8 - Greyhound Race Times
In this section, I explain the importance of entering accurately the fastest/average race and sectional times into the Greyhound Predictor Stat Screen. For general racing times please see British Greyhound Track Records and Dates.
Best Recent Time?
Greyhound Predictor version 2.0 requires you to enter the fastest time of a greyhound, this is the quickest time recorded over the current race distance, within the last 3 months. All 'middle-distance' times can be simulated!
Knowing a greyhound's fastest time is extremely important as it indicates to their maximum or top racing performance, which in turn implies to the grade or 'class of the runner' and interestingly allows all of us to calculate a dog's average racing speed around a track. Please see GP Version 1.0
Since greyhound tracks around the world, have varying track dimensions, I would like to point out, that all winning racetimes achieved on race circuits with 'smaller circumferences' may not represent a dog's true racing ability, as racing speeds associated with 'sharper, tighter tracks' will always produce slower overall racetimes!
When entering a greyhound's best time into the 'Predictor' I suggest you always feel free to 'add on or deduct' an appropriate amount of racetime, in order to bring these 'race timings' into line with the Greyhound Predictor Race Track. To find out the actual amount of racetime, that maybe required to be adjusted, I recommend, you first trial individual dogs with different 'times' recorded over different 'distances' run at various worldwide stadiums with different 'track circumferences' and 'surface conditions', then decide for yourself how these winning times compare and adjust accordingly, as we say "It's not a Game? It's a Science!"
However, dog racing times can be very misleading! For instance, if a dogs raced only once over a certain race length, then this greyhound is obviously 'open to improvement' and will no doubt in future races achieve better times. Where as a dog racing many times over the same distance, may invariably struggle to reproduce their very fastest times. Alternatively a dog thats previously posted a very quick racetime, but is perhaps returning to the track after a short rest, spell of lameness or is currently running 'out of form' will also frequently struggle to reproduce their very best times. Please note: since the fastest time of a dog is shown in all Uk race programmes within the last 3 months, some dogs may have previously clocked a quicker time, although this fastest ever or lifetime best racing time is not displayed in current trackside raceform.
If a greyhound has No Best Time (NBT) displayed in the formlines, then this dog has yet to race or trial over the trip. Therefore, you need to enter an alternative racetime from one of it's previous races, run perhaps over another distance or achieved on a different track or alternatively you can always enter your own pre-adjusted racetime, in order to best simulate a greyhound's real-time race performance.
In most form books the winning greyhound's time (Win/Tm) is located to the right of the race remarks. However please note, that all recorded times are adjusted accordingly after the race, to take into account the condition of the track. These are known as 'calculated racetimes' and are always found to the extreme right of each dog's racing formlines. An asterix (*) shown after one of these racetimes will always indicate a dog's best recent time. When choosing one of these 'amended times' remember to select a time when a greyhound has performed well, obtained a clear run or achieved a good finishing position, in order to enter a time that correctly reflects a dog's true racing ability.
Is it a Game?
GP v2.0 allows abnormally fast or slow racetimes to be entered! Although this 'special feature' is technically incorrect, it does however, allow you the opportunity to simulate races run over slightly shorter or longer middle-distances and not only offers more variations in sectional timings and incorporates wider winning race margins but most importantly, lets you enjoy further the fun element to Greyhound Predictor! Please See Betting Lounge!
Now check your newspaper: The formline statistic Best Recent Time is usually written as an abbreviation (BRT) or Best Time (BT) and can be found in all UK formlines directly below the breeding lines of each individual greyhound.
Now enter the fastest racetime.
Best Sectional Times?
In UK form a 'sectional time' is the time it takes a dog, to run from the traps to the winning line, first time around the circuit. This is a very important time to know, as it provides a clue to a dog's pace type, early race position, and also allows us to calculate the acceleration speeds of a greyhound exiting the traps!
