BETTING ESSENTIALS - BJ says: It will go on my bookshelf alongside my Don Scott and Rem Plante books.

Warren Block's Daily Report - Sunday, 5 April 2026

• Betting Essentials - Results Update and Expansion (Part 4)
• Matrix day-by-day results for Sunday and Monday racing
• Wizard Freebie - Wizard Personal Print
• Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives Result

IMPORTANT - What-IF race morning update now posted at 10:30am - was 9:30am - allows for more complete scratchings update.

Betting Essentials - Results Update and Expansion (Part 4)

So far in this series I have focused on two-horse selection and betting results. Today, the focus will be on the strategy often followed by the average recreational punter - single selection wagering.

As with any selection strategy there are levels of risk and reward. The path chosen by a punter will largely determine the odds profile of the runners backed and the losing sequences encountered. Invariably, the longer the odds, the longer the losing runs, and the greater the drawdown risks. The opposite is true.

One point to bear in mind is that most successful single-runner punters concentrate on horses whose odds predominantly lie in the $2.00 to $5.90 odds range. The more risk averse focus on a range that maxes at $5.00.

The following table provides an insight into the strike rates achieved by various "single selection" options that are accessible through Wizard's reports.

The Wizard Matrix report is particularly useful here for with this this report it is possible to quickly find the first five options in the table, as well as the two Selectives options.

The Magic report allows one to easily find those horses which are top-rated (WRat 100), have firmed by 3% or more (either overnight or early race morning), and are trainer-favoured (Filter and Negatives indicators).

The main takeaway from these statistics is that a base ratings assessment can be improved significantly by overlaying trainer and market information.

Finally, if adopting a single-selection strategy, it is important to limit bet size to 2% to a maximum 5% of the betting bank, to assume a losing run of at least 16 races, and set the drawdown to 20% - all as explained in my book, Betting Essentials.

Matrix day-by-day results for Sunday and Monday racing

The tables show the results for the past eight weeks for the day on which racing occurred. So, today being Sunday, this Matrix DOW (Day of Week) report covers the past eight Sunday and Monday results. The day-after results are included so that they are available on race-eve, rather than only on race morning.

(The daily Matrix report aims to assist subscribers contain the number of bets to manageable proportions and improve the strike rate. The report is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am each day with an update at 12 noon.)

Wizard Freebie - Wizard Personal Print

The Wizard publishes on this page one of its Wizard reports or special features, either completely or a part thereof. Today, a Wizard Personal Print. The full report and all other reports for all meetings for today are available now for subscribers.

Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives results

We publish these full results daily so that subscribers can see the results of the Wizard's ratings options, and Report-content, and thereby formulate a selecting and betting strategy that suits them individually. The Wizard ratings should not be seen as "tips", rather as objective assessments that can be used to inform one's own judgement as to the relative chances of the runners in a race.

The full day-by-day results for Wizard (Wrat) top 4 rated runners, the Raceday Qualifier, and the Matrix (MaxR) 100 pointer, the MaxR top-two, the What-IF top-two Filtered, together with the Matrix W1+MaxR100 Selective qualifier, and the Matrix W1+*EO+MaxR100 Selective qualifier. Also included are the overall results for last week and the last four weeks. The 2024-2025 column shows the WRat results for the full racing season.

This results summary is colour coded so that it is easier for readers to track the relative performance of the Top Rated (blue) and Top-Two Rated (green) ratings options on a daily, and longer term, basis. The best overall qualifier (yellow) is highlighted. Also, the single runner options are grouped separately, as are the two-horse and multi-horse options results, again to make comparisons easier.

The following table shows this week's results of alternative options with respect to possible Matrix Selectives combinations, as well as weekly summaries. These combinations are accessible via the Wizard MATRIX report which is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am, and updated around 12 noon, each day.

(Key: The first of the two columns for each Selective combination shows number of qualifying races and the second column shows the strike rate. Headings: RWM is Raceday,Watch,Magic, RWM 2/3 means two or three qualifying, Rday is Raceday report qualifier, Magic is Magic report qualifier, R/M is Raceday and Magic, WR1 is Wrat 100, MR1 is MaxR 100.)

The following table shows where the winner of each race run yesterday was rated by WRat, WMod, WHcp, and WExpk and was the qualifier in the Wizard Raceday Report. (Note: The Wrat [W] winner results report on both the top rated and top-two rated winners.) The Raceday Report winners under the Top Rated column are from those races where there was only one Raceday qualifier, and under the Top 2 Rated on the rare occasions where there were two qualifiers in a race.

Header: WMHER = WRat (W), WMod (M), WHcp (H), WExpk (E), Raceday (R).

For a full explanation of the table click: How to read the Wizard Ratings Results

BETTING ESSENTIALS - RG says:  "A book for everyone. No confusing words, all is clearly explained."

Warren Block's Daily Report - Monday, 6 April 2026

• Trainer-Jockey Combinations - Last 4 weeks - Profile of Matthew Smith (NEW)
• Matrix - day by day analysis for Monday and Tuesday racing
• Wizard Freebie - Wizard Essentials report
• Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives results and Weekly Summary

Trainer-Jockey Combinations - Last 4 weeks - Profile of Matthew Smith (NEW)

Each Monday I post a table showing the stables that have won at least 5 races over the previous 4 weeks and list the jockeys who rode at least one of those winners, as well as their total rides for the stable, during that period.

Identifying in-form and "outperforming" trainer-jockey combinations should be a key component of any form analysts race/horse assessment and this Wizard report can help you to identify these combinations.

