Hi all,
I hope you have all had a great christmas.
For me personally, when the snow first arrived I was delighted in a childish kind of way and really enjoyed those first couple of days with my son playing and making snowmen and even an igloo! The loss of racing was an annoyance but like most, I felt it was only going to be for a couple of days. As its turned out the continued so called 'Cold Snap' has wiped out a huge quantity of racing and like all horse racing related businesses we have really felt the effects both financially and in terms of hindering plans we had made.
All i can really say is we will have to work even harder now over the next couple of months to try and remedy some of the damage.
The System Builder upgrade is now just about ready and you will now see a link on the homepage to a test environment where you can see the new layout. This will go live and take over in the coming days, providing no issues arise. Like some of the other upgrades we have done in the past much of the workings behind the scenes have been on making it easier for us personally to make future improvements, this has definitely been a success. Im hopeful users will find it a lot easier to navigate/use and look forward your feedback as always.
2011 is going to be a big year for HorseRaceBase and we have so much lined up in the way of improvements and additions. Im sure you will all play a big part in our continued expansion and would like to again say thanks for your support.
Lets just hope we can actually get some racing on and then we can get stuff moving!
Everyone have a fantastic new year, i shall post again soon.
Chris
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
System Builder - Major Upgrade Work
Hi
We will be rolling out a large upgrade of the System Builder over the next couple of weeks and Im hopeful a test version will be online by this time next week.
Because it is a very large change, we will be putting it onto the site and running simultaneously as the current version, thus allowing members to offer feedback, report any bugs etc and ensure we do not have any major issues. Once ready it will of course take over.
The main purpose of the upgrade is to make the Builder more user friendly and easier to understand for a novice, plus highlight the huge power available for current users. If utilised correctly the Builder offers phenomenal capabilities, its our intention to make these easier for members to exploit.
However saying all that, there are some very useful new categories and tune-ups also going on.
We will also be making some other site improvements before the New Year as and when we have them ready.
Id like to offer my sincere thanks for all members feedback and request you please do keep it coming, the site is built on your comments, questions and ideas combined with our own. It truly is a joint effort, in this respect please note its only possible through members donations to continue to improve and indeed exist - so please do consider giving more than the minimum amount each month if your in a position to do so.
Remember as well to tell as many other people who you believe may benefit from the site as possible. Join the affiliate scheme if you have a website.
Thanks
Chris
We will be rolling out a large upgrade of the System Builder over the next couple of weeks and Im hopeful a test version will be online by this time next week.
Because it is a very large change, we will be putting it onto the site and running simultaneously as the current version, thus allowing members to offer feedback, report any bugs etc and ensure we do not have any major issues. Once ready it will of course take over.
The main purpose of the upgrade is to make the Builder more user friendly and easier to understand for a novice, plus highlight the huge power available for current users. If utilised correctly the Builder offers phenomenal capabilities, its our intention to make these easier for members to exploit.
However saying all that, there are some very useful new categories and tune-ups also going on.
We will also be making some other site improvements before the New Year as and when we have them ready.
Id like to offer my sincere thanks for all members feedback and request you please do keep it coming, the site is built on your comments, questions and ideas combined with our own. It truly is a joint effort, in this respect please note its only possible through members donations to continue to improve and indeed exist - so please do consider giving more than the minimum amount each month if your in a position to do so.
Remember as well to tell as many other people who you believe may benefit from the site as possible. Join the affiliate scheme if you have a website.
Thanks
Chris
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Onwards & Upwards
Hello,
The site continues to progress and you may have noticed the addition of a horse notes section. This allows you to store your comments on horses and access them at any time. Right now this is limited to viewing the horse record, however it will be expanded so they appear in other areas. This is a very important addition as its another step towards offering members a complete management service for their horse racing studies.
We will be putting quite a few more improvements on consistently over the next couple of weeks. The System Builder is going to be upgraded again soon and our works behind the scenes in this respect are advancing at a pleasing rate. We have had much feedback in this area and as ive mentioned previously, tutorials, help and an easier interface are commonly requested by newer members. All of these issues are key in our plans.
In terms of new tools, i have gone past the stage of announcing dates as quite simply i cant guarantee when they will be ready, however we grow closer on many each day.
The affiliate scheme we set up is very much in its infancy and we do need to add banners etc to help people who join and wish to advertise the site. Nonetheless if you have a website, blog or whatever i would urge you to join up and help HorseRaceBase continue to attract new members (as well as earn yourself something in the process). Its been shown the most effective method is text links anyway.
