home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Media Share 9
/
MEDIASHARE_09.ISO
/
misc
/
cgreyh45.zip
/
HOUNDS45.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1994-01-03
|
92KB
|
2,242 lines
Federal Hill Software Presents
XXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXXX XX XX XX XX XXXXX XX XX XX XX XXXXX
XX X XX XX XX X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXX XX XX XXX
XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXX XX XX XX
XX XXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXX XX XX XX XX XXXXXXX XX XX
XX XXX XXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXX XX XX
XX XX XX XX XX X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXX XX XXX
XXXXX XXX XX XXXXXXX XXXX XX XX XXXXX XXXX XX XX XXXXX
The Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper
User-Supported Version 4.5
(C)1993, 1994 by Leonard Hyre and Michael J. Himowitz
Distributed by Federal Hill Software
3722 Greenway Lane, P.O. Box 765
Owings Mills, MD 21117
Info: 410-356-5592
Toll Free Orders: 1-800-846-4319
The Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4.5
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 What's New In Version 4.5 . . . . . . . . 1
1.3 About Shareware . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.3.1 The Enhanced Greyhound Handicapper
4.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.3.2 The CUSTOM Handicapper . . . . . . . 3
1.3.3 The Right Handicapper for You? . . . 4
1.3.4 Ordering Your Program . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 Making Copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.5 The Cambridge Handicapper Files . . . . . 5
2 Installing the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.1 Hard Disk Installation . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.2 Floppy Disk Installation . . . . . . . . . 6
3 Running the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.1 From a Hard Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.2 From a Floppy Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4 About Handicapping Systems . . . . . . . . . . 8
5 The Information You Need . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6 Handicapping Principles . . . . . . . . . . . 10
6.1 When to Bet on a Race . . . . . . . . . 10
6.2 Eliminate Bad Dogs . . . . . . . . . . 12
7 The Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
8 The Handicapping Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
9 Starting a New Race . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
9.1 Filling in the Race Form . . . . . . . . 15
9.2 Race Information . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
10 The Handicapping Form . . . . . . . . . . . 17
10.1 How to Fill Out the Handicapping Form . 17
10.2 Handicapping Form Information . . . . . 18
10.3 When You're Finished with the Form . . 20
10.3.1 The Rating Display . . . . . . . . 21
11 The Handicapping List . . . . . . . . . . . 21
11.1 What the Columns Mean . . . . . . . . 22
11.2 Using the Handicapping List . . . . . . 23
11.2.1 View/Update Entry . . . . . . . . 24
11.2.2 Delete Entry . . . . . . . . . . . 24
11.2.3 Return to Menu . . . . . . . . . . 24
11.3 What Do The Scores Mean? . . . . . . . 24
12 How to Bet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
12.1 Exotic Wagers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
12.2 Loading the Demonstration Race . . . . 26
13 How to Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
13.1 Special Price Offer . . . . . . . . . . 27
i
14 The Registration Form . . . . . . . . . . . 27
14.1 Name and Address . . . . . . . . . . . 27
14.2 Type of Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
14.3 Type of Payment . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
14.4 Card Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
14.5 Expiration Date . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
14.6 Program List . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
14.7 When You're Through . . . . . . . . . . 28
14.8 Toll Free Order Line . . . . . . . . . 29
15 Federal Hill Software Catalog . . . . . . . 30
The Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4.5 . . . 30
The Custom Handicapper for Greyhounds . . . . 31
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 4.5 . 31
The Custom Handicapper for Thoroughbreds . . 32
The Cambridge Harness Handicapper . . . . . . 33
Video Blakjak! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Baseball Statpak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
16 License and Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
ii
The Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper
User-Supported Version 4.5
(C)1993, 1994 By Leonard Hyre and Michael J. Himowitz
Distributed by Federal Hill Software
3722 Greenway Lane
P.O. Box 765
Owings Mills, Md. 21117
Information: 410-356-5592
Toll Free Orders: 1-800-846-4319
1 Introduction
The Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4.5 is a powerful,
sophisticated tool that will allow you to handicap Greyhound
races quickly and easily. It's not a magic, get-rich-quick
scheme. But if you follow these instructions, impose some
discipline and use the handicapper wisely, you should be able to
improve your performance at the track and make money in the
process.
The Cambridge Handicapper is easy to use. All the
information you need is available in the race track program,
which is usually available the day before the race. Just fill out
a simple on-screen handicapping form for each dog in a race and
the program will assign a score to that dog. The higher the
score, the more likely the dog is to win. With a little practice,
you'll be able to handicap a race in a few minutes and a whole
card in less than an hour.
1.1 System Requirements
The Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper will run on any IBM-
compatible computer with 384K of memory and any IBM-compatible
video display. The program can be run from a single 360K floppy
drive.
1.2 What's New In Version 4.5
Version 4 contains several enhancements that will make your
handicapping even easier and more accurate. If you're updating
from earlier versions, the new features include:
* Point-and-Shoot Updating. We've improved the user
interface of the program to provide scrolling displays of
and handicapping results and the ability to update or
correct a dog's handicapping data at any time. You can add
or delete a dog at any time, too.
* Sex and Weight factors. The program will now ask for the
sex and weight of each dog. Because not all handicappers
want to use those factors, the program will now produce
two ratings for each dog. The first will include sex and
weight factors. The second does not include sex and
weight.
* Improved Formulas. We've combed our formulas from top to
bottom, making changes that will improve performance. In
particular, we've improved our comparisons of
inside/outside running tendencies with the box from which
the dog is running -- a key handicapping factor. The
scoring formulas also now follow the same internal logic
as the scoring engine in our Custom Handicapper (See
Below).
* Demo Race. The User-Supported version of Greyhound 4.5 now
includes a demonstration race file that can be loaded and
used for practice or study to determine the effects of
different factors on scoring.
1.3 About Shareware
The Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper is distributed on a
Shareware, or User-Supported basis. It's not free software. Under
the shareware principle, users get a chance to try software
before they buy it. If you like the Cambridge Greyhound
Handicapper and use it, you should register the program.
There are two types of registration. You can register and
receive the ENHANCED Version, with many additional features that
will make your handicapping easier and more fun. Or, you have the
opotion of ordering our CUSTOM handicapper, which allows you to
modify our handicapping factors and scoring to create your own
handicapping system.
1.3.1 The Enhanced Greyhound Handicapper 4.5
The ENHANCED Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4.5 includes
these additional features:
* Save/Recall. You can save any race to disk and recall it
instantly to add, change or delete dogs. This is great for
correcting mistakes and dealing with late scratches,
jockey switches and other changes.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 2
* Full Printed Reports. Get a detailed handicapping report
for each dog, as well as a summary showing the ratings of
each dog, layoff, estimated odds, distance changes and
shipper status.
* The WagerMaster. This popular utility will show you
estimated payoffs of all combinations of Win, Place and
Show Bets at a wide variety of odds, as well as key bets
for Daily Doubles, Exactas and Trifectas. Combined with
our handicapping formulas, it will help you make the right
wagering decision.
* Enhanced Manual. Handicapping dogs is only half the
battle. Knowing how the system works and how to handle
your money can be just as important. Our Enhanced manual
includes an eye-opening tutorial on parimutuel wagering,
as well a system for managing your money to maximize your
winnings and minimize your losses.