Profile - Matthew Smith

The Jockey/Trainer combinations that are included are based on the following criteria: The Jockey/Trainer combination is listed when a jockey's record shows at least 2 wins when riding the Wizard top-rater, or at least 3 wins when riding the race favourite, or 4 wins if the runner is in the $2.00 to $5.90 odds range, for that stable. Also included are the overall percentage stats for the jockey when riding a Wizard top rater or race favourite, for any stable. Note that these stats cover the rider's results in all races, irrespective of location.

Matthew Smith was born and raised in Wangaratta, Victoria. His father Christopher was a Wangaratta Turf Club committee member and keen owner. In his mid-20s, Matthew gained global expertise, working with Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle in Ireland first as work-rider and rising to assistant trainer for 2.5 years, then Niall O'Callaghan in the US managing 30 horses, and finally as stable foreman for Bart Cummings in Australia for nearly five years. He launched his own stable in 2003, with wife Melissa - a former Sydney Royal champion rider and Japanese trackwork expert - providing key support. australianturfclub+2

Stables and Facilities

Matthew operates a stable with 50 boxes at Warwick Farm racecourse in Sydney.

Key Jockey Partnerships

Significant jockey associations have been with Jay Ford, Blake Spriggs, Mitchell Bell, and Jeff Penza. More recently Ashley Morgan, Zac Lloyd, Ben Looker, and Pierre Boudvillain have been to the fore.

Major Wins

His first Group win came in 2008 with Krupt in the Todman Stakes, followed by his maiden Group 1 via Hurtle Myrtle in the 2011 Myer Classic. A standout performance was the hat-trick of Fierce Impact 2019-2020: Toorak Handicap, Kennedy Cantala Stakes, Makybe Diva Stakes (total stakes $3.3M). Nimalee secured the 2022 Queen of the Turf Stakeshis first Sydney Group 1. johntapp+2

Preparation Strategy

Drawing from O'Brien and Cummings, Matthew targets suitable races, wins with longshots, and prioritizes temperament and fitness for peak performance. His motto - "Luck is when Preparation Meets Opportunity" - guides placing horses strategically for optimal chances.

 Worth Noting: (5 Years results survey)

•     Superior results come from fresher horses, 1st up and especially 2nd up; has a 29% win rate with first time starters.
•    Strongest results in the 1400m to 1800m distance range.      
•   Does well when stepping up horses in grade (Field Strength +3 or more).
•    Positive when distance change from last start is +100 to +300 metres.

Matrix - day by day analysis for Monday and Tuesday racing

The tables show the results for the past eight weeks for the day on which racing occurred. So, today being Monday, this Matrix DOW (Day of Week) report covers the past eight Monday and Tuesday results. The day-after results are included so that they are available on race-eve, rather than only on race morning.

(The daily Matrix report aims to assist subscribers contain the number of bets to manageable proportions and improve the strike rate. The report is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am each day with an update at 12 noon.)

Wizard Freebie - Wizard Essentials report

The Wizard publishes on this page one of its Wizard reports or special features, either completely or a part thereof. Today it is a Wizard Essentials Wrat 4 report. The full report and all other reports for all meetings for today are available now for subscribers.

The Wizard Essentials report is a very useful resource, for key data that race handicappers need is at their fingertips. Included are the Wizard's four ratings assessments, each focusing on different time-proven ways of rating runners, and other key (likely) performance indicators, some of which are unique to the Wizard. For example, the Filter and Negatives assessments, the in-running (pace) insights, and form pattern stats (RFS).

 In addition to this Essentials WRat4 report there is also an Essentials Full-Field version available.

Click here for an explanation of the Wizard Essentials Report.

Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives results and Weekly Summary

We publish these full results daily so that subscribers can see the results of the Wizard's ratings options, and Report-content, and thereby formulate a selecting and betting strategy that suits them individually. The Wizard ratings should not be seen as "tips", rather as objective assessments that can be used to inform one's own judgement as to the relative chances of the runners in a race.

The full day-by-day results for Wizard (Wrat) top 4 rated runners, the Raceday Qualifier, and the Matrix (MaxR) 100 pointer, the MaxR top-two, the What-IF top-two Filtered, together with the Matrix W1+MaxR100 Selective qualifier, and the Matrix W1+*EO+MaxR100 Selective qualifier. Also included are the overall results for last week and the last four weeks. The 2024-2025 column shows the WRat results for the full racing season.

This results summary is colour coded so that it is easier for readers to track the relative performance of the Top Rated (blue) and Top-Two Rated (green) ratings options on a daily, and longer term, basis. The best overall qualifier (yellow) is highlighted. Also, the single runner options are grouped separately, as are the two-horse and multi-horse options results, again to make comparisons easier.

The following table shows last week's results of alternative options with respect to possible Matrix Selectives combinations, as well as weekly summaries. These combinations, which draw directly on the contributions of the Raceday and Magic reports, are accessible via the Wizard MATRIX report which is posted to our website around 10:30am, and updated at 12 noon, each day.

(Key: The first of the two columns for each Selective combination shows number of qualifying races and the second column shows the strike rate. Headings: RWM is Raceday,Watch,Magic,  RWM 2/3 means two or three qualifying, Rday is Raceday report qualifier, Magic is Magic report qualifier, R/M is Raceday and Magic, WR1 is Wrat 100, MR1 is MaxR 100.)

