Virtual Spectator Australia has licensed its virtual line technology and character generation systems to Victoria's TRP for production of live racing in Victoria.
The virtual lines enable TRP to insert meterage and finish lines onto the grass as if they were painted on. This is all done through tracking the HD camera head in real time and feeding these spacial coordinates into some software and graphics magic developed by VS.
Having seen it in action, all we can say is WOW. Another great innovation from Australians at the cutting edge of technology.
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Australian Horse Racing
Attracting people back to Racing
by Peter Lamb
Horse Racing has a problem world wide, it is losing numbers fast!
One of the reasons for this is that the horse racing authorities have gone off in a tangent in the last 20 years trying to attract the general populous to the sport. Whilst this may work for special events like the Melbourne Cup, it does not and cannot work during the rest of the year.
One thing that has to be appreciated is that people predominately follow horse racing to gamble on it, not to have a nice day out with the kids.
So what should the authorities do?
Firstly, admit to themselves that horse racing is for punters not fashion parades and then set out to re-educate the people that can be interested in horse racing as to what it is and how it works. Unlike our parents day when knowledge of horse racing was passed down from father to son and daughter, these days most people do not even know how to interpret a form guide, let alone make an informed decision on which horse to back.
We must realise that there is a lot of "industry speak" in horse racing and form guides that make those that do not understand it, uncomfortable. So the most important thing to do is to educate the public as to how horse racing works, how to read a form guide, how to place a bet, what to look for in a horse.
It would not hurt if TVN and Sky Channel put some money into producing some lifestyle shows similar to the DIY craze but focused on horse racing stories and education of horse racing.
Sure, this won't make instant money like 24/7 racing but it will help to ensure there is a generation of interested racing followers coming after the current one.
Also, the use of technology should be championed, the younger generation actually likes technology, they understand it and are not frightened of change like the current generation. Use this to advantage, utilize computer based track bias simulators and GPS tracking systems, visualize live races in 3D and let the viewers online get on the back of the winner in real time.
The technology exists, it's exciting and it's one of the elements that will fire the imagination of the younger people and keep them interested in horse racing during the other 51 weeks of the year.
Importantly, focus on what is important in horse racing, the punter, without them, the sport will die a slow death.
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Technology in Racing
By Peter Lamb
Horse Racing is a sport that does not immediately make one think of technology but as you will see below, it has the potential to be a genuine innovator in sports education and entertainment.
One of the most exciting developments in the last few years has been the Internet and the horse racing industry has grasped the opportunity with both hands and utilizes e-commerce and database driven back end processes better than almost any other industry.
The Internet has grown up a lot and it is now possible to deliver real time 3D representations of actual races over a broadband connection. This requires transponders being placed on each horse so that multiple readings per second of horse positions can be collected dynamically.
This is NOW technology and a company in England called Turf Trax was until recently doing this every day for UK racing. No doubt there are other companies that possess this radio triangulation technology also. CSIRO in Australia springs to mind.
The data collected using this method is invaluable as an education tool for new and seasoned punters alike. Sectional times, speed bursts, historical comparisons and much more can be displayed, explained and dissected either on TV or online.
Companies like Australia's Virtual Spectator posses the skills and technologies to take this positional data and turn it into 3D animations that are completely controlled by the viewer. The mix of tracking and display technologies is truly amazing.
Another way in which computers can be used to both educate and entertain is through the use of computerized track bias simulators. These simulators take 3D terrain data from the actual track and predict the changing track bias as the race day progresses. The systems have the ability to graphically show ideal racing lines and even predict with some accuracy the eventual winner. This is clearly a great tool for television and it is through these technologies that a younger audience can be attracted to the sport of kings.
As far as entertainment is concerned, a great use of the myriad computer based tipping systems in the market place is to have a computer versus the expert segment during a racing telecast. It would be fun to see who picks the most winners and it is something that could be run year long with a tally being kept along the way.