* The Enhanced Handicapper Registration Fee is $30.00.
1.3.2 The CUSTOM Handicapper
The new CUSTOM Handicapper is the most powerful and flexible
grehound analysis tool on the market because it lets you put your
knowledge and experience to work for you.
Both programs start with same proven handicapping formulas,
and out of the box, they'll give you exactly the same results.
Both programs include our WagerMaster betting software and an
enhanced manual. But the CUSTOM handicapper goes a step further.
* You can modify the scoring of each of our handicapping
factors. If you think we give too much weight, or too
little weight to the dog's time, you can modify it. If
your track gives an edge to the dogs running from certain
box, you can make that edge part of your scoring. If you
want to use an average of times for the last four races,
you can do it, or stick with the time of the last race
alone. In short, you can modify anything and everything.
* Add handicapping factors of your own! After using our
handicapper, you may decide that we forgot something
important. You might want to incorporate a third-party's
ratings, or make a change up or down if a dog suddenly
gains or loses weight. The CUSTOM handicapper allows you
to add up to SIX factors of your own and score them any
way you like. When you fill out the handicapping form for
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 3
each dog, those factors will automatically appear on your
screen!
* You can tweak our handicapping system a bit to suit your
track, or create a new system from scratch. And you don't
have to be a rocket scientist to do it. Just fill out some
simple, on-screen forms. Our manual takes you through the
process step by step.
* When you're through, you can save your handicapping system
to disk. Create multiple systems for different tracks,
conditions and seasons. And you can apply ANY handicapping
system to ANY race you've stored on disk. That means you
can twiddle and tweak your handicapping system using races
whose results you know -- without risking an additional
penny at the track.
* The registration fee for the CUSTOM Handicapper is $75.
1.3.3 The Right Handicapper for You?
Which is the right registered version for you? It's really a
matter of personal style.
If you go to the track occasionally and you're looking for a
reliable, proven handicapping tool that will give you an edge
without requiring you to spend three days in front of a
calculator, Greyhound 4.5 will probably do just fine. With
thousands of satisfied users, it's a tried-and-true system that
will help make you a winner.
If you're an experienced handicapper and have always wanted
a program you could modify to suit your particular skills and
approach, the CUSTOM Handicapper is for you. We know of no other
handicapping program on the market that offers this much
flexibility at this price -- or at any price!
1.3.4 Ordering Your Program
We've made it as easy as possible to register your program.
You can fill in an on-screen registration form and send it to
your printer, or fill in the form at the back of this manual. If
you'd like to order by phone, the number of our TOLL-FREE Order
line is 1-800-846-4319.
We've also included a catalog of our fine programs, and you
can order any or all of them. If you order more than one program,
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 4
pay the full price for the first program and take $10 off the
price of each additional program.
1.4 Making Copies
You are authorized to make as many copies of this program as
you like and share them freely. That's the whole shareware idea.
Give the program to your friends and post it on your local
bulletin board. Shareware distributors are free to include the
programs in their catalogs. The only restrictions are that you
may not modify the program, support files or documentation in any
way, and you must include all the files listed on Page 5.
All versions of The Cambridge Handicappers are copyrighted
by the authors and remain their intellectual property, protected
by U.S. and international copyright laws.
You should use the disk on which you received your Greyhound
Handicapper only once: to make one or more working copies. Then
put the original away in a safe, dry place.
1.5 The Cambridge Handicapper Files
The Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper is composed of the
following files. The files marked with asterisks must be on the
disk or the hard disk directory from which the program is
launched. They are as follows:
HOUNDS45.BAT* The batch file that starts the program.
H45SW.EXE* The handicapper program.
NEWREGGR.EXE* The registration form.
H45SW.PAK* The screen files used by the program.
SPEEDSCR.COM* A memory resident screen driver.
HOUNDS45.DOC Instructions for the use of the program.
CAP.CFG* Configuration file for monitor
Y930823E.RA2* Sample Race File
PRINTME.BAT Batch file to print manual.
HINSTALL.BAT Batch file to install on hard disk.
FINSTALL.BAT Batch file to install on floppy disk.
README.COM File containing last-minute instructions.
If you want to install the program manually, just copy the
marked files to a floppy disk, or to a hard disk directory you've
set up for the program. If the program was archived using PKZIP,
PKARC, LHARC or some other compression program, you can
decompress the archive onto a floppy disk or into a hard disk
directory and you're ready to run. If the program came to you
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 5
unarchived on a floppy disk, you can use our automatic
installation programs (see next section).
2 Installing the Program
Before you do anything else, make a copy of the handicapper
disk you received and work from the copy. Put the original away
in a safe place. You can copy the disk by using the DOS DISKCOPY
command or by copying the files individually to a formatted disk.
2.1 Hard Disk Installation
To install the program on a hard disk, do the following:
1. Put your handicapper disk in Drive A.
2. Type A: and hit ENTER.
3. Type HINSTALL DRIVE: and hit ENTER, where DRIVE: is the
letter standing for the hard drive on which you're
installing the program. For example, to install the
program on Drive C, you'd type HINSTALL C: and hit ENTER.
4. The installation program will create a directory called
\HOUNDSW on your hard disk and copy all the files to that
directory.
2.2 Floppy Disk Installation
To install the program on a floppy disk, you must first
format a blank floppy disk. You can include the operating system
if you want to use your handicapper disk as a startup disk. These
instructions assume you have two disk drives.
1. Put your handicapper in Drive A.
2. Put the blank, formatted disk in Drive B.
3. Type HINSTALL B: and hit ENTER.
4. The installation program will copy everything EXCEPT the
instruction manual to the disk in Drive B.
If you're installing the program from Drive B to a disk in
Drive A, just reverse the A and B designations in the directions
above.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 6
3 Running the Program
To run The Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper, do the
following:
3.1 From a Hard Disk
The following instructions assume that you've installed the
program on your hard disk in a Directory called \HOUNDSW.
1. Type CD\HOUNDSW and hit ENTER.
2. Type HOUNDS45 and hit ENTER.
3.2 From a Floppy Disk
1. Switch to the drive containing the Handicapper Disk.
2. Type HOUNDS45 and hit ENTER.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LAUNCH H45SW.EXE directly. Use the
HOUNDS45.BAT file to do it. Here's why:
HOUNDS45.BAT first loads SPEEDSCR.COM, a memory resident
program which manages the screens used by the Cambridge Greyhound
Handicapper. Without SPEEDSCR, the program will not work. The
HOUNDS45.BAT file also removes SPEEDSCR from memory when you
terminate the handicapper program. While SPEEDSCR probably won't
cause difficulties if left in memory after you exit from the
handicapper, it can, under some circumstances, produce some
unusual if harmless results. So always start the program by
typing HOUNDS45 and hitting the ENTER key.
When you type HOUNDS45 and hit ENTER, your disk drive will
whir for a few seconds, and you'll see the MAIN MENU.