Some of the more notable double-figure winners last week that were top rated on WMod, WHcp, WExpk and/or top-rated (WRat-1) or rated second top (WRat-2):

The following table shows where the winner of each race run yesterday was rated by WRat, WMod, WHcp, and WExpk and was the qualifier in the Wizard Raceday Report. (Note: The Wrat [W] winner results report on both the top rated and top-two rated winners.) The Raceday Report winners under the Top Rated column are from those races where there was only one Raceday qualifier, and under the Top 2 Rated on the rare occasions where there were two qualifiers in a race.

Header: WMHER = WRat (W), WMod (M), WHcp (H), WExpk (E), Raceday (R).

For a full explanation of the table click: How to read the Wizard Ratings Results

BETTING ESSENTIALS - RG says:  "A book for everyone. No confusing words, all is clearly explained."

Warren Block's Daily Report - Monday, 6 April 2026

• Trainer-Jockey Combinations - Last 4 weeks - Profile of Matthew Smith (NEW)
• Matrix - day by day analysis for Monday and Tuesday racing
• Wizard Freebie - Wizard Essentials report
• Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives results and Weekly Summary

Trainer-Jockey Combinations - Last 4 weeks - Profile of Matthew Smith (NEW)

Each Monday I post a table showing the stables that have won at least 5 races over the previous 4 weeks and list the jockeys who rode at least one of those winners, as well as their total rides for the stable, during that period.

Identifying in-form and "outperforming" trainer-jockey combinations should be a key component of any form analysts race/horse assessment and this Wizard report can help you to identify these combinations.

Profile - Matthew Smith

The Jockey/Trainer combinations that are included are based on the following criteria: The Jockey/Trainer combination is listed when a jockey's record shows at least 2 wins when riding the Wizard top-rater, or at least 3 wins when riding the race favourite, or 4 wins if the runner is in the $2.00 to $5.90 odds range, for that stable. Also included are the overall percentage stats for the jockey when riding a Wizard top rater or race favourite, for any stable. Note that these stats cover the rider's results in all races, irrespective of location.

Matthew Smith was born and raised in Wangaratta, Victoria. His father Christopher was a Wangaratta Turf Club committee member and keen owner. In his mid-20s, Matthew gained global expertise, working with Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle in Ireland first as work-rider and rising to assistant trainer for 2.5 years, then Niall O'Callaghan in the US managing 30 horses, and finally as stable foreman for Bart Cummings in Australia for nearly five years. He launched his own stable in 2003, with wife Melissa - a former Sydney Royal champion rider and Japanese trackwork expert - providing key support. australianturfclub+2

Stables and Facilities

Matthew operates a stable with 50 boxes at Warwick Farm racecourse in Sydney.

Key Jockey Partnerships

Significant jockey associations have been with Jay Ford, Blake Spriggs, Mitchell Bell, and Jeff Penza. More recently Ashley Morgan, Zac Lloyd, Ben Looker, and Pierre Boudvillain have been to the fore.

Major Wins

His first Group win came in 2008 with Krupt in the Todman Stakes, followed by his maiden Group 1 via Hurtle Myrtle in the 2011 Myer Classic. A standout performance was the hat-trick of Fierce Impact 2019-2020: Toorak Handicap, Kennedy Cantala Stakes, Makybe Diva Stakes (total stakes $3.3M). Nimalee secured the 2022 Queen of the Turf Stakeshis first Sydney Group 1. johntapp+2

Preparation Strategy

Drawing from O'Brien and Cummings, Matthew targets suitable races, wins with longshots, and prioritizes temperament and fitness for peak performance. His motto - "Luck is when Preparation Meets Opportunity" - guides placing horses strategically for optimal chances.

 Worth Noting: (5 Years results survey)

•     Superior results come from fresher horses, 1st up and especially 2nd up; has a 29% win rate with first time starters.
•    Strongest results in the 1400m to 1800m distance range.      
•   Does well when stepping up horses in grade (Field Strength +3 or more).
•    Positive when distance change from last start is +100 to +300 metres.

Matrix - day by day analysis for Monday and Tuesday racing

The tables show the results for the past eight weeks for the day on which racing occurred. So, today being Monday, this Matrix DOW (Day of Week) report covers the past eight Monday and Tuesday results. The day-after results are included so that they are available on race-eve, rather than only on race morning.

(The daily Matrix report aims to assist subscribers contain the number of bets to manageable proportions and improve the strike rate. The report is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am each day with an update at 12 noon.)

Wizard Freebie - Wizard Essentials report

The Wizard publishes on this page one of its Wizard reports or special features, either completely or a part thereof. Today it is a Wizard Essentials Wrat 4 report. The full report and all other reports for all meetings for today are available now for subscribers.

The Wizard Essentials report is a very useful resource, for key data that race handicappers need is at their fingertips. Included are the Wizard's four ratings assessments, each focusing on different time-proven ways of rating runners, and other key (likely) performance indicators, some of which are unique to the Wizard. For example, the Filter and Negatives assessments, the in-running (pace) insights, and form pattern stats (RFS).

 In addition to this Essentials WRat4 report there is also an Essentials Full-Field version available.

Click here for an explanation of the Wizard Essentials Report.

Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives results and Weekly Summary

We publish these full results daily so that subscribers can see the results of the Wizard's ratings options, and Report-content, and thereby formulate a selecting and betting strategy that suits them individually. The Wizard ratings should not be seen as "tips", rather as objective assessments that can be used to inform one's own judgement as to the relative chances of the runners in a race.

The full day-by-day results for Wizard (Wrat) top 4 rated runners, the Raceday Qualifier, and the Matrix (MaxR) 100 pointer, the MaxR top-two, the What-IF top-two Filtered, together with the Matrix W1+MaxR100 Selective qualifier, and the Matrix W1+*EO+MaxR100 Selective qualifier. Also included are the overall results for last week and the last four weeks. The 2024-2025 column shows the WRat results for the full racing season.