With positional information for all horses, you could have a "what-if" analysis of an upcoming race. Put all of the horses that are in the race together and run a "Virtual" race based on previous form prior to the real thing. What a hoot for the Melbourne Cup.
The upshot of all of this is that by utilizing technology, you can educate and entertain the horse race loving community and attract new people to the sport.
The Pros and Cons of Dutch Book Betting
By Peter Lamb
Picking a horse can be confusing, and sometimes it can be difficult to choose just one. If the field of horses is promising and there is no clear choice, try betting on multiple racers with a Dutch book bet. Some look down on Dutch betting, but it can increase the chance of backing a winner.
What is Dutch Book Betting?
Dutching is simply spreading a bet over more than one horse. The trick to betting Dutch is to bet on the horses most likely to win in proportional amounts. If the amount of the bet was tallied correctly and one of these horses wins, the handicapper will profit. The amount to bet on each horse can be calculated using a Dutch book calculator. They are readily available in most horse racing software, we have one called Smartbet.
Dutch betting requires the patience and attention of the person placing the bet. Some research has to be done on the horses, and one should use decimal odds for better results.
Pros
Backing all of the horses likely to win is certainly the safest way to bet. If two horses win 75% of the time, the handicapper betting on those two will profit just as often. Those odds can be sweetened by some careful research on winning horses.
Most who bet on horse racing like to win. Dutch book bets make it much more likely for one of the backed horses to cross the wire first.
Cons
For some, the draw of horse racing is cheering on their chosen racer. Rooting for several different horses does not produce the some rush of adrenalin. Since Dutch book betting should produce the same profit no matter what backed horse wins, there is no reason to favor one over the other.
Dutching is a much slower way to earn money because the bets placed on the losing horses are deducted from the profits. The safety of a Dutch book bet is therefore offset by the bigger payouts of single horse backing. Patience is needed while waiting for suitable races, which can further slow things down.
Dutch book betting is a practice for the most meticulous of handicappers, but it is a great way to earn profit. The payouts are smaller and slower, but smart dutching will make them consistant.
Track Bias
By Peter Lamb
"Track bias" is a term used to describe how one part of a racetrack may be different from another part.
It could cover many different conditions in such matters as hardness of the surface, angles of the surface from a true flat position, the configuration of turns, the type of surface, where the starting gate is located and so forth.
Track bias is a feature of racing around the world and is not unique to any track or country. It has, however, become a widely discussed topic in racing circles over the last ten to 15 years.
There are three major factors that cause track bias:
- The design and nature of the track
- Usage of the track
- Weather
There are many design factors that may create a pattern of racing which can advantage or disadvantage horses. Some of these examples are:
- Small tight turning track: - This usually favours front runners.
- Location of starting point: - Starting points close to a turn favour inside drawn horses.
- Radius of turns and design of turn: - Small tight turns favor on-pace runners.
- Track camber (cross falls on turns and in the straight): - This causes bias in wet weather.
- Length of straight run to winning post: - A long straight changes from an on-pace bias to an off-pace bias.
- Type of surface: - This has a major impact on track bias. Even the type of grass affects track bias.
The usage pattern on a track will influence the performance of the track. Racing in many countries has increased considerably over the last 30 years and to help overcome some of the issues associated with the increase, the concept of the movable rail was introduced. Examples of usage affecting track bias:
- Location of movable rail: - This may affects track design and the pattern of racing. Horses racing away from wear near the rail will be advantaged. This is definately the case in Australia for instance.
- Track conditions in regard to track wear: - When the track shows signs of wear, it can favour back markers.
- Excess kickback: - It can favour front runners.
- Track maintenance procedures, such as use of vertidrain, can also matter. Right after track renovation, the track favours front runners for the first part of the programme.
Weather condition will influence track performance. A very dry track can favour on-pace horses. A wet track will often favour off-pace horses. When a grass track dries out quickly after rain, it will often favour leaders or on-pace runners.