Initially the display will be set for a color screen. You
can change from color to monochrome or back at any time. If
you're using a monochrome laptop, we suggest the monochrome
setting. The program will always remember which type of screen
you used last. Before you start handicapping, however, please
read the following sections that describe handicapping systems
and the information you'll need to use the Cambridge Greyhound
Handicapper 4.5
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 7
4 About Handicapping Systems
A handicapping system does two things.
1. It attempts to predict a dog's performance in an upcoming
race by analyzing past performances in a consistent,
scientific manner.
2. It provides you with a strategy for betting on races given
the outcome of your handicapping analysis.
As strange as it sounds, the true purpose of a handicapping
system is not to pick winners. The purpose of a handicapping
system is to give you a tool that will help you make money at the
track. Knowing how and when to bet is just as important as
analyzing the dogs.
There are as many handicapping systems as there are people
handicapping. Some are quite good, others are worthless. Some
require hours or days of effort, some require only a few minutes
of preparation.
You don't really need a computer to handicap a race. There
are plenty of manual handicapping systems around, and some are
excellent. Unfortunately, they're often tedious and time-
consuming. A computer handicapping system takes the handicapper's
knowledge, sets up handicapping tables and rules internally, and
then makes calculations instantly.
We designed the Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper to provide a
blend of sophistication and ease of use for the race fan who
enjoys the sport but doesn't have hours and hours to devote to
handicapping. If you've never tried to handicap a race before,
you'll find this quite easy to use. If you're an experienced
handicapper, the information the system requires you to collect
will be just as useful as the ratings themselves. The program
will sharpen your own thinking and handicapping analysis.
5 The Information You Need
To use The Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper, you must be
familiar with the information available to you in the track
program. The program is always available on the day of a race and
usually the day before.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 8
The program contains two different pieces of information
you'll need. First, there's the "condition line," a table of of
information that shows the distance and class of each race and
provides information about about each dog's performance in the
last six to eight races. Second, the program contains a listing
of kennels or trainers and how much money each kennel or trainer
has won. Some tracks list only one or the other. Some list both.
If you have a choice, you can use either list.
Here is the information you'll need about each dog:
1. The dog's box, or post position. This is the position
relative to the rail from which the dog will start the
race. The No. 1 dog will start next to the rail. The
higher the number, the further from the rail the dog will
start. Most Greyhound races are limited to eight dogs.
2. The Dog's Sex. For clarity, the program uses "M" for Male
or "F" for female. However, most track programs list the
dog's sex as "D" for males and "B" for females.
3. The Dog's Weight.
4. The date of the dog's last race on a fast ("ft") or sloppy
("sy") track. We will use sloppy tracks for rating
purposes, since they don't seem to affect dogs' times, but
it's not a good idea to bet on races being run on a sloppy
track.
5. The Class or Grade of this race and the dog's previous
races. Classes vary from state to state, but generally
they run from "AA," which is the highest class, to "E,"
which is the lowest class. A class of "M" indicates a
Maiden race, which means none of the dogs running in that
race has ever won.
6. The dog's time in his last race at same distance he's
running tonight. This time is expressed in seconds and
hundredths. For most races, the time will be in the 28 to
34 second range, although marathons can go as high as 50
seconds.
7. The dog's position going into the first turn in his last
four races. This is important because a dog that gets out
in front early displays good strength and
maneuverability. Also, statistics show that dogs who
consistently get to the first turn at the front of the
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 9
pack have a better chance of winning than dogs who have to
come from behind.
8. Significant comments: These short comments show how the
dog ran each of his previous races. We are specifically
interested in comments indicating that the dog ran either
WIDE/OUTSIDE or went for the RAIL/INSIDE. This is
important when compared to the box from which the dog is
starting, because a dog who likes to run inside will do
well if he's got an inside box but may be in trouble if
he's drawn an outside starting position, and vice versa.
IGNORE comments showing that a dog was FORCED or BUMPED
wide or inside.
9. Was the dog a beaten favorite? This determines whether the
dog was the favorite last time out on a fast or sloppy
track and whether or not he won the race. If the dog was
the favorite, an asterisk (*) will appear next to the
dollar odds on the dog in the line containing the
information for the dog's last race. This is important
because a favorite who was beaten last time out will often
win this time around. Some track programs do not include
this information. If your track program doesn't have
beaten favorite information, you can ignore this field.
10. The record of the dog's kennel. We want to know whether
the kennel is in the top four money winners at the track.
6 Handicapping Principles
A computer can help you with handicapping calculations, but
there's no substitute for a little human judgment in the process.
The key to handicapping is knowing which races to bet (not every
race can be properly handicapped) and which dogs to eliminate
from contention before you start handicapping.
6.1 When to Bet on a Race
For any handicapping system to work, there must be a good
probability that the past performances of the dogs involved will
be reflected in their performance in the race you're
handicapping. Unfortunately, this isn't the case in every race.
At the very best tracks, almost every non-maiden race may be
handicappable. At tracks with dogs of lower caliber, you may only
find five or six races on a card that lend themselves to
analysis. Here are the guidelines we use:
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 10
1. Don't bother going to the track and using this program if
the track condition is not "fast." An off track--good,
muddy, or sloppy--should be avoided. There's a good reason
for this. Dogs usually run on fast tracks. They train on
fast tracks. While some dogs may be good "mudders,"
there's no real way of knowing how they'll respond to bad
track conditions. Some dogs may love soft footing, others
may hate it. The problem is that there's no way to tell
for sure. So stay away from off tracks. If you do go to
the races on an off day, stick with the $2 window and save
your money for a better day.
2. DON'T BET ON MAIDEN RACES. These are unproven or just
plain bad dogs, and most handicapping techniques are
useless.
3. Don't bet on races featuring the cheapest dogs on the
grounds. These are old, bad or tired dogs who are
unpredictable. They may run well one week and terribly the
next. If you can't count on a dog's past performance to be
indicative of his performance today, you can't handicap
the dog.
These dogs usually show up in the first and last races of
a card, particularly at tracks where the overall quality
of dogs is not high. At the very best tracks, this rule
may not apply, since even the cheapest dogs could be
feature race material at lesser tracks. As a general rule,
avoid handicapping class "D" races if you can and forget
entirely about "E" races.
4. Don't bet on races with a high proportion of "shippers." A
shipper is a dog running at a track for the first time.
You have no way of knowing how a dog will respond to a new
surface. If you run across a race in which a shipper looks
like a real contender, our advice is to pass it up. This
takes some discipline, but you'll be better off for it.
Also, any race with three or more shippers is probably a
bad bet. We realize that this will eliminate many stakes
races with high purses. While these are fun to watch,
they're not usually good handicapping propositions. You
can take consolation in the fact that the other races on
the same card with a high-purse stakes race are likely to
be good ones.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 11
6.2 Eliminate Bad Dogs
Once you have decided whether to bet a race, you can easily
eliminate certain dogs from contention. These will usually be
eliminated by the computer, but occasionally a really bad dog
will score highly. Take a few seconds to eliminate these first
and the system will work much better. Only at the very best
tracks will you have to handicap more than a half-dozen dogs in a
race.
1. Eliminate any dog that has not raced in the last three
weeks. You have no way of knowing why this dog has been on
vacation, but if an animal is running well, the trainer
will race him regularly. Time off is usually a bad sign.