This results summary is colour coded so that it is easier for readers to track the relative performance of the Top Rated (blue) and Top-Two Rated (green) ratings options on a daily, and longer term, basis. The best overall qualifier (yellow) is highlighted. Also, the single runner options are grouped separately, as are the two-horse and multi-horse options results, again to make comparisons easier.

The following table shows last week's results of alternative options with respect to possible Matrix Selectives combinations, as well as weekly summaries. These combinations, which draw directly on the contributions of the Raceday and Magic reports, are accessible via the Wizard MATRIX report which is posted to our website around 10:30am, and updated at 12 noon, each day.

(Key: The first of the two columns for each Selective combination shows number of qualifying races and the second column shows the strike rate. Headings: RWM is Raceday,Watch,Magic,  RWM 2/3 means two or three qualifying, Rday is Raceday report qualifier, Magic is Magic report qualifier, R/M is Raceday and Magic, WR1 is Wrat 100, MR1 is MaxR 100.)

Some of the more notable double-figure winners last week that were top rated on WMod, WHcp, WExpk and/or top-rated (WRat-1) or rated second top (WRat-2):

The following table shows where the winner of each race run yesterday was rated by WRat, WMod, WHcp, and WExpk and was the qualifier in the Wizard Raceday Report. (Note: The Wrat [W] winner results report on both the top rated and top-two rated winners.) The Raceday Report winners under the Top Rated column are from those races where there was only one Raceday qualifier, and under the Top 2 Rated on the rare occasions where there were two qualifiers in a race.

Header: WMHER = WRat (W), WMod (M), WHcp (H), WExpk (E), Raceday (R).

For a full explanation of the table click: How to read the Wizard Ratings Results

BETTING ESSENTIALS CS says: "It was refreshing to read Betting Essentials - you never stop learning."

Warren Block's Daily Report - Wednesday, 1 April 2026

• The "winningest" trainers report - SPOTLIGHT and SNAPSHOT on Nathan Doyle
• Wizard Freebie - Wizard Watch report
• Matrix - day by day analysis of Wednesday & Thursday racing
• Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives Results

Australia's "winningest" trainers last week - SPOTLIGHT and SNAPSHOT on Nathan Doyle

Here is the list of trainers who trained at least a double at any of the Tab meetings last week, along with the jockeys for who rode the winners. This table is colour coded to highlight the outperformers and it is worth noting these stables and the combinations.

A key factor to be considered in selection-making is the stable, and the trainer-jockey combination. The Wizard weekly "winningest" trainer report is a valuable guide as to which stable/trainer and jockey-trainer combination is currently in form.

To add to this weekly insight, we SPOTLIGHT a particular stable and post an in-depth coverage of its record with different riders, over an extended period. Also, there is the SNAPHOT PROFILE of a stable (via ChatGPT et al), which makes for some interesting reading.

Nathan Doyle is based in Newcastle. Born and raised in Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley, Nathan showed an early interest in horses, however there were no direct family racing ties - though a close friend of his father was a trainer. His professional path has been self-forged. bluebloodthoroughbreds+2

Early Career

Nathan first apprenticed as a boilermaker to please his parents before pivoting to racing. He set up his own stable in 2012 and in 2019 he launched Doyle Racing with partner Melina Gissing, who brings expertise from stints with Gai Waterhouse and Bart Cummings. Nathan personally honed skills over five years in Sydney with Paul and Peter Snowden as well as a stint as stable manager for Mark Newnham, absorbing top-tier knowledge. doyleracing+2

Stable Location

The stable started small in Scone before relocating to allow for an expansion to 30-40 horses in training. The Newcastle base supports scaling operations, with plans for more boxes to boost capacity. The location aids access to beaches for training and local racing, contributing to a 15-16% career win rate from over 2,000 starts and over 300 victories. doyleracing+3

Key Jockeys

Currently jockey Ashley Morgan shines brightest with the stable. Ashley partnered unbeaten star Private Harry to glory, including the $3m The Sunlight (Magic Millions, Sunshine Coast, 2025) and G1 The Galaxy (Rosehill, 2025) - five straight wins elevating both careers. instagram+5

Major Wins

The stable highlight has been Private Harry (Harry Angel), whose G1 Galaxy win marked the first Group 1 for Nathan, a life-changing moment. Rush Attack delivered Midway success at Rosehill, with three wins and three seconds from six post-stable starts. Career milestones include 300 winners by mid-2025, strong provincial hauls, and high strike rates. johntapp+6

Preparation Insights

Nathan emphasizes confidence in placements: "When we take a horse to the races, you know they have done everything to get the win." He judiciously targets suitable racese.g., keeping Rush Attack initially for Kempsey benchmarks - ensuring peak fitness via trials, freshens, and rhythm focus. Beach proximity aids conditioning; he scrutinizes conformations for power without breakdown risks. His stable often targets provincial and midweek metropolitan races where horses can build confidence and fitness before stepping into stronger company. This placement strategy, combined with careful conditioning, has allowed many of his horses to progress steadily through the grades. This approach results in consistent performances, win-lose-or-draw, and prioritizes horse welfare and optimal positioning over volume. johntapp+1 youtube bluebloodthoroughbreds+1

(If you would like to see a particular trainer profiled in SPOTLIGHT let me know via Everyrace Support contact.)

