Trap Six Tommy — The Dog Track

Who I am

Most dog races are won or lost before the first bend. I just watch who gets there first.— Tommy, forty years at the rail

Name TommyWas Racing manager, three London tracksStands First bend, always

Forty years I've stood by the first bend. Racing manager at three London tracks, and I watched every one of them close. Grading the dogs, drawing the traps, arguing with trainers over a stopwatch at eleven o'clock at night.

Grading teaches you the lot. You put six dogs in a race so it's fair on paper, then you watch it go wrong at the bend, every night, for years. Who breaks sharp. Who dives for the rail. Who runs wide and takes two with him.

Now I do the other side of it. Two cards a day, afternoon and evening, and you get the dogs I'd back myself. Two a session at most. Win only — a dog race is over in thirty seconds, and I'm not paying for places.

What I won't touch: crowded races with three quick dogs drawn side by side, dogs I've got no times for, and anything I can't explain in three lines. If nothing's right, you get nothing — and I tell you why.

— Tommy

A day at the track

Two cards. Two emails.

Time	What's happening	Status
09.30	Afternoon cards outEvery British meeting. Traps, grades, recent times, who's quick away.	READING
10.30	Reserves and non-runnersOne dog out and the whole run to the bend changes. Checked every time.	CHECKING
11.15	Afternoon emailUp to two dogs, win only, with the price and the reason. Sometimes none.	SENT
16.00	Evening cardsSame again for the evening meetings. Fresh eyes, fresh card.	READING
17.15	Evening emailUp to two more dogs, before the evening racing gets going.	SENT
Late	Under the lightsEvery dog settled in the open, win or lose.	SETTLED

The method, explained

Traps, bends and early pace.

A dog race takes about thirty seconds, and most of it is settled in the first five. I read every race the same way: who's quick out of the box, where they want to run, and whether they'll get a clear passage round the bend. Here's a made-up race, read the way I read it.

Traps openEarly paceFirst bend

Bend

Railer, quick away — clear run inside. My sort.

Slow away. Out of it early.

Bump zoneQuick, runs middle…

…quick, runs middle…

…and quick too. Someone gets bumped.

Wide runner, drawn wide. Happy out there.

Bar length = how quick away. Example only — invented race, no real dogs.

Early pace

The dog that leads into the first bend wins a lot of dog races. Its early times tell you if it can — not its finishing times.

Draw v running style

Railers want trap one or two. Wide runners want five or six. A wide runner drawn on the rail is trouble for everybody.

The grade

Dogs are graded by ability. A quick-away dog dropping a grade is my favourite bet of all.

How I pick

Four rules. Read the card.

Tommy's card · house rules
Rule	What it means	Why
1	Pace to the bend I want the dog that leads into the first bend, or the one that gets a clear run round it.	Most races are decided there.
2	Draw must suit Railers low, wide runners high. The wrong trap and I pass.	Crossing over costs lengths.
3	Crowded? Walk away Three quick dogs side by side means somebody gets bumped. I leave those races alone.	Nobody can call a scrimmage.
4	Two dogs, tops Nought to two a session, win only, one or two points. One dog a race.	Fewer, better bets.

A worked example

What lands in your inbox — and what it pays.

Example only · not a tip · no result claimed

DOCKSIDE DUCHESS

7.42 · A4 · 480m · 1 point win @ 7/2

Quick away and a proper railer. Drawn in one, she should be first to the bend with the rest of them fighting for room outside her. Down from A3, where she wasn't disgraced.

What worries me: trap three has pace as well. If he breaks level, she gets squeezed on the run-up.

Made-up dog, made-up race. It shows the format, nothing more.

How a win bet pays

Win only, so it's simple. One point on at 7/2.

She wins4.5 pts back · +3.5

She doesn'tnothing back · −1

At 7/2 a dog has to win about two races in every nine just to break even. Plenty of good bets get beat. That's dog racing.

What you get

The full card.

11.15

Afternoon email

Around quarter past eleven, for the afternoon meetings.

17.15

Evening email

Around quarter past five, for the evening meetings.

0–2

Dogs a session

Dog, track, race time, trap, the price to take and the stake.

WIN

Win only

No each way, no forecasts, no trebles. One bet on one dog.

WHY

The reasoning

Two or three lines a dog — trap, pace, bend — and what worries me.

Blank sessions

No dog worth backing, no dog sent. You get told why.

Questions

Asked at the rail.

When do the emails arrive?: Around 11.15am and 5.15pm, to the email you use at checkout. Not there? Check spam once and mark it safe.
What's a point? How much should I stake?: A point is whatever unit you pick — £1, £5, £10. Choose an amount you're fine losing on any bet, and keep it the same every time.
Which bookmaker? What if the price moves?: Any you like. I give the price I can see when I write. Dog prices move fast; if it's gone a lot shorter, use your head — I'd rather you left it than took a price I wouldn't.
What happens on a no-bet session?: You get a short note saying so, and why. I don't send a dog just to fill the email.
Why is the first month £9.99?: It's an introductory price for new members, once per person. After that it's £35 every 28 days, cancel any time.
How do I cancel?: Any time, from your PayPal account. No notice, no questions.
Is there a record?: It starts from day one. Every dog goes up with its price and stake and is settled in the open, win or lose.

Get on

£9.99 first month (once per person), then £35 every 28 days · cancel any time

Get on — £9.99

Secure checkout by PayPal · debit or credit card

My record starts from day one. Every bet is published and settled in the open, win or lose. Nothing is hidden and nothing is added afterwards.