Ratings, betting systems and money management explained
Horse Racing Tips Australia’s results pages are designed to show more than just winners. They are built to help you understand how the ratings perform over time and how to apply them correctly when betting.
This guide explains how to read the results, what the numbers and strike rates actually mean, and how to use that information alongside money management to make better betting decisions. It also explains how the ratings can be applied across win betting and exotic bets, and why race selection and discipline matter just as much as the tips themselves.
If you are looking to bet every race or chase losses, this approach will not suit you. If you want to understand the results properly and use the ratings with structure and discipline, this guide will show you how.
This guide explains how to interpret HRTA results and apply the ratings correctly when reviewing past performance and choosing future bets.
On this page
What Horse Racing Tips Australia provides
Each race on HRTA includes:
- Four ranked selections (1st to 4th preference)
- Transparent results tracking
- Support for win bets and exotic bets
- Key notes to help identify high-probability races
The ratings are not a promise of winners. They are a probability framework designed to help you make better betting decisions over time.
How the ratings system works
How selections are ranked
- Selection 1 = highest rated runner
- Selection 2 = next strongest chance
- Selection 3 and 4 = value and coverage runners
The order matters. Most successful strategies focus on the top selection or the top 2 selections.
How to read results on HRTA
After each race, results are displayed like this:
Winner (1) $5.30
- The number in brackets shows which ranked selection won
- (1) = top selection
- (2) = second selection
- (3) or (4) = wider coverage
Exacta, trifecta, first 4, and quadrella dividends are also shown when they land within the selections. All prices are based on QLD TAB dividends.
This transparency lets you quickly see how often the ratings perform, not just whether one race wins or loses.
New to HRTA?
Start with the top selection, bet small, set a goal, and stop once you reach it.
How to choose the right races using key notes
One of HRTA’s most important features is the key notes system, which tells you at a glance which races are worth your attention.
What the key notes mean
- (*) special – top selection should be a strong chance
- (P) predictable – structured race with higher probability
- (O) open – uncertain outcome, higher risk
How to use key notes
- Focus on (*) and (P) races
- Avoid (O) races unless odds justify the risk
- Do not bet every race
Skipping races is not missing opportunities—it’s protecting your edge.
The most important rule is money management
No betting system works without discipline. Money management is the single biggest difference between winning punters and losing punters.
The core rules
- Bet 3–6% of your bank per race
- Set a daily profit goal
- Stop betting once that goal is reached
- Never chase losses
- Never bet money you can’t afford to lose
A simple money management example
- Bank: $200
- Bet size: $6–$12
- Daily goal: $50
$6 bets = ~33 chances
$12 bets = ~16 chances
More chances over time can reduce risk and increase the likelihood of hitting your target.
How to choose which races to bet on
Good betting is about value, not volume.
What to look for
- Early bookmaker prices
- Clear top selections
- Predictable race structures
- Strong key notes
What to avoid
- Odds-on favourites with little or no value
- Highly open races
- Continuing to bet after your goal is reached
Early prices are often the best prices. HRTA selections frequently shorten as the day progresses.
Win betting strategies for beginners
Backing the top selection
- Win rate often sits around 20–40%
- Best when the price offers value
Backing the top 2 selections
- Combined win rate is often 30–50%
- Useful for conservative coverage, depending on price
Place betting and multis
Long-term performance can make place strategies appealing for some bettors, especially when combined with discipline and selective race choice.
How exotic betting fits with HRTA
Exotic bets can work well with HRTA because the ratings provide depth, not just a single pick.
Always remember:
- Exotics can be low-cost but returns vary
- Pick races carefully
- Stop once you’re ahead
Exactas
Exactas are often the most consistent exotic option.
Common approaches:
- Box the top 2 or top 4 selections
- Banker short favourites to reduce combinations
- Use price and race structure to guide which method fits
Rule of thumb: short runners → banker; even market → box.
Trifectas
Trifectas can work best in bigger fields and with flexi betting.
Common approaches:
- Banker the top selection into the next three, then field
- Use the top 2 selections as the core, then widen for coverage
First 4s
First 4s can deliver large payouts but carry higher risk.
Good practice:
- Treat first 4s as small-stake bets
- Prefer more structured races where selections are stronger
Quadrellas
Quadrellas are low strike-rate, high payout bets.
They are best treated as:
- Small-stake, higher-variance bets
- A bonus play rather than a daily core strategy
Common mistakes to avoid
- Betting every race
- Increasing stake after losses
- Chasing big payouts
- Ignoring price and value
- Not stopping after a win
Discipline always beats excitement over time.
Who this system is for and who it is not for
This site is for:
- Disciplined bettors
- Goal-oriented punters
- Long-term thinkers
This site is not for:
- Action gamblers
- Loss chasers
- All-in betting styles
Most punters lose over time. Consistent winners usually understand money management and race selection.
Final summary and what to do next
- Ratings guide probability
- Money management protects your bank
- Small wins can compound
- Discipline creates consistency
- Stop when ahead
Next steps:
- View today’s tips
- Review the results pages
- Read the full money management guide
- Visit punting questions and answers
And that’s it.
I hope all this information really helps you.
You can access our Free horse racing tips covering the 1st 3 races everywhere every day of the year here at today’s best free horse racing tips.