Wizard Freebie - Wizard Watch report

The aim of the Wizard Watch report is to highlight on race-morning which horses have been the most significant firmers overnight and earlier on race-morning. This Wizard freebie is an extract of this report featuring some of the venues being covered today. The full report is available with the other Wizard "market sensitive" reports at 10:30am each day.

Wizard monitors race morning market trends over the first 3 hours of race day betting to determine which horses are anticipated to run above earlier pre-post expectations and which horses have had their higher probabilities confirmed.

Given the significance of this early/informed market action, the odds about the Wizard Watch Morning Movers naturally skew towards the shorter odds, but this is compensated by the strike rate. Double figure odds about successful Market Movers are rare, but each-way odds winners are backable.

 Click here for an explanation of Wizard Watch.

Matrix - day by day analysis of Wednesday & Thursday racing

The tables show the results for the past eight weeks for the day on which racing occurred. So, today being Wednesday, this Matrix DOW (Day of Week) report covers the past eight Wednesday and Thursday results. The day-after results are included so that they are available on race-eve, rather than only on race morning.

(The daily Matrix report aims to assist subscribers contain the number of bets to manageable proportions and improve the strike rate. The report is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am each day with an update at 12 noon.)

Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives results

We publish these full results daily so that subscribers can see the results of the Wizard's ratings options, and Report-content, and thereby formulate a selecting and betting strategy that suits them individually. The Wizard ratings should not be seen as "tips", rather as objective assessments that can be used to inform one's own judgement as to the relative chances of the runners in a race.

The full day-by-day results for Wizard (Wrat) top 4 rated runners, the Raceday Qualifier, and the Matrix (MaxR) 100 pointer, the MaxR top-two, the What-IF top-two Filtered, together with the Matrix W1+MaxR100 Selective qualifier, and the Matrix W1+*EO+MaxR100 Selective qualifier. Also included are the overall results for last week and the last four weeks. The 2024-2025 column shows the WRat results for the full racing season.

This results summary is colour coded so that it is easier for readers to track the relative performance of the Top Rated (blue) and Top-Two Rated (green) ratings options on a daily, and longer term, basis. The best overall qualifier (yellow) is highlighted. Also, the single runner options are grouped separately, as are the two-horse and multi-horse options results, again to make comparisons easier.

The following table shows this week's results of alternative options with respect to possible Matrix Selectives combinations, as well as weekly summaries. These combinations are accessible via the Wizard MATRIX report which is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am each day.

(Key: The first of the two columns for each Selective combination shows number of qualifying races and the second column shows the strike rate. Headings: RWM is Raceday,Watch,Magic,  RWM 2/3 means two or three qualifying, Rday is Raceday report qualifier , Magic is Magic report qualifier, R/M is Raceday and Magic, WR1 is Wrat 100, MR1 is MaxR 100, Watch is a Watch report qualifier.)

The following table shows where the winner of each race run yesterday was rated by WRat, WMod, WHcp, and WExpk and was the qualifier in the Wizard Raceday Report. (Note: The Wrat [W] winner results report on both the top rated and top-two rated winners.) The Raceday Report winners under the Top Rated column are from those races where there was only one Raceday qualifier, and under the Top 2 Rated on the rare occasions where there were two qualifiers in a race.

Header: WMHER = WRat (W), WMod (M), WHcp (H), WExpk (E), Raceday (R).

For a full explanation of the table click: How to read the Wizard Ratings Results

BETTING ESSENTIALS KK says: "This is definitely what every serious punter needs - 5 stars."

Warren Block's Daily Report - Thursday, 2 April 2026

• BETTING ESSENTIALS - Results Update and Expansion (Part 1)
• Jockey-Trainer statistics - five states - five jockeys
• Matrix day-by-day results for Thursday and Friday racing
• Wizard Freebie - Wizard Magic Report
• Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives Results

Betting Essentials - Results Update and Expansion (Part 1)

There is a lot of statistical information in my book, Betting Essentials. Over time I will update and expand on some of this information via these Daily Reports. Today there is an updating of Wizard WRat stats and an historical coverage of various two-horse options now being reported on in this Daily Report.

When writing Betting Essentials, the focus was on the Wizard WRat ratings and that statistic was used when discussing the advantages delivered by the professional approach of backing more than one horse in a race - minimizing losing runs, limiting drawdowns, and maintaining confidence in a preferred selecting and betting strategy.

As I am now publishing daily the results of various two-horse options, it is appropriate that an historical perspective be available. The period covered in this article is the current season - August to March - exactly 8 months and in that period Wizard rated 9,750 races.

The overall results are:

Breaking the figures down to enable a month by month comparison we have:

Tomorrow, in this Daily Report, I will discuss these results in some detail.

Jockey-Trainer statistics - five states - five jockeys

Today, jockeys in each of the five mainland states who are prominent in the 2025-2026  metropolitan premiership, with the stats covering the past two years.

The Jockey/Trainer combinations that are included here are based on the following criteria: The Jockey/Trainer combination is listed when a jockey's record shows at least 2 wins when riding the Wizard top-rater, or at least 3 wins when riding the race favourite, or 4 wins if the runner is in the $2.00 to $5.90 odds range, for that stable. Also included are the overall percentage stats for the jockey when riding a Wizard top rater or race favourite, for any stable. Note, that these stats cover the rider's results in all races, irrespective of location.

Matrix day-by-day results for Thursday and Friday racing

The tables show the results for the past eight weeks for the day on which racing occurred. So, today being Thursday, this Matrix DOW (Day of Week) report covers the past eight Thursday and Friday results. The day-after results are included so that they are available on race-eve, rather than only on race morning.