Greyhound Predictor v2.0 allows all 'break times' to be entered! However, if as in Australian and American formlines 'no sectionals' to the winning line are stated, then simply leave your answer blank = 00.00 seconds. The 'Predictor' will set each runner an average sectional time based on a greyhound's pace type. For example a dog with 'early pace' will be given an 'average early paced sectional time' and a racer with 'middle pace' will be given an 'average middle paced sectional time' etc.
Since most dog tracks have different 'run-up distances' from the starting boxes to the winning line, due to the variations in track sizes, I suggest, if your sectionals are not relevant to the GP sectional times then once again, feel free to 'add on or take off' an appropriate amount of time, in order to bring these "split-timings" into line with the GP Racetrack.
For best results, I recommend you select the longer race length of 515 metres or 563 yards, as this distance will better simulate the correct sectional timings and precise distances between the dogs, in the early stages of a race!
Now check your newspaper.
All 'sectional timings' are located directly below each greyhound's name and are preceded by the race distance and the previously occupied box or post position, for instance, 515 [1] 04.10 = (this dog ran over 515 metres/yards, from trap no.1 and recorded a sectional time = 04.10 seconds.)
This ability to predict in advance the sectional time of a greyhound as it passes the winning line first time around, is very important to the 'Science of Greyhound Racing Prediction' as each timing entered not only sets the initial pattern to a race, but also influences any 'racing interference' that may take place!
Now compare all the 'split times' relevant to the distance your predicting and enter the best sectional time.
Understanding Missed Breaks
Greyhound Predictor v2.0 allows you to 'simulate missed breaks' by adding on time to a dog's sectional time. As a general rule in determining short distances:- 0.08 secs = 1 length, 0.04 secs = 1/2 length, 0.03 secs = a neck, 0.02 secs = head and 0.01 secs = short head. Although it has come to my attention that the time it takes to run a length, may be fractionally quicker 0.0676 secs = 1 dog length. Therefore, depending on you viewpoint, if you wanted to simulate a dog missing it's break by two lengths for example, then simply multiply 2 x 0.08 = 0.16 and add this time to the best sectional time, eg: 04.10 secs + 00.16 secs = 04.26 secs or alternatively you can use the slightly faster sectional length timing, eg: 04.10secs + 00.13 = 04.23 secs approximately, again the choice is yours!
At all British tracks with six runners in a race, the hare travels past the starting traps on the 'outside of the racetrack', Trap six occupying the widest trap position is always the closest runner to an 'outside hare' and theoretically! always has the advantage of being able to see the hare first! On the other hand Trap One being the furthest away, is theoretically always the last dog to see the lure. Therefore, for these reasons wide running greyhounds ie; Trap 5 or Trap 6 invariably break fast from an outside box position but generally don't trap so well when placed in the 'middle traps' or 'coffin boxes'.
Alternatively, greyhounds previously raced from an inside or rails position ie: Traps 1 or 2 invaribly improve their sectional breaking times when drawn further out in the middle of the track, as theoretically they see the hare fractionally sooner being drawn nearer to it, while greyhounds producing fast trapping times from the middle boxes ie: Traps 3 and 4 often struggle to reproduce the same sectional times when drawn closer to the inside fence, as being drawn further away they get to see the lure fractionally later.
In America and at most tracks in Australia, predicting dog breaking speeds is interestingly the opposite way around! as the greyhound closest to an 'inside hare' at 'trap release' is usually Trap 1, which theoretically always has the distinct advantage of being the first dog to see the lure go past. While on the other hand, Trap 8 being the furthest away is always theoretically the last dog to see the lure. Since the dogs in GPv2.0 are programmed to follow an outside hare, I would suggest that Australian and American Predictors may need to quicken up the racetimes of the inside runners to better simulate dogs chasing an inside running hare!
Knowing why breaking times may alter due to the starting positions of the dogs is vitally important for all 'Predictors' to fully comprehend. As these fractional 'hundreths of a second differences in break times' effect the early positions of the dogs which inevitable effects future results of greyhound races!
