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Tracker tech is shaking up Royal Ascot
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Device makes betting less a game of chance
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Bet 10 Get 10 on Betfair at Royal Ascot
Royal Ascot is known for its high profile in the racing calendar, dress code and traditions. But underneath this old fashioned facade a new technology is changing how people bet on horse racing.
This week at Royal Ascot, the horses will have an additional piece of equipment. One that is changing the way people look at racing.
Device gives punters vital info
The technology utilises a tiny GPS tracker placed under each horse's saddlecloth, and records data such as distance travelled, speed at different stages, stride length, position on the track, and more.
Think of it like a 'fitbit' for horses, but unlike the device you wear, this information can be instantly transmitted from the horse straight to you.
In terms of betting, this technology offers a new layer of detailed and accurate data that can significantly influence your decision-making process.
You can now delve into a horse's performance over different stages of a race, making betting less of a game of chance.
How does it work?
When horses are saddled up on the course, two trackers are attached to the saddlecloth on the horse.
This tracker uses multiple GPS sources to determine the horse's position on the course and where it's heading and at what speed.
You will get to see data such as speed, par speed, velocity fluctuation, velocity error, stride frequency, par stride, cadence error, distance travelled, distance to finish, % of race left, position in the race and the distance behind the current leader.
You even get to see latitude and longitude, which means you can even see all the horses on a real-time satellite map.
The real power of having access to this data is that you can use it to get a much deeper insight into how a race has been run or is being run.
For example, if a held-up horse is a certain distance behind the leader but speeds up within a certain distance of the finish, you can be alerted to that fact.
You can be prompted by a change in colour on your screen, on a map, or via a sound or text alert.
If you are a Bet Angel user, we have created several 'plug and play' templates that allow you to see this data on your favoured betting or trading screen in just a few clicks.
Par for the course
Some of this data can be used historically to excellent effect as well. Included in the data sent from the course are the par values for each runner in each race.
Par values show you how a race was run in the past by measuring the speed at each part of the race.
Racecourses vary dramatically in the UK so nearly every race, even if run over the same distance, can be run very differently.
Par values tell you if the horses are ahead or behind of expected pace at that specific part of the course, and the par chart will plot this dynamically for you in real time.
Suppose a race gets off to a slow start and runs below par for the first part of the race. This race is likely to favour a front-runner, who can pick up speed in a favourable position in the latter stages.
Using par charts will enable you to see what is likely to happen at the end of the race and find one that could emerge from the pack to win.
Real-time tracking map
The easiest way to understand the power of this technology is when you see a real-time tracking map.
When you connect Bet Angel to the data feed, you will immediately see the horses as they get saddled up in the stables. They appear on a satellite map as soon as the tracker is activated.
This means you can keep an eye on the preliminaries even if you have no TV pictures because of clashing race times. This a relatively frustratingly common situation on busy days.
You can watch the horses go around the parade ring and then out to the starting post.
Of course, as the race gets underway, you can watch the horses run the race in real time. The data will arrive faster than you can see it on TV.
Getting started
The technology you will see at Ascot this week is a game-changer for anybody betting or trading on racing, and is in use at many courses now across the UK.
To get access to this cutting-edge technology. You will need a current version of Bet Angel Professional and a license key from the data provider to visualise the data.
You can download a free trial of Bet Angel Professional. Additional help is available via Bet Angel support or the forum.