(The daily Matrix report aims to assist subscribers contain the number of bets to manageable proportions and improve the strike rate. The report is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am each day with an update at 12 noon.)

Wizard Freebie - Wizard Magic Report

The Wizard publishes on this page one of its Wizard reports or special features, either completely or a part thereof. Today, a Wizard Magic (abridged) Report. The full report and all other reports for all meetings for today are available now for subscribers

The Magic report is an important component of the Wizard's uniquely successful race-morning MATRIX report whose Selectives consistently outperform traditional rating methodologies.

Click here for an explanation of the Wizard Magic report.

Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives results

We publish these full results daily so that subscribers can see the results of the Wizard's ratings options, and Report-content, and thereby formulate a selecting and betting strategy that suits them individually. The Wizard ratings should not be seen as "tips", rather as objective assessments that can be used to inform one's own judgement as to the relative chances of the runners in a race.

The full day-by-day results for Wizard (Wrat) top 4 rated runners, the Raceday Qualifier, and the Matrix (MaxR) 100 pointer, the MaxR top-two, the What-IF top-two Filtered, together with the Matrix W1+MaxR100 Selective qualifier, and the Matrix W1+*EO+MaxR100 Selective qualifier. Also included are the overall results for last week and the last four weeks. The 2024-2025 column shows the WRat results for the full racing season.

This results summary is colour coded so that it is easier for readers to track the relative performance of the Top Rated (blue) and Top-Two Rated (green) ratings options on a daily, and longer term, basis. The best overall qualifier (yellow) is highlighted. Also, the single runner options are grouped separately, as are the two-horse and multi-horse options results, again to make comparisons easier.

The following table shows this week's results of alternative options with respect to possible Matrix Selectives combinations, as well as weekly summaries. These combinations are accessible via the Wizard MATRIX report which is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am each day.

(Key: The first of the two columns for each Selective combination shows number of qualifying races and the second column shows the strike rate. Headings: RWM is Raceday,Watch,Magic,  RWM 2/3 means two or three qualifying, Rday is Raceday report qualifier , Magic is Magic report qualifier, R/M is Raceday and Magic, WR1 is Wrat 100, MR1 is MaxR 100.)

The following table shows where the winner of each race run yesterday was rated by WRat, WMod, WHcp, and WExpk and was the qualifier in the Wizard Raceday Report. (Note: The Wrat [W] winner results report on both the top rated and top-two rated winners.) The Raceday Report winners under the Top Rated column are from those races where there was only one Raceday qualifier, and under the Top 2 Rated on the rare occasions where there were two qualifiers in a race.

Header: WMHER = WRat (W), WMod (M), WHcp (H), WExpk (E), Raceday (R).

For a full explanation of the table click: How to read the Wizard Ratings Results

BETTING ESSENTIALS - AP says: "Betting Essentials is exactly right for me and my approach."

Warren Block's Daily Report - Friday, 3 April 2026

• Betting Essentials - Results Update and Expansion (Part 2)
• Jockey-Trainer provincial statistics - five states - SNAPSHOT profile Teo Nugent
• Matrix day-by-day results for Friday and Saturday racing
• Wizard Freebie - The Wizard Matrix Report
• Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives Results

IMPORTANT - What-IF race morning update now posted at 10:30am - was 9:30am - allows for more complete scratchings update.

Betting Essentials - Results Update and Expansion (Part 2)

Since the Wizard formguide website/service was redeveloped in late 2023, additional information has been incorporated into the Wizard's reports - Essentials, Raceday, Watch, Magic, Matrix and What-IF.

 In the Daily Report the day-by-day results of various wagering options are detailed, focusing on the two key Wizard ratings - the time-honoured Wizard rating (WRat), and the new Wizard Matrix rating (MaxR).

 A summary of these results for the current season follows.

The overall results are:

Breaking the figures down to enable a month-by-month comparison we have:

Getting the most out of the Wizard is made easier if one understands what each of these ratings options seeks to "measure".

The WRat assessment is a relative weight assessment which is adjusted to reflect a number of factors in addition to the inherit ability of the horse, the major ones being:

• form cycle (improvement, peak/plateau, deterioration)
• distance ability
• fitness (days since last run)
• form pattern (runs from spell)
• consistency
• trainer
• jockey

So, WRat is a rating that focuses solely on the fundamentals of horse race assessment.

The Wizard Matrix rating (MaxR) casts its net wider and brings into the ratings assessment an adjustment which reflects betting market movements, overnight and early on race morning, in addition to the WRat's traditional factors.

One impact of these differing ratings approaches is on the odds profile of the top rated runners of each methodology. Because the WRat is based on fundamentals and ignores current market information the odds range of the top two rated WRat horse tends to be wider than that of the top two MaxR rated runners that do reflect market sentiment.

In particular, it is worth noting that the WRat second top rater can deliver double figure odds winners, even up to 50/1. This is an important factor when it comes to betting bank building, and recovery during a drawdown period.

On the other hand, the MaxR rated runners whilst they tend to be at shorter odds, overall they outperform WRat in terms of win percentage, which is a key factor in determining the length and impact of losing runs.

Tomorrow, this discussion will continue.

Jockey-Trainer provincial statistics - five states - SNAPSHOT profile Teo Nugent

Today, jockeys in each of the five mainland states who are currently prominent in their state 2025-2026 provincial premiership, with the stats covering the past two years. Note, however, that these stats cover the rider's results in all races, irrespective of location.