This may not apply to the absolutely best-quality stakes
dogs, who race less frequently, but stakes races are bad
bets anyway.
2. Eliminate any dog that did not show a strong performance
last time out. By this we mean a win, place or show, or
setting the early pace as the leader in fairly quick time.
If a dog showed none of these, forget him.
3. Eliminate "shippers." These are dogs running at a track
for the first time. Once again, this may not be possible
in big stakes races, but we think these are difficult to
handicap anyway and should be avoided.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 12
7 The Main Menu
When you run the Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper, you'll see
a menu with four choices. It looks like this:
THE MAIN HANDICAPPER MENU
User ARROWS to Select. Hit ENTER to Choose
1 Handicap a Race
2 Set Monitor Type
3 FHS Catalog
4 The Enhanced Handicapper
5 The CUSTOM Handicapper
6 Registration Form
7 Quit the program
Current Race: None
Number of Dogs: 0
To select any choice, use your UP and DOWN cursor keys to
highlight the choice you want and hit ENTER or just type the
number opposite that choice.
At the bottom of the screen you'll see two tatus lines. The
example above shows you the status when you first run the
program. The status lines show you the race you're currently
handicapping and the number of dogs you've entered so far in this
race.
Here's a summary of the menu choices and what they do:
1. Handicap a Race. This takes you to the Handicapping Menu,
from which you'll enter, view and update your handicapping
information.
2. Set Monitor Type. When you select this, a box will pop up
asking if you have a color monitor. Type "Y" if you have a
color monitor. Type "N" if you have a monochrome screen or
you're using a laptop computer. The program will switch to
a color or monochrome display (depending on what you've
chosen) and store the setting in the CAP.CFG file.
3. FHS Catalog. This will display a scrolling, on-screen
version of our software catalog. It contains detailed
descriptions of all our programs.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 13
4. The Enhanced Handicapper. This choice will pop up a screen
displaying details about the Enhanced Greyhound
Handicapper you'll receive when you register. When the
information screen is displayed, hit ESC to return to the
Main Menu.
5. The CUSTOM Handicapper. This choice will pop up a screen
displaying details about the Cambridge CUSTOM Handicapper
you'll receive if you select it from the registration
form. When the information screen is displayed, hit ESC to
return to the Main Menu.
6. Registration Form. This will display an on-line
registration form. Just fill in your ordering information
and the form will be sent to your printer, ready to mail.
It's quick and easy. For details, see Page 27.
7. Quit the Program. This will terminate the Greyhound
Handicapper and return you to your DOS prompt.
8 The Handicapping Menu
When you select Choice No. 1 from the Main Menu, you'll see
the Handicapping Menu Displayed. It looks like this:
HANDICAPPING MENU
Use ARROWS to Select. Hit ENTER to Choose
1 Start a New Race
2 Add a Dog
3 View/Update Entries
4 Load Demo Race
5. Main Menu
To select any choice, use your UP and DOWN cursor keys to
highlight the choice you want and hit ENTER or just type the
number opposite that choice. Here's what the choices will do:
1. Start a New Race. This will allow you to begin
handicapping a new race. You'll be asked to enter the name
of the track, the date, the race number and an optional
comment.
2. Add a Dog. This will allow you to add a dog to the current
race.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 14
3. View/Update Entries. This will produce a scrolling display
of your handicapping results. You can choose any dog,
modify the data or delete the dog's entry.
4. Load Demo Race. This will load a fully-handicapped
demonstration race containing information about eight
dogs. We'll use this race as an example in the manual, and
you can use it for practice. When you register for the
ENHANCED or CUSTOM handicappers, you'll be able to save
and recall races at any time.
5. Main Menu. This will return you to the Main Menu.
9 Starting a New Race
When you choose No 1. from the Handicapping Menu, you'll be
presented with a Race form asking for information about the race.
Caution: If you start a new race, you'll overwrite all the
information about any existing race. If you have already
handicapped a race, jot down the ratings for those dogs from
the View/Update Entries display, or hit SHIFT-PrintScreen
with the list displayed to send it to your printer before
you start a new race. When the program sees that race
information has already been entered, it will display a
warning box before and ask you if you really want to start a
new race. If you want to start a new race, type "Y" and the
Race Information Form will be displayed. If you don't want
to start a new race, type "N" and you'll return to the menu.
The Race Information Form will have blank, highlighted fields for
the information the program requires. Like all input required by
the Cambridge Handicapper, all that's required is that you fill
in the blanks. Here's a sample form filled in for the
demonstration race on your disk.
NAME OF TRACK: YOUR TRACK
DATE OF RACE: 08/23/93 RACE NO. 5
COMMENTS: Test Race
9.1 Filling in the Race Form
Type the information required in each field. When you're through
entering information in any field, just press the ENTER key to go
onto the next field.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 15
You can correct information in any field by using the right and
left cursor keys and typing over the previously entered
information. The BACKSPACE key will move the cursor one character
to the left without deleting. To delete material, use the DEL
key.
You can move backwards and forwards from field to field
throughout the form by using the UP and DOWN cursor keys. When
you reach the bottom field, the DOWN cursor key will cycle you
back to the first field.
Some fields in the form are checked for errors. If you have typed
inappropriate information in a field, the program will return
your cursor to the field with the bad information and display an
error message at the bottom of the screen telling you what the
problem is.
When you have finished entering all the information, you can exit
from the Race Information Form by hitting the ESC key.
9.2 Race Information
Here are the items you'll need for the race information
form:
1. NAME OF TRACK: Type the name of the track on which the
race is being run and hit ENTER.
2. DATE OF RACE: Fill in the date of the race you're
handicapping. This is important for determining how long a
layoff each dog has had. Just type the numbers in MMDDYY
form. The program will automatically insert the slashes.
The default date is 10/31/93.
3. RACE NO. Type the number of the race and hit ENTER.
4. COMMENTS: Type in any identifying remarks you want here.
This field is optional. You might want to mention the size
of the purse, grade of the race or other information.
When you're through entering the race information, hit the
ESC key. You'll be asked if the information is correct.
* If it is correct, type "Y" and you'll go onto the
handicapping form for the first dog.
* If there's a mistake in the information, type "N" and
you'll be returned to the Race Information Form.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 16
Once you've confirmed the data in the Race Information Form,
you'll be asked if you want to begin handicapping this race.
* If you do, type "Y" and the handicapping form will appear.
* If you want to quit at this point, type "N" and you'll
return to the HANDICAPPING MENU. The program will assume
that you do not want to handicap this race and the Menu
status line will show "No Race Selected."
10 The Handicapping Form
The Handicapping Form is the key to the program. You'll fill
in a handicapping form for each dog in the race. The form asks
for basic information available in the track program. If you're
entering a new dog, most of the fields in the form will be blank.
If you're updating or correcting information in an existing
entry, the fields will be filled in with the most recent
information you've entered. You can change any field you want.
To make things go faster, it's a good idea to familiarize
yourself with the information the handicapping form requires. Sit
down with your track program ahead of time and underline or
highlight the items the form requires. It only takes a couple of
minutes, and our experience shows that you'll be able to fill out
handicapping forms on screen more quickly and accurately this
way.
