. STOP AT A WINNER Selection A 10 points Selection B 50 points Selection C 100 points STOP AT A WINNER Selection B 10 points Selection C 50 points Selection A 100 points STOP AT A WINNER Selection C 10 points Selection A 50 points Selection B 100 points 10-point treble Stake 160 points Stake 160 points Stake 170 points

Study the pattern of bets placed on the examples above. You will soon realise how incredibly ingenious that pattern is. The total amount staked is four

hundred and ninety points, so for example if you decide to use one pence per point then your total amount staked will be 4.90. Let's imagine that we have only one winner at evens. In the example above let's say that it is selection A. On the first slip we have ten points on A which returns twenty points. The other bets are stopped. On the second slip ten points are lost on B and a further fifty points on C. There is a winning bet of one hundred points on A which returns two hundred points. On the third slip ten points are lost on C, but fifty points on A returns one hundred points. Also on the third slip a ten-point treble loses. In total two hundred and fifty points were unused. So in total two hundred and forty points were staked, and the return was three hundred and twenty points. O.K, not a huge profit but it is a profit nevertheless. In fact the profit is around 21% which is perfectly acceptable to a professional investor. Still not convinced? Then compare it to level stakes!