The Jockey/Trainer combinations that are included are based on the following criteria: The Jockey/Trainer combination is listed when a jockey's record shows at least 2 wins when riding the Wizard top-rater, or at least 3 wins when riding the race favourite, or 4 wins if the runner is in the $2.00 to $5.90 odds range, for that stable. Also included are the overall percentage stats for the jockey when riding a Wizard top rater or race favourite, for any stable.

To add to this weekly insight, here is a Snapshot Profile of Teo Nugent (via ChatGPT et al) which makes for some interesting reading.

Teo Nugent is based primarily in Victoria and has enjoyed success in both country and metropolitan racing. Born and raised in Warrnambool, Victoria, he grew up immersed in racing through his family; his father, John, trained jumpers, there was a connection early to Ciaron Maher, and his mother was a jockey. His career has not been without setbacks, including a serious race fall in 2023 that required hospitalisation. ttrausnz+2

Early Background

Teo's passion ignited at 15-16, helping his parents after school before committing fully. He worked for local trainer Quinton Scott, balancing Year 10-11 school until quitting mid-Year 11 for full-time stable duties with 20 horses. To professionalize, he spent 10 months in Ireland's RACE academy, riding for trainer Michael Halford. Returning at 18, he apprenticed to Ciaron Maher and David Eustace at Caulfield. He made his race-riding debut at Casterton in September 2017. racing+1

Riding Locations

Teo rides mainly in Victoria, is highly regarded, and is currently third the 2025-2026 provincial/country premiership with 59 wins.

Key Trainer Partnerships

A significant relationship is with Ciaron Maher, starting via family links, which has yielded stakes race opportunities. His workload across Victorian stables ensures consistent success. He has built a reputation as a tireless rider willing to travel significant distances in pursuit of rides and winners. This work ethic has helped him maintain a consistent book of rides and develop strong relationships with a wide range of trainers. ttrausnz+2

Major Wins

In terms of major achievements, his first stakes success was aboard Grandview Avenue in the Listed Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley. The breakthrough win was his 2021 Group 1 Oakleigh Plate dead-heat on Portland Sky (Matt Laurie). magicmillions+6

Matrix day-by-day results for Friday and Saturday racing

The tables show the results for the past eight weeks for the day on which racing occurred. So, today being Friday, this Matrix DOW (Day of Week) report covers the past eight Friday and Saturday results. The day-after results are included so that they are available on race-eve, rather than only on race morning.

(The daily Matrix report aims to assist subscribers contain the number of bets to manageable proportions and improve the strike rate. The report is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am each day with an update at 12 noon.)

Wizard Freebie - The Wizard Matrix Report

The Wizard publishes on this page one of its Wizard reports or special features, either completely or a part thereof. Today, a Wizard Matrix (First Four) Report for one meeting. The full report and all other reports for all meetings for today are available now for subscribers

The Wizard Matrix report aims to assist subscribers contain the number of bets to manageable proportions and improve the strike rate.

 Click here for an explanation of the Wizard Matrix report.

Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives results

We publish these full results daily so that subscribers can see the results of the Wizard's ratings options, and Report-content, and thereby formulate a selecting and betting strategy that suits them individually. The Wizard ratings should not be seen as "tips", rather as objective assessments that can be used to inform one's own judgement as to the relative chances of the runners in a race.

The full day-by-day results for Wizard (Wrat) top 4 rated runners, the Raceday Qualifier, and the Matrix (MaxR) 100 pointer, the MaxR top-two, the What-IF top-two Filtered, together with the Matrix W1+MaxR100 Selective qualifier, and the Matrix W1+*EO+MaxR100 Selective qualifier. Also included are the overall results for last week and the last four weeks. The 2024-2025 column shows the WRat results for the full racing season.

This results summary is colour coded so that it is easier for readers to track the relative performance of the Top Rated (blue) and Top-Two Rated (green) ratings options on a daily, and longer term, basis. The best overall qualifier (yellow) is highlighted. Also, the single runner options are grouped separately, as are the two-horse and multi-horse options results, again to make comparisons easier.

The following table shows this week's results of alternative options with respect to possible Matrix Selectives combinations, as well as weekly summaries. These combinations are accessible via the Wizard MATRIX report which is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am each day.

(Key: The first of the two columns for each Selective combination shows number of qualifying races and the second column shows the strike rate. Headings: RWM is Raceday,Watch,Magic,  RWM 2/3 means two or three qualifying, Rday is Raceday report qualifier , Magic is Magic report qualifier, R/M is Raceday and Magic, WR1 is Wrat 100, MR1 is MaxR 100.)

The following table shows where the winner of each race run yesterday was rated by WRat, WMod, WHcp, and WExpk and was the qualifier in the Wizard Raceday Report. (Note: The Wrat [W] winner results report on both the top rated and top-two rated winners.) The Raceday Report winners under the Top Rated column are from those races where there was only one Raceday qualifier, and under the Top 2 Rated on the rare occasions where there were two qualifiers in a race.

Header: WMHER = WRat (W), WMod (M), WHcp (H), WExpk (E), Raceday (R).

For a full explanation of the table click: How to read the Wizard Ratings Results

BETTING ESSENTIALS - GT says: "There are many different angles and there is so much information."

Warren Block's Daily Report - Saturday, 4 April 2026

• Betting Essentials - Results Update and Expansion (Part 3)
• Wizard Freebie - Wizard What-IF Report Updated now at 10:30am
• Matrix day-by-day results for Saturday and Sunday racing
• Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives Results

 IMPORTANT - What-IF race morning update now posted at 10:30am - was 9:30am - allows for more complete scratchings update.