10.1 How to Fill Out the Handicapping Form
Here are general instructions for filling out the
handicapping form:
* Type the information required in each field. When you're
through entering information in any field, just press the
ENTER key to go onto the next field. Some fields require
single keystroke entries (Such as a "Y" for yes or "N" for
no). In this case, just typing the appropriate letter will
send you to the next field.
* You can correct information in any field by using the
right and left cursor keys and typing over the previously
entered information. The BACKSPACE key will move the
cursor one character to the left without deleting. To
delete material, use the DEL key.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 17
* You can move backwards and forwards from field to field
throughout the form by using the UP and DOWN cursor keys.
When you reach the bottom field, the DOWN cursor key will
cycle you back to the first field.
* Most fields in the form are checked for errors. If you
have typed inappropriate information in a field, the
program will return your cursor to the field with the bad
information and display an error message at the bottom of
the screen telling you what the problem is.
* As you go from field to field, the program will display a
"Help" message in the box at the lower left hand side of
the form telling you exactly what information is required
for that field.
* When you have finished entering all the information in a
form, you can exit from the form and get your handicapping
calculations by hitting the <ESC> key.
10.2 Handicapping Form Information
Here's the information the handicapping form requires.
1. Name: Type the dog's name and hit ENTER.
2. Sex: Type "M" for male. Type "F" for female. If you don't
see this designation on the program, your track programs
may use greyhound terminology ("D" for male Dog or "B" for
Bitch).
3. Weight: Type the dog's weight and hit ENTER.
4. Time: This is dog's final time in his last race at the
distance being run tonight. Enter the time in seconds and
hundredths, i.e., 31.24 or 30.49. Note: You will actually
see the dog's time repeated four times on the screen. This
is to maintain screen compatibility with the Custom
Handicapper, which offers the option of averaging times.
5. Highest class in which this dog has raced: Look at the
entries for each of the six or eight races listed for this
dog. Find the highest class of race in which he has raced.
Some track programs refer to this as the GRADE of the
race. Then look at the HELP box in the lower right-hand
corner of the screen. You will see the following table of
classes:
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 18
1> AA 3> B 5> D 7> M (Maiden)
2> A 4> C 6> E
Type the NUMBER opposite the letter representing the
highest class in which the dog has raced. For example, if
the dog's highest listed race was a Class B race, type 3.
Classes vary from state to state. Assume that Class AA
represents the highest class in your state.
6. Class of this race: Using the same table as above, type
the number opposite the letter which represents the class
of this race in the appropriate box. The Class or Grade of
the race is a large letter at the very top of the page
listing for each race. Some tracks refer to this as the
GRADE of the race.
7. Box: Enter the number of the box from which the dog is
racing today. This is the large number at the extreme left
hand side of the entry for each dog.
8. Inside comments: Look at the listing of comments for each
of the dog's last SIX races. Count the number of times the
words INSIDE or RAIL appear. Type the number in this box.
Do not count comments that say FORCED INSIDE or BUMPED
INSIDE.
9. Outside comments: Look at the listing of comments for each
of the dog's last SIX races. Count the number of times the
words OUTSIDE OR WIDE appear. Type the number in this box.
Do not count comments that say FORCED OUTSIDE, FORCED
WIDE, BUMPED OUTSIDE or BUMPED WIDE.
Note: Some new greyhound tracks are steeply banked. This
tends to force the dogs to the inside. You may not see
many OUTSIDE comments at these tracks, but you will often
see MIDTRACK comments. Some users have had success by
interpreting these MIDTRACK comments as if they were
OUTSIDE comments. If your track is steeply banked, you may
want to try this to see how it works for you.
10. Turn position last four races: Look at the column labeled
"1/8" for the dog's last FOUR races. This shows where the
dog was running as the pack entered the first turn. For
each of these races, type the appropriate position number
in the appropriate box.
Note: The location of this column can vary from track
program to track program. If you have any doubts about it,
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 19
ask someone at the track which column shows the dog's
position going INTO the first turn.
11. Beaten favorite last time?: If the dog was the favorite
last time out on a fast or sloppy track but did NOT win
the race, type "Y" here. You can tell if a dog was the
favorite because there will usually be an asterisk (*)
next to the column showing the dollar odds on the dog for
that race. Not all track programs contain this
information. If yours doesn't have it, just type an "N" in
this field.
12. Top Kennel: Check the track program and find the listing
of kennels and their records. If the this dog's kennel is
in the top four, type "Y". If it isn't in the top four,
type "N".
13. Date of Last Race: Enter the date of the dog's last race
in MMDDYY format. You don't have to type the slashes. The
program enters them for you. This will be used in
determining the dog's layoff.
14. Shipper: If the dog is running at this track for the first
time, type "Y" here. If the dog has raced at this track
before, type an "N" here. This factor is not part of the
handicapping calculations, but it is noted on the ratings
display to alert you to the presence of shippers in a
race.
You will also notice six blank fields at the bottom left of the
screen. These are used by the CUSTOM handicapper for custom
variables. They are not used by this version of the program.
10.3 When You're Finished with the Form
When you're through entering the data for a dog, hit the
<ESC> key. The program will ask, "Are you through handicapping
this dog?"
If you are through, type "Y"; if not, type "N" and you'll be
returned to the form.
Now the program will ask, "Is this information correct?
(Y/N)." If the information is correct, type "Y"; otherwise type
"N" and you'll be returned to the form.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 20
10.3.1 The Rating Display
In a window at the middle of the form, the dog's ratings
will now be displayed. It will look something like this:
The Rating of This Dog is 126-118.
You'll notice that the dog has TWO rating numbers.
* The first number is the dog's score WITH SEX and WEIGHT
variables figured in.
* The second number is the dog's score WITHOUT SEX and
WEIGHT variables.
The first score will usually be higher than the second,
although not always (Sex and weight variables may cancel each
other out, or they may not affect the basic score).
If you're updating an existing dog's entry, you'll see a
message that says, "Hit Any Key to Continue." Strike a key and
you'll return to your list of dogs.
If you're entering a new dog, the program will ask, "Add
this dog to list? (Y/N)." If you want to add the dog to the list
of dogs in this race, type "Y." If you don't want the dog added
to the list, type "N".
The program will then ask, "Do you want to handicap another
dog? (Y/N)."
* If you want to handicap another dog, type "Y" and a new
handicapping screen will be displayed.
* If you're finished handicapping, type "N" and you'll be
returned to the Handicapping Menu.
11 The Handicapping List
The handicapping list will show the ratings for all the
dog's you've entered so far in this race. They will be ranked in
order from highest (most likely to win) to lowest (least likely
to win). When the list is displayed, you can select any entry for
updating or deletion. Here's the list from the demo race included
with the program:
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 21
Dog Rankings for YOUR TRACK 08/23/93 No. 5
---------------------------------------------------------------
DOG RATING SX WT CL LAY ODDS BF KN SH
---------------------------------------------------------------
> 2 BILL 126-118 M 75 D 7 7-5 N Y N
1 FEDERAL HILL 106-104 M 52 U 9 5-2 Y Y N
6 IKE'S PAL 100-100 F 52 S 24* 3-1 Y Y Y
3 IRVING 98- 90 M 62 D 7 4-1 N N N
7 GERIATRIC 94- 94 F 60 U 7 5-1 N Y Y
4 FREDDIE'S FRIEND 87- 83 M 55 S 19 8-1 N Y N
5 BENNYBEAR 72- 68 M 56 U 16 10-1 N N N
8 MOM'S MINK 60- 58 M 52 U 22* 10-1 N Y N
---------------------------------------------------------------
Use Cursor, PgUP, PgDn, Home and End to Move Highlight.
