What is the Analyst's Verdict?

The Timeform way of summing up a race can be summarised succinctly. Assess the racing merit of each horse's form, consider how likely it is to reproduce or improve upon that rating under the prevailing conditions, and then balance those conclusions against the odds available in the market.

Shortly after the final declaration stage a Timeform analyst is allocated to each race in Britain and Ireland and given the task of condensing that process into the Analyst's Verdict. This appears at the foot of the Race Card in Race Passes.

The analyst forms an opinion as to the likely market (the Betting Forecast) and then briefly outlines how the race is likely to unfold, including which horse, in their view, potentially represents the best bet in the race (the Verdict).

The Verdict takes account of many factors, so it's perfectly reasonable for the selection not to be Timeform's top-rated horse in the race. It's also worth remembering that the Verdict was written with the likely conditions in mind, so if rain arrives--or fails to arrive having been expected--the underlying assumptions may be compromised. It's neither practical nor reputable to change the Verdict repeatedly once it has been published, even if new evidence becomes available. But, for example, if a genuine draw bias emerges during the course of a meeting it would be foolish to disregard that simply because it couldn't be anticipated the day before.

Similarly, different individuals will put place different values on the many factors that can affect the outcome of a race. Our analyst may, for example, place more or less importance than you on matters such as jockeyship or the Pace Forecast.

If you want an introduction to the likely shape of a contest, or simply a horse to back, then look to the Analyst's Verdict. If you'd rather do that groundwork yourself don't worry, it's hidden by default so only those who choose to see it will do so.