The improvements/upgrades list continues to grow and grow, thanks to the excellent feedback we receive. Members should feel very proud of this as each little (or big) addition you see to the site is only possible thanks to members donations and feedback. So i urge again, whatever you have to say, even if its criticism or seems unrealistic, let us know. We record everything and our aim is to achieve all at some point. In this regard, please note we reply to all emails and should you not receive a reply, check your junk mail folders. Additionally if a comment in the suggestion box (feedback form) requires a reply - we do send an email.
I shall write again soon. Thanks for your fantastic ongoing support, we are going in the right direction.
Chris
The site continues to progress and you may have noticed the addition of a horse notes section. This allows you to store your comments on horses and access them at any time. Right now this is limited to viewing the horse record, however it will be expanded so they appear in other areas. This is a very important addition as its another step towards offering members a complete management service for their horse racing studies.
We will be putting quite a few more improvements on consistently over the next couple of weeks. The System Builder is going to be upgraded again soon and our works behind the scenes in this respect are advancing at a pleasing rate. We have had much feedback in this area and as ive mentioned previously, tutorials, help and an easier interface are commonly requested by newer members. All of these issues are key in our plans.
In terms of new tools, i have gone past the stage of announcing dates as quite simply i cant guarantee when they will be ready, however we grow closer on many each day.
The affiliate scheme we set up is very much in its infancy and we do need to add banners etc to help people who join and wish to advertise the site. Nonetheless if you have a website, blog or whatever i would urge you to join up and help HorseRaceBase continue to attract new members (as well as earn yourself something in the process). Its been shown the most effective method is text links anyway.
The improvements/upgrades list continues to grow and grow, thanks to the excellent feedback we receive. Members should feel very proud of this as each little (or big) addition you see to the site is only possible thanks to members donations and feedback. So i urge again, whatever you have to say, even if its criticism or seems unrealistic, let us know. We record everything and our aim is to achieve all at some point. In this regard, please note we reply to all emails and should you not receive a reply, check your junk mail folders. Additionally if a comment in the suggestion box (feedback form) requires a reply - we do send an email.
I shall write again soon. Thanks for your fantastic ongoing support, we are going in the right direction.
Chris
Monday, November 15, 2010
Update
Hello
The site is progressing nicely. We have many more improvements being finalised. It is our intention to do a lot of work to the help and examples, plus layout in certain areas to continue the project focusing on being more user friendly.
Additionally we will be introducing some features with people physically using the tools to help assist people unsure of putting the tools to good use.
If you have a website, blog or whatever you can help us and earn some money for your efforts by joining our affiliate scheme.
The ratings machine v2 is now in full flow and we will be introducing some more example sets soon, the current example set has flaws when applied in certain scenarios and is literally an example set created to explain the workings. The big advantage of the new set-up is its far easier to make changes and upgrade where needed. Keep checking back as you will note new options becoming available and these may prove beneficial to you.
Please do continue to offer your feedback, many thanks for your support.
Will post again soon
Chris
The site is progressing nicely. We have many more improvements being finalised. It is our intention to do a lot of work to the help and examples, plus layout in certain areas to continue the project focusing on being more user friendly.
Additionally we will be introducing some features with people physically using the tools to help assist people unsure of putting the tools to good use.
If you have a website, blog or whatever you can help us and earn some money for your efforts by joining our affiliate scheme.
The ratings machine v2 is now in full flow and we will be introducing some more example sets soon, the current example set has flaws when applied in certain scenarios and is literally an example set created to explain the workings. The big advantage of the new set-up is its far easier to make changes and upgrade where needed. Keep checking back as you will note new options becoming available and these may prove beneficial to you.
Please do continue to offer your feedback, many thanks for your support.
Will post again soon
Chris
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
RMv2 Launch, Loyalty Scheme & More
Hello.
Over the next week we will see the launch of the RMv2 plus some more tidy ups and the start properly of the loyalty scheme.
There will hopefully be no major headaches but we will be keeping the existing ratings machine (now to be referred to as the old one) running for a period of time until members are happy enough with the switch over.
The RMv2 when launched will have full features ready to go such as ratings on one page etc plus downloads. Additionally there will be some new areas not currently available on the old ratings machine.
Your feedback will be invaluable during this period so keep it coming.
Another change will be the removal of the existing My Homepage - this has become outdated and basically useless as many parts of it no longer function as areas have been upgraded, it will be replaced with a members home area with links to all areas available to them as still many members dont seem to realise all the functions and facilities on offer to them as part of being a donator (our fault).
A large part of the work that will be done this week is to try and introduce a more user-friendly feel to the site, this will be followed up on consistently in November and we have projects planned for the System Builder also.