Hit ENTER to Select Dog. Hit ESC for Handicapping Menu.
11.1 What the Columns Mean
At the top of the list you'll see the date of the race, the Race
Number and the Track. Here's what the display columns show:
DOG The first column shows the box from which the dog
is running and the Dog's Name.
RATING These are the two scores the handicapper assigns
to each dog. The first score includes sex and
weight. The second does not include these factors.
You can use whichever you feel more comfortable
with, but don't mix apples and oranges. When you
compare, always make sure you're using numbers
from the same column.
SX The dog's sex, ("M" for Male, "F" for Female)
WT The dog's weight.
CL Whether the dog is moving Up ("U"), Down ("D") or
staying in the Same ("S") class. Dogs moving up
are generally at a disadvantage. Dogs moving down
usually have a slight advantage.
LAY The dog's layoff. Layoffs of more than 21 days are
noted with an asterisk. Layoffs this long are
often a sign that a dog has had physical problems.
ODDS This is our calculation of the scores expressed as
odds. THIS WILL NOT NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THE
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 22
OPENING ODDS AT YOUR TRACK. Opening odds are
calculated by your track's racing secretary or
resident handicapper. Each track has a different
method for doing this. Our formula takes the
highest ranked dog and makes him 7-5 if he's way
ahead or 9-5 or 2-1 if the next dog is closer. The
odds go up from there, depending on the relative
scores of the dogs. 10-1 is the maximum. Once
again, these odds are only another way of
expressing the dog's score. The SCORE is the
important factor for handicapping.
BF Beaten Favorite: The letter "Y" here means the dog
was a beaten favorite in his last outing.
KN Kennel Rating. If the Kennel is in the Top 4,
you'll see a "Y" here. If the kennel is not in the
top four, you will see an "N" here.
SH Shipper Status. The letter "Y" in this field
indicates that the dog is a shipper, running at
the track for the first time.
11.2 Using the Handicapping List
When the list appears, you'll notice that the first dog is
highlighted (We've indicated this with a ">" sign in the manual).
* You can move through the list by using your Up and Down
Cursor keys, the PgUp and PgDown keys.
* You can print the list by hitting SHIFT-Print Screen (Our
Enhanced handicapper has full printed report functions).
* You can return to the Handicapping Menu by hitting the ESC
key.
* To update any dog's entry, delete the dog, or print out
the dog's handicapping data, highlight the dog you want
and hit ENTER. The following Menu will appear (Let's say
we picked BENNYBEAR from the list above):
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 23
============================
No. 5 BENYBEAR
============================
> View/Update Entry
Delete Entry
Return to Menu
============================
The first item on the menu (View/Update Entry) will be
highlighted. You can move the highlight bar through the menu by
using your Up and Down Cursor keys. Highlight the function you
want and hit ENTER. Or hit ESC to return to the Handicapping
List.
Here's what the menu choices will do:
11.2.1 View/Update Entry
This will bring the handicapping form for the dog you
selected to the screen. The fields will be filled in with the
information you entered previously. You can change any
information you want. For information on filling out the
Handicapping Form, See Page 17.
11.2.2 Delete Entry
This will delete the highlighted dog from the list. You'll
be asked if you want to delete the dog you selected. If you do,
type "Y" and the dog will be deleted. If you don't want to delete
the dog, type "N" and you'll return to the handicapping list.
11.2.3 Return to Menu
This selection will return you to the Handicapping Menu.
11.3 What Do The Scores Mean?
You'll notice that the dogs are ranked from highest to
lowest by their handicapping rating. THE HIGHER A DOG'S SCORE
COMPARED TO THE OTHERS IN THE RACE, THE MORE LIKELY THAT DOG IS
TO WIN THE RACE. In the example above, the handicapper indicates
that BILL is most likely to win the race, with FEDERAL HILL a
not-very-close second.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 24
12 How to Bet
OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO BET THE HIGHEST RATED DOG (the one
with the highest score) TO WIN AND PLACE. This is the safest
wager and the one most likely to put money in your pocket over
the long run.
As usual, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, in
the race above, suppose FEDERAL HILL had scored 124, only a few
points behind our friend BILL. Let's also suppose that BILL is
going off at less than even money, but FEDERAL HILL is going off
at 4-1. You're not going to make much if you bet on BILL, but
FEDERAL HILL is so close in the scoring that he becomes a better
bet.
IF THE TOP TWO DOGS ARE ONLY A FEW POINTS APART AND THE
SECOND-RATED DOG IS GOING OFF AT MUCH BETTER ODDS, YOU MAY
WANT TO BET THE SECOND-RANKED DOG.
This is one of the Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper's major
strengths. Because it rates dogs without regard to local betting
habits or prejudices, it will often spot undervalued dogs that
make sound wagers.
Finally, at some tracks our customers have reported better
results by betting both the first and second-rated dogs to win.
This is particularly true if the handicapper ranks them closely,
neither is a strong favorite and the odds on both are relatively
good.
Determining how all of this works at your track takes some
trial and error. Before you plunk down your money for the first
time, handicap a couple of cards and see how the program works at
your track. It helps to get some back programs, if you can.
Wagering patterns vary greatly from locality to locality. Knowing
when and how to bet is just as important as selecting the right
dog. It can make the difference between winning and losing money
at the track.
12.1 Exotic Wagers
You'll notice we haven't mentioned exotic wagers, such as
exactas, perfectas, triples, trifectas and Pick Sixes. That's
because we don't believe in them as a sound wagering strategy.
Without going into long explanations, just remember that it's
tough enough to pick a winner in a race, let alone a winner and
two particular losers. Tracks make a lot of their money from
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 25
exotic wagers because the return to the bettors is much lower
than it is on straight bets.
We can virtually guarantee that you'll lose money on any
strategy that involves exotic bets. Stay away from them.
That's all you really need to know to get started.
Obviously, familiarity with your track conditions will help. But
even if you're new to dog racing, the Cambridge Greyhound
Handicapper will make race analysis easier and more accurate.
Remember that the most important factor in any handicapping
system is discipline and consistency. If you choose your races
wisely, apply the rules we've laid down and overcome the fan's
natural tendency to put down money on every contest, you'll be
able to turn a profit on your hobby.
12.2 Loading the Demonstration Race
When you Choose No. 4 from the Handicapping Menu, the
program will load a file that contains information from a Demo
Race with eight dogs. Once the demonstration race has been
loaded, you can use the View/Update option to display the list of
dogs, bring their forms to the screen and make changes to see how
different handicapping factors affect scoring. This is strictly
for your information and practice.