Occasionally a runner will 'miss the break' and be left trailing the field, if for example, this was an 'early paced dog', then in it's own eagerness to catch up and rejoin the race leaders, this dog may accidently cause trouble in a race, resulting in crowding (crd), baulking (blk), bumping (bmp) or bunching (bnc) occurring around the opening turns of a circuit, all initially caused by the mis-timing of a greyhound's break! (brk).
Please note: All dogs running in 'Greyhound Predictor v2.0' are equipped with their own hit detection and therefore are capable of simulating different aspects of crowding = +0.10secs, bumping = +0.20secs and baulking = +0.30secs!
Distance of Best Recent Time?
I suggest you first experiment by entering different distances of a dog's best time into the Stat Screen, to fully understand how these changes in race lengths effect the overall racetimes in the Predictor.
I should also like to mention to 'American & Irish Racegoers' that it's now possible to simulate 550 and 525 yard races on GP's 515 metre track! Since many greyhound races in the United States are run over a standard distance of 5/16 of a mile = 550 yards = 503 metres approximately. Technically when using the 'Predictor' you should always use the closest race length to that your predicting and indeed you can. However, I would in preference recommend, you select the track distance of 563 yards or 515 metres. Now enter your 'racetimes' as before but instead of entering the distance of the fastest time as 550 yards or 503 metres, I suggest you add 13 yards or 12 metres respectively and enter the distance of best time as 563 yards or 515 metres. My reasons for suggesting this are two fold, firstly by selecting this race length, you will better simulate the real sectional times recorded in American dog races with a 'longer run' to the first bend and secondly and more importantly, the Greyhound Predictor Track generally runs a little faster then an 'average sized track', due to it's own scale specifications, ie: bigger track circumference. Therefore, all genuine American and Irish greyhound times entered remain extremely relevant to the winning racetimes recorded over this slightly longer distance of 563 yards or 515 metres!
The raceform statistic indicating the length of race is normally located directly below each greyhound's name and is usually preceded by the 'race dates' shown in chronological order, for instance, 04 Aug 515 = 515 Metres or Yards.
Now check your newspaper and enter the distance of the best time.
Average Race Time?
GP v2.0 requires you to estimate a greyhound's average racetime. However, since there is no greyhound stat informing you of this time, the 'Predictor' allows all average times and distances to be left blank to quicken up data entry!
Knowing the average time, will provide a further over-view of each dog's times and therefore indicates to the general standard of a race. To answer this question, simply calculate the average of all the racetimes relative to the distance your predicting, in order to enter a time that best reflects the average time of a greyhound. Some of you when calculating average times may wish to ignore certain previous racetimes when that time was significantly slower due to a greyhound being badly bumped (b bmp) or knocked over (ko) fell or did not finish (dnf).
You should also be aware of misleading racetimes, mis-prints, hand timings (HT or Hnd Tm) and those races run over the same distance but in fact recorded on another greyhound track!
Now check your newspaper and enter the average racetime.
Average Sectional Time?
To calculate the average sectional time of a dog, you need to look at all it's 'previous sectionals' recorded over this current race distance and simply enter your own estimate of the average breaking time. To quicken up data entry the 'Predictor' also allows all 'average split times' to be left blank. Each dog's sectional time will then be set an average time based on your answer entered for a greyhound's pace type.
If a greyhound has No sectional time displayed in the raceform, then this dog has yet to race or trial over this distance, therefore you must enter your own estimate, based on previous sectional times, achieved over different race lengths or alternatively recorded on other greyhound tracks with different run-up distances!
Now check your newspaper and enter the average sectional time.
Distance of Art?
GP v2.0 Software uses the abbreviation A.R.T. which stands for Average Race Time.
Now enter the distance of the Average Race Time.
Next Page: Type of Pace
