In this section, I explain how to enter a dog's fastest / average race and sectional times into the Race Predictor Stat Screen. For general racing times, Please see British and Irish Greyhound Track Records and Dates.
Greyhound Predictor Version 2.0 requires a greyhound's fastest recorded time to be entered. All 'middle-distance' races can be simulated!
Knowing a dog's quickest time is extremely important as it indicates to their top racing performance, which in turn implies to the 'class of the runner' and allows us all to calculate the average speed of a greyhound racing around a track. Please 'visit the past' and download GP Version 1.0
Since most greyhound tracks around the world have different track dimensions, I would like to point out that all winning-times achieved on circuits with 'smaller circumferences' may not represent a dog's true racing ability, as speeds associated with 'sharper tracks' generally produce slower times!
I therefore suggest, when first entering your racetimes into the 'Predictor' that you always feel free to 'add on or deduct' an appropriate amount of time, in order to bring these race-timings into line with the Greyhound Predictor Racetrack. To find out the correct time to be adjusted, you must first trial individual dogs with different times recorded over different distances at various tracks with different 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, greyhound racing times can be very misleading! For instance, if a dog has only raced once before, then it's obviously 'open to improvement' and will no doubt in future races achieve better times. Whereas a dog having raced many times over the same distance may invariably struggle to reproduce their very best times. Alternatively a dog returning to the track after a rest or spell of lameness will also struggle to reach their quickest times. Please note: In Uk racecards the fastest time is stated within the last three months, so some older dogs may have previously clocked a quicker time, although this fastest ever or lifetime best is not currently displayed in trackside form.
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 may need to enter an alternative time taken 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 performance.
In United Kingdom form books the winning 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' (Calc/Time). An asterix (*) shown after one of these times always indicates a dog's best recent time. When choosing one of these 'amended times' please make sure that a greyhound has obtained a clear run or achieved a good finishing position in order to enter a time that best reflects it's true performance.
The PREDICTOR allows abnormally fast or slow race-times to be entered! This lets you simulate slightly shorter or longer middle-distances with more variations in sectional timings and wider winning race margins!
Watching the dogs racing in real-time is the key to a successful prediction and makes GREYHOUND PREDICTOR V2.0 a unique tipping tool and Game! Please see Betting Lounge!
Now check the formlines.
The Best Time (BT) or Best Recent Time (BRT) is located directly below the breeding lines.
Now enter this dog's fastest time.
Greyhound Predictor v2.0 allows all middle-distance sectional times to be entered!
A 'sectional' is the time it takes for a dog to run from the starting traps to the winning line first time around the circuit. This is an important time to know as it provides a clue to a dog's early race position, pace-type and also lets us calculate the acceleration speeds of a greyhound exiting the traps!
In American races this is known as the 'first turn time' (FTT) and shows the leading dogs time to the escape turn.
Since most tracks will have different 'run-up' (RnUp) distance measurements from the boxes, I suggest if your 'split times' are not relevant, then again, please feel free to add or subtract an appropriate amount of time, in order to bring these timings into line with the Greyhound Predictor Sectionals.
I suggest using the 515 metres / 563 yards track to better simulate the precise distances between the dogs as they race to the first bend!
Now check the formlines.
All 'sectional timings' are located directly below each greyhound's name and are preceded by the race distance and previously occupied box or post position, for instance, 515 [1] 04.30 = (This dog ran over 515 metres/yards, from trap no.1 and recorded a sectional time = 04.30 secs.)
If 'No sectionals' are stated, leave your answer blank = 00.00 secs. The 'Predictor' will then set this dog an average sectional based on pace-type!
Now enter the best sectional time.
Greyhound Predictor lets you simulate missed breaks! 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 the actual time to run a length, may be fractionally quicker 0.0676 secs = 1 length. Therefore, dependent on your view, if you wished 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 it's best sectional, eg: 04.30 secs + 00.16 secs = 04.46 secs or alternatively use the slightly faster sectional length timing, eg: 04.30secs + 00.13 = 04.43 secs approximately, again the choice is yours!
At British tracks with mainly six runners in a race, the hare travels past the starting traps at approximately 35 mph / 56.33 kph! The widest trap position is always the closest runner to an 'outside hare' and theoretically has the advantage of seeing the hare go past first! On the other hand Trap One being further away, is theoretically always the last dog to see the lure. Therefore, for these reasons early paced wide running greyhounds invariably break fast from an outside box position but generally don't trap so well when placed in the 'coffin boxes' or 'middle traps'!
Alternatively, dogs previously raced from an inside position invariably improve their 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 often struggle to reproduce the same sectionals when drawn closer to the inside fence, as they see the lure fractionally later.
In America, Australia and New Zealand predicting breaking speeds is interestingly the opposite way around! as the greyhound closest to an 'inside hare' at 'trap release' is Trap 1, which theoretically always has the advantage of being the first dog to see the lure. While Trap 8 being furthest away is theoretically the last to see the lure. Since GP v2.0 dogs follow an outside hare, I suggest you may need to quicken up the times of the inside runners in-order to better simulate dogs chasing an inside lure!
Understanding why a dog's sectional time may alter due to its starting position is vitally important, as these fractional hundreths of a second differences in break times not only set the initial pattern to a race, but also influence any 'race interference' that may take place!
Occasionally a runner will momentarily be "left in the boxes" and in its own eagerness to catch-up and rejoin the race leaders, may accidently cause crowding (crd), baulking (blk), bumping (bmp) or bunching (bnc) around the opening turns, all caused by the mis-timing of a greyhound's break!
All Dogs in the Predictor have their own hit detection and can simulate: Crowding = +0.10secs, Bumping = +0.20secs and Baulking = +0.30secs!
I suggest you first trial individual dogs to fully understand how small changes in distance affect the times and simulate different race grades.
By using GP's 515 metre / 563 yard track it's now possible to simulate Irish 525 - 550 - 575 yards and American 5/16 of a mile races!
Technically, when using the PREDICTOR you should always choose the closest race length to the distance your predicting and indeed you can. However, instead of entering the distance as ie: 550 yards or 503 metres, I suggest you add 13 yards or 12 metres and enter 563 yards or 515 metres. Since this distance will not only better simulate breaking times with an American style 'longer run' to the bend, but also takes into account that the Greyhound Predictor Track generally runs a little faster then an 'average sized track' due to it's own scale specifications, ie: bigger circumference. Therefore, all times entered remain extremely relevant to the winning race-times recorded over this slightly longer distance!
Now check the formlines
All previous race lengths are located next to the 'race dates' eg 04 Aug 515 = 515 Metres / Yards.
Now enter the race distance.
To enter the average time of a greyhound you must simply calculate the approximate average of all the times relative to the distance your predicting. When calculating averages you may wish to ignore significantly slower times due to a dog being knocked over (ko), fell or did not finish (dnf).
To quicken up data entry the Predictor allows all average times and distances to be left blank!
When entering times please be aware of mis-prints, hand timings (HT) and races run over the same distance but in fact recorded at another track!
Now enter the average time.
To calculate the average simply look at all the previous sectionals run over the distance and enter your own estimate of the 'average breaking time'!
If No sectional time is displayed in the race-form, then you need to enter your own approximation based on previous sectionals achieved over different race lengths or alternatively recorded at tracks with different run-up distances or simply leave it blank!
Now enter the average sectional time.
Greyhound Predictor v2.0 uses the abbreviation A.R.T. which stands for Average Race Time.
Now enter the race distance of the average time.
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