Betting Essentials - Results Update and Expansion (Part 3)

In Part 2 of this series I discussed using either the Wizard WRat rating or the Wizard MaxR rating with a focus on backing two runners in a race, and treating those transactions as a single bet.

The differing impact is a consequence of the odds profile of the top rated runners of each methodology. Because the WRat is based on fundamentals and ignores current market information the odds range of the top two rated WRat horses tends to be wider than that of the top two MaxR rated runners that reflect market sentiment.

First, looking at win strike rates of some Wizard-based two-horse options.

The first four options are currently reported on daily. The bottom two are what happens when the two Wizard Selectives options are paired with the Wizard WRat 2 runner, effectively as a single wager, as described in Betting Essentials. The difference in win strike rate is significant.

A second consideration centres on which horse to pair with a Top Rater. The obvious contender is the Wrat 2 runner. However, an alternative higher risk/reward option might be the Wizard Expected Park top rater as the "back-up" runner.

In the Big Odds weekly summary of results published in this report every Monday it is not uncommon to see WRat second top raters deliver double figure odds winners, even up to 50/1. What is also true is that there are even longer odds winners that have been top-rated by the Wizard Expected Peak rating (WExpk).

Last week, for example, the longer odds WExpk winners were:

The differential resulting from longer odds winners is relevant when it comes to betting bank building and recovery during a drawdown period.

Tomorrow, this discussion will continue.

Wizard Freebie - Wizard What-IF Report

The Wizard What-IF report has more than one application. It can help to identify the horse/s best suited in a race and possessing the more reliable form. Also, it can help to differentiate between races that represent a positive betting opportunity from those whose fields are below par in terms of the revealed form. The What-IF report is available with the first upload of Wizard's race files and is then updated on race morning

The What-IF report profiles the six top rated Wizard WRat runners in each race. The data in the report shows the record of each horse when it started at 10/1 or less, and/or won at longer odds, in a race in the distance range.

In terms of horse suitability, What-IF focuses on fitness and form. It does this through indicators that are relevant to these form factors. With respect to reliability, included in the FITNESS FORM category are each runner's Wizard Filter and Negatives scores. As these scores are determined by the record of the horse when running under similar conditions, they are a particularly relevant indicator of how well, and how consistently, it has performed over time. The higher the number, the better the score, with a Filter score of +7 being a genuinely positive assessment in terms of runner reliability.

The lower section of the What-IF report addresses the issue of uncertainty, by considering a range of "unknown" factors, and how versatile the runner is, and how adaptable it is likely to be under different race conditions.

For selective bettors a suggested approach is to concentrate on those races where one of the top two WRat runners has a Filter score of +7 or more and the other has a score of zero or better (not negative). This approach means the focus is on only those races where the top two rated runners are assessed as suitably placed and reliable. This approach aims to reduce the degree of risk and uncertainty when choosing races as possible wagering opportunities and deciding on final selections.

An extract from one of today's meetings:

Click here or a full explanation of the Wizard What-If report.

Matrix day-by-day results for Saturday and Sunday racing

The tables show the results for the past eight weeks for the day on which racing occurred. So, today being Saturday, this Matrix DOW (Day of Week) report covers the past eight Saturday and Sunday results. The day-after results are included so that they are available on race-eve, rather than only on race morning.

(The daily Matrix report aims to assist subscribers contain the number of bets to manageable proportions and improve the strike rate. The report is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am each day with an update at 12 noon.)

Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives results

We publish these full results daily so that subscribers can see the results of the Wizard's ratings options, and Report-content, and thereby formulate a selecting and betting strategy that suits them individually. The Wizard ratings should not be seen as "tips", rather as objective assessments that can be used to inform one's own judgement as to the relative chances of the runners in a race.

The full day-by-day results for Wizard (Wrat) top 4 rated runners, the Raceday Qualifier, and the Matrix (MaxR) 100 pointer, the MaxR top-two, the What-IF top-two Filtered, together with the Matrix W1+MaxR100 Selective qualifier, and the Matrix W1+*EO+MaxR100 Selective qualifier. Also included are the overall results for last week and the last four weeks. The 2024-2025 column shows the WRat results for the full racing season.

This results summary is colour coded so that it is easier for readers to track the relative performance of the Top Rated (blue) and Top-Two Rated (green) ratings options on a daily, and longer term, basis. The best overall qualifier (yellow) is highlighted. Also, the single runner options are grouped separately, as are the two-horse and multi-horse options results, again to make comparisons easier.

The following table shows this week's results of alternative options with respect to possible Matrix Selectives combinations, as well as weekly summaries. These combinations are accessible via the Wizard MATRIX report which is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am each day.

(Key: The first of the two columns for each Selective combination shows number of qualifying races and the second column shows the strike rate. Headings: RWM is Raceday,Watch,Magic,  RWM 2/3 means two or three qualifying, Rday is Raceday report qualifier , Magic is Magic report qualifier, R/M is Raceday and Magic, WR1 is Wrat 100, MR1 is MaxR 100.)

The following table shows where the winner of each race run yesterday was rated by WRat, WMod, WHcp, and WExpk and was the qualifier in the Wizard Raceday Report. (Note: The Wrat [W] winner results report on both the top rated and top-two rated winners.) The Raceday Report winners under the Top Rated column are from those races where there was only one Raceday qualifier, and under the Top 2 Rated on the rare occasions where there were two qualifiers in a race.

Header: WMHER = WRat (W), WMod (M), WHcp (H), WExpk (E), Raceday (R).

For a full explanation of the table click: How to read the Wizard Ratings Results