Caution: If you load the demo race, you'll overwrite all the
information about any existing race. If you have already
handicapped a race, jot down the ratings for those dogs from
the View/Update Entries display, or hit SHIFT-PrintScreen
with the list displayed to send it to your printer before
you load the demo race. When the program sees that race
information has already been entered, it will display a
warning box before and ask you if you really want to load
the demo race. If you want to load the demo race, type "Y"
and the race will be loaded. If you don't want to load the
demo race, type "N" and you'll return to the menu.
The registered versions of the Enhanced and Custom
handicappers will allow you to save and recall races to deal with
errors, late scratches or program changes.
13 How to Register
You can register your handicapper and order any Federal Hill
Software program in three ways. You can use the on-line
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 26
Registration From when the program is running, fill in the order
form at the end of this manual, or call our Toll Free Order Line
(credit card orders only).
13.1 Special Price Offer
Federal Hill Software offers special price discounts for
customers who order more than one program. Register any program
at the regular price and you'll get $10 off the price of each
additional program you order.
14 The Registration Form
You can register your program quickly and easily using the
on-line registration form. This is Choice No. 6 on the Main Menu.
Your disk drive will turn for a second and the registration form
will appear.
The form is divided into two parts. The left side contains
blanks for name, address, disk type and payment information. The
right side contains a list of Federal Hill Software Programs.
At the bottom of the screen is a message area that will
guide you through the process and warn you if you've made a
mistake.
* To fill in any blank, type the information in that field
and hit ENTER to move to the next field. If the field
requires only a single character, typing a character will
move the cursor to the next field. When you finish with
the last blank field, the cursor will automatically
recycle to the first.
* You can move up and down, from field to field, by using
the UP and DOWN arrow keys.
* When you're finished with the form, hit the ESC key.
14.1 Name and Address
Type your name, address, city, state and ZIP code in each field
and hit ENTER to move to the next field. In the COUNTRY field,
USA is already filled in. If you're ordering from another
country, just type over it with the name of the country from
which you're ordering. Foreign orders must be payable in U.S.
funds.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 27
14.2 Type of Disk
Type an "X" in the box next to the size disk you want, 5.25
inch or 3.5 inch.
14.3 Type of Payment
We accept checks and money orders, Visa or MasterCard
payment. Put an "X" in the box next to the type of payment you're
using.
14.4 Card Number
If you're paying by credit card, type the card number in the
appropriate field and hit ENTER. If you're not paying by credit
card, leave this field blank and hit ENTER.
14.5 Expiration Date
If you're paying by credit card, type the expiration date in
this field in MD/YY format. For example, if your card expires in
April, 1993, type 0493. The program will automatically insert the
slash. If you're not paying by credit card, leave the field blank
and hit ENTER.
14.6 Program List
Your cursor will move to the Federal Hill Software Program
list. Type an "X" in the box next to the name of each program you
want to order.
14.7 When You're Through
When you're through with the form, hit the ESC key.
1. The program will automatically calculate your registration
fee (Including discounts for additional programs) and
display it on the screen.
2. A message will appear asking if the information is
correct.
a. If it is correct, type "Y" to move to the next
step.
b. If the information is not correct, type "N" and
you'll be asked if you want to fix it.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 28
* If you want to fix it, type "Y" and you'll
be returned to the Registration Form.
* If you don't want to fix it, type "N" and
you'll be returned to the handicapper.
3. You will now be asked if you want to print the form. If
you do, type "Y" and make sure your printer is on line.
Once the form has been printed, you'll have the option of
making additional copies for your records.
4. When you're finished printing, you'll be asked if you want
to exit from the registration form. Type "Y" to return to
the handicapper or "N" to return to the form.
Send your registration form and payment to Federal Hill
Software, 3722 Greenway Lane, P.O. Box 765, Owings Mills, MD
21117. The registration fee includes shipping to any point in the
United States or its territories and Canada. Foreign orders must
be payable in U.S. funds.
If you're paying by credit card, be sure to include your
signature in the blank on the printed form.
14.8 Toll Free Order Line
To order by phone (credit card only), dial our Toll-Free
Order Line at 1-800-846-4319. The order line is staffed seven
days a week, 24 hours a day.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 29
15 Federal Hill Software Catalog
Federal Hill Software has been publishing fine application
software since 1983. That's a long time in this business, and
thousands of satisfied customers can tell you we're successful
because we concentrate on programs that do one thing very well.
If you like one of our Shareware programs and decide to register,
you'll receive an enhanced version of the program with even more
features. If you order more than one program, pay full price for
the first and we'll take $10 off the price of each additional
program!
Here's a catalog of our offerings. To order, call our toll-free
order line at 1-800-846-4319, or send your check, money order or
credit card information to Federal Hill Software, 3722 Greenway
Lane, P.O. Box 765, Owings Mills, MD 21117. Use the on-screen
order form from the main menu of your program, or the form at the
end of the instruction manual.
The Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4.5
With the latest release of this time-tested handicapper, you can
analyze greyhound races and pick likely winners quickly and
easily, even if you've never handicapped before. Just fill in a
simple on-screen form for each dog with information you can find
easily in the track program. When you're through, the The
Handicapper will score each dog, figure the estimated odds and
produce an on-screen or printed analysis of each race, as well as
full handicapping data for each dog.
You can save races to disk and recall them for late changes and
scratches. Our unique WagerMaster, included with the program,
helps you figure out how to bet by estimating payoffs on various
wagers at a wide variety of odds. Our complete on-disk manual
will not only show you how to run the program, but also give you
an eye-opening tutorial on parimutuel wagering that can make you
a smarter bettor.
Release 4.5 includes updated formulas and adds weight and sex
factors. Handicapping factors also include speed, class movement,
speed at turn, box position, inside-outside tendencies, beaten
favorite and kennel ranking.
Greyhound 4.5 requires 384K of memory and will run from a floppy
disk.
Registration fee: $30.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 30
The Custom Handicapper for Greyhounds
If you really enjoy handicapping - and want to get better at it -
this is the program for you! This is, quite simply, the most
powerful and flexible handicapper on the market, because it lets
you be the boss!
The Custom Handicapper gives you the power to develop your own
system by deciding how you'll score every handicapping factor we
use. Maybe you think our standard formulas give too much weight
to speed, or or too little. You can use the dog's time in its
last race, or average times over the last four races. Maybe your
track favors dogs in specific boxes. Maybe you think a sudden
change in weight is a good sign -- or a bad sign. Now, for the
first time, you can put your knowledge and experience to work
because the Custom Handicapper scores dogs the way you want it
to!
You can start with our standard, time-tested handicapping
formulas. Then tweak away to your heart's content! Make small
adjustments - or develop your own system from scratch. If you
think we've left out a factor that's important to you, the Custom
Handicapper lets you ADD up to SIX handicapping factors of your
own and score them any way you like. And you don't have to be a
rocket scientist to do it.
All you have to do is fill in a series of simple on-screen forms
that tell the program how you want to handle each handicapping
factor. Then you'll save those formulas as a handicapping system
file on your disk drive. Create as many systems as you like --
for different tracks, surfaces or times of year! When you run the
Custom Handicapper program, you can call up any of system you've
created and apply it to any race. You can experiment on back
races to help perfect new systems -- without risking a penny at
the track!