Also we have done some work on improving the look of the site to new visitors and this will be added too - this is to try and get better conversions, improve search engine ranking and generally create a better impression. At the moment a new user is faced with too many links stating 'donators feature' or whatever and not enough info on all thats available.
We have three new tools also approaching completion plus some massive additions to the System Builder being finalised, so its an exciting time for us all - this is only possible with members support, both through donations and feedback, so thank you. We do need to get more people on board but have had some good ideas and are working with some good people to hopefully improve significantly in this respect.
I shall post again soon. We are getting there.
Chris
Over the next week we will see the launch of the RMv2 plus some more tidy ups and the start properly of the loyalty scheme.
There will hopefully be no major headaches but we will be keeping the existing ratings machine (now to be referred to as the old one) running for a period of time until members are happy enough with the switch over.
The RMv2 when launched will have full features ready to go such as ratings on one page etc plus downloads. Additionally there will be some new areas not currently available on the old ratings machine.
Your feedback will be invaluable during this period so keep it coming.
Another change will be the removal of the existing My Homepage - this has become outdated and basically useless as many parts of it no longer function as areas have been upgraded, it will be replaced with a members home area with links to all areas available to them as still many members dont seem to realise all the functions and facilities on offer to them as part of being a donator (our fault).
A large part of the work that will be done this week is to try and introduce a more user-friendly feel to the site, this will be followed up on consistently in November and we have projects planned for the System Builder also.
Also we have done some work on improving the look of the site to new visitors and this will be added too - this is to try and get better conversions, improve search engine ranking and generally create a better impression. At the moment a new user is faced with too many links stating 'donators feature' or whatever and not enough info on all thats available.
We have three new tools also approaching completion plus some massive additions to the System Builder being finalised, so its an exciting time for us all - this is only possible with members support, both through donations and feedback, so thank you. We do need to get more people on board but have had some good ideas and are working with some good people to hopefully improve significantly in this respect.
I shall post again soon. We are getting there.
Chris
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
One headache overcome
Hello,
Since my last post we have had a real nightmare trying to rectify an issue on the
RMV2 backdating facility. We believe we have now rectified the issue and will of course monitor it over the coming days, we are now working on additional features for RMV2 and also several other ongoing developments.
So although this has held us up, its such an important feature that eventually will be a major selling point for the site (ability to actually test performance of any set of ratings in the past) its certainly been a worthwhile delay.
Hopefully i will post again soon with some good news on progress.
For now, thanks for your support and keep your feedback and comments coming.
My thanks to those members who took notice of the mention in my last post regarding increasing member numbers. This has led to a few new avenues of potential being opened, which we are hopeful something will come of.
Obviously for any business to be successful it must earn money to pay the bills, our focus ever since we developed has been solely on developing the site, working with members to improve consistently. Our hope of course is the good word of mouth and knowledge of the site will grow, which it has, however we (specifically I) must realise extra effort must be made to get the word out there and to do a better job of highlighting the uniqueness of the site and the power of the facilities.
This is of course never an easy thing to achieve, particularly when working on a very small budget, but there is no point making excuses as it can be done.
Anyway as always, my thanks to all members and its onwards and upwards.
Talk Soon,
Chris
Since my last post we have had a real nightmare trying to rectify an issue on the
RMV2 backdating facility. We believe we have now rectified the issue and will of course monitor it over the coming days, we are now working on additional features for RMV2 and also several other ongoing developments.
So although this has held us up, its such an important feature that eventually will be a major selling point for the site (ability to actually test performance of any set of ratings in the past) its certainly been a worthwhile delay.
Hopefully i will post again soon with some good news on progress.
For now, thanks for your support and keep your feedback and comments coming.
My thanks to those members who took notice of the mention in my last post regarding increasing member numbers. This has led to a few new avenues of potential being opened, which we are hopeful something will come of.
Obviously for any business to be successful it must earn money to pay the bills, our focus ever since we developed has been solely on developing the site, working with members to improve consistently. Our hope of course is the good word of mouth and knowledge of the site will grow, which it has, however we (specifically I) must realise extra effort must be made to get the word out there and to do a better job of highlighting the uniqueness of the site and the power of the facilities.
This is of course never an easy thing to achieve, particularly when working on a very small budget, but there is no point making excuses as it can be done.
Anyway as always, my thanks to all members and its onwards and upwards.
Talk Soon,
Chris
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Getting There
We have made some really good progress and will hopefully be making some massive headway during October.
Firstly there is a loyalty bonus programme for this month - thanks to all of you for all your support, lets hope something good comes of the loyalty programme!
Next, we have finally finished the Stalls Analyser for draw bias etc. We have had some nice feedback already, so thanks for that. We are very pleased with it so far.