You've never used a handicapping program like this one before,
because YOU make it unique! The Custom Handicapper for Greyhounds
will run on any IBM-compatible computer with at least 512K of
memory.
Registration fee: $75
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 4.5
This proven handicapping program allows you to analyze
Thoroughbred Races and pick likely winners quickly and easily,
even if you've never handicapped before. Just fill in a simple
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 31
on-screen form for each horse with information you can find
easily in the daily Racing Form. When you're through, the The
Handicapper will score each horse, figure the estimated odds and
produce an on-screen or printed analysis of each race, as well as
full handicapping data for each horse.
You can save races to disk and recall them for late jockey
changes and scratches. The included WagerMaster helps you figure
out how to bet by estimating payoffs on various types of races at
a wide variety of odds. Our complete on-disk manual will not only
show you how to run the program, but also give you an eye-opening
tutorial on parimutuel wagering that can make you a smarter
bettor.
Release 4.5 includes updated formulas, speed rating and track
variant calculations. Handicapping factors include half-mile and
final time, lengths behind, post position, weight carried, jockey
record, speed rating, track variant, class and beaten favorite.
Registration Fee: $30
The Custom Handicapper for Thoroughbreds
If you really enjoy Thoroughbred handicapping - and want to get
better at it - this is the program for you. This is, quite
simply, the most powerful and flexible Thoroughbred handicapper
on the market because it lets you be the boss!
The Custom Handicapper gives you the power to develop your own
system by deciding how you'll score every handicapping factor we
use. Maybe you think our standard formulas give too much weight
to half-mile time, or too little. Maybe your track favors horses
in specific post positions. Maybe your track holds races at odd
distances that we don't include. Now, for the first time, you can
put your knowledge and experience to work because the Custom
Handicapper scores horses the way you want it to!
You can start with our standard, time-tested handicapping
formulas. Then tweak away to your heart's content! Make small
adjustments - or develop your own system from scratch. If you
think we've left out a factor that's important to you, the Custom
Handicapper lets you ADD up to SIX handicapping factors of your
own and score them any way you like. And you don't have to be a
rocket scientist to do it.
With our Handicapping Toolkit, all you have to do is fill in a
series of simple on-screen forms that tell the program how you
want to handle each handicapping factor. Then you'll save those
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 32
formulas as a handicapping system file on your disk drive. Create
as many systems as you like -- for different tracks, surfaces or
times of year! When you run the Custom Handicapper program, you
can call up any of system you've created and apply it to any
race. You can experiment on back races to help perfect new
systems -- without risking a penny at the track!
You've never used a handicapping program like this one before,
because YOU make it unique! The Custom Handicapper for
Thoroughbreds will run on any IBM-compatible computer with at
least 512K of memory.
Registration fee: $75
The Cambridge Harness Handicapper
Harness handicapping may well be the trickiest form of race
analysis, because so many factors come into play. But we've
figured out what's important and what's not. The result: a
Harness Handicapping program that's sophisticated AND easy to
use. Just fill out a simple on-screen form for each horse with
information that's readily available in the track program. When
you're through, you'll see a screen or printed report analyzing
each race and scoring your horses. Factors include half-mile and
final times, post position, stretch gain, parked-out signs,
driver record and class movement.
The Harness Handicapper includes our WagerMaster software, which
will help make you a smarter better by showing payoffs on a wide
variety of wagers at different odds.
Requires 384K of memory and will run from a floppy disk.
Registration fee: $30.
Video Blakjak!
More than just a game. Learn how to play Blackjack and win--the
fun way. This full casino simulation puts you heads up against
the dealer with an entertaining and informative set of tools to
help you learn the game. Practice basic and advanced card-
counting strategies and test them out -- or just have fun! Vary
the rules to match any casino. On-screen help shows you the right
play and vital statistics at the press of a key.
Our unique Strategy Construction Kit lets you build your own
card-counting system and test it out over thousands of hands --
automatically, without risking a penny at the tables. Our
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 33
instruction manual contains the results of our extensive research
and will definitely surprise you.
Requires 384K of memory and will run from a floppy disk.
Registration fee: $30.
Baseball Statpak
Brand new version of this favorite brings big-time statistical
power to your Little League, high school team or softball league!
You won't find a baseball program that's easier to use or more
fun than this one. It's a terrific coaching and league management
tool, and your players will love seeing their stats in print.
With Baseball Statpak, you can track a single team or an entire
league up to 250 players on 12 teams. Track as many leagues as
you want. Record At Bats, Hits, Runs Scored, RBI's, Batting
Average, Slugging Pct., On-Base Pct., Doubles, Triples, HR, Total
Bases, Walks, Stolen Bases, Strikeouts and Errors. Sort by any
stat in ascending or descending order. You'll produce terrific
team and league reports, just like the ones you see in the
newspaper.
Our unique player rating system makes drafting a snap! Just
assign skill ratings to each player and the program automatically
calculates a statistical average and ranks each player against
it.
League management tools include full rosters, team reports and
mailing labels for players or coaches.
Baseball Statpak Requires 384K of memory and will run from a
single floppy.
Registration fee: $30.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 34
16 License and Warranty
The Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4.5 User Supported
Version referenced in this document is licensed to the user for
use on any IBM-compatible computer. The program and supporting
files may be freely copied and distributed in unmodified form.
The program, display screens, supporting files and documentation
are, however, copyrighted by the authors and remain their
intellectual property.
With respect to the user supported version of the Cambridge
Greyhound Handicapper, neither the authors nor Federal Hill
Software make any particular claims or offer any warranty with
respect to its performance in handicapping greyhound races. The
authors and Federal Hill Software, individually and severally,
will not be responsible for any losses or damages which may occur
as the result of the use of this program.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 35
Cambridge Handicapper
Registration Form
=================================================================
Yes, I want to register my Cambridge Handicapper! Please send the
Enhanced/Custom Version of the program right away!
=================================================================
Name: _______________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________
City: _______________________ State ______ Zip _______
Please send me the following programs:
With one of
Price List the programs
Alone above
---------------------------------------------------------
( ) Greyhound Custom $75 _________
( ) Greyhound Enhanced 4.5 $30 $20 _________
( ) Thoroughbred Custom $75 $65 _________
( ) Thoroughbred 4.5 Enhanced $30 $20 _________
( ) Greyhound Handicapper $30 $20 _________
( ) Harness Handicapper $30 $20 _________
( ) Baseball Statpak $30 $20 _________
( ) Video Blakjak $30 $20 _________
Total _________
Method of Payment: ( ) Check/M.O. ( ) Visa ( ) MasterCard
Card No. ____________________________________ Exp. ___________
Signature _____________________________________
Type of Disk: ( ) 5.25" ( ) 3.5"
Send to: Federal Hill Software
3722 Greenway Lane
P.O. Box 765
Owings Mills, Md. 21117
Information: 410-356-5592
Toll Free Orders: 1-800-846-4319
Note: We Accept Checks, Money Orders, Visa and Mastercard.
Foreign orders must be made payable in U.S. funds.
Cambridge Greyhound Handicapper 4 Page 36