This is actually what was holding up the Ratings Machine V2 project the most. We will therefore now be able to move along with the development here and at this stage our hope is the launch of the working machine is not too far away. When it launches we will introduce it to all the main places on the site but the old Ratings Machine will be available for a while to help members who wish to use ratings their to help set up in the RMV2.
In my next blog i will write a lot more about that but for now some things do keep changing behind the scenes so no point misleading people in terms of definite dates etc.
As mentioned earlier, October should be a big month so its onwards and upwards. Keep the feedback coming, there are many many of your plans in the pipeline.
Finally if you are able to mention the site to friends or anyone you believe would benefit, please do so. Despite the loyalty of our members we still have very small numbers and a real problem with getting the sites name out there as we are almost solely reliant on word of mouth. The site MUST grow in the next few months and we really do need all members support, so again thanks.
Chris
Firstly there is a loyalty bonus programme for this month - thanks to all of you for all your support, lets hope something good comes of the loyalty programme!
Next, we have finally finished the Stalls Analyser for draw bias etc. We have had some nice feedback already, so thanks for that. We are very pleased with it so far.
This is actually what was holding up the Ratings Machine V2 project the most. We will therefore now be able to move along with the development here and at this stage our hope is the launch of the working machine is not too far away. When it launches we will introduce it to all the main places on the site but the old Ratings Machine will be available for a while to help members who wish to use ratings their to help set up in the RMV2.
In my next blog i will write a lot more about that but for now some things do keep changing behind the scenes so no point misleading people in terms of definite dates etc.
As mentioned earlier, October should be a big month so its onwards and upwards. Keep the feedback coming, there are many many of your plans in the pipeline.
Finally if you are able to mention the site to friends or anyone you believe would benefit, please do so. Despite the loyalty of our members we still have very small numbers and a real problem with getting the sites name out there as we are almost solely reliant on word of mouth. The site MUST grow in the next few months and we really do need all members support, so again thanks.
Chris
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Improvements/General Update
Hey all,
You may have noticed the new Stat Attack Extra feature, which we added. This was as a result of a few members feedback - so thanks to them for getting the ball rolling. Its always interesting to see how people take to new tools and this one has gone down well with quite a few of you and the feedback has been great so watch out for some more developments and improvements to it in the next while.
The System Builder Upgrade we are working on is coming along very nicely and although i cant give a guaranteed date at this stage expect it soon. The upgrade will include some new categories, improved features and more. Its going to be great.
The Ratings Machine V2 continues to take up a lot of our time and we are hopeful over the next week we will get the Stall calculations on and also some additional features so we are close to how it will actually be at launch.
In this respect it is important current users of the Ratings Machine are aware this will be replaced by the V2 and although we will run both simultaneously for a short period it will be removed completely once things settle down. As the V2 works on a completely different structure there is no way to simply move settings across and it would be a foolish move on our part to attempt to do so.
Please keep all feedback coming - thanks to all members for your continued support, the site genuinelly would not exist without you.
I will write again soon.
Chris
You may have noticed the new Stat Attack Extra feature, which we added. This was as a result of a few members feedback - so thanks to them for getting the ball rolling. Its always interesting to see how people take to new tools and this one has gone down well with quite a few of you and the feedback has been great so watch out for some more developments and improvements to it in the next while.
The System Builder Upgrade we are working on is coming along very nicely and although i cant give a guaranteed date at this stage expect it soon. The upgrade will include some new categories, improved features and more. Its going to be great.
The Ratings Machine V2 continues to take up a lot of our time and we are hopeful over the next week we will get the Stall calculations on and also some additional features so we are close to how it will actually be at launch.
In this respect it is important current users of the Ratings Machine are aware this will be replaced by the V2 and although we will run both simultaneously for a short period it will be removed completely once things settle down. As the V2 works on a completely different structure there is no way to simply move settings across and it would be a foolish move on our part to attempt to do so.
Please keep all feedback coming - thanks to all members for your continued support, the site genuinelly would not exist without you.
I will write again soon.
Chris
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Ratings Machine V2 in first working format
Hi all,
After what has been a testing few days we now return to getting things moving again and progress.
The RMV2 is now loaded in a first working test format - basically this means it should all work but we need to run plenty of tests on it and ensure all calculations etc are being formulated correctly. The only section we are still finalising is the Stalls - ill give an update on this in my next blog.
The HRB Test set we have loaded has literally just been created now using a relatively standard approach, at launch time we will obviously have put more thought in and tested substantially for whatever we decide to include as our standard set.
Anyway, i shall not waffle on and just say thanks very much to everyone for your continued support, which is really fantastic and by working together we are gradually getting there.
Ill post soon, hope to hear from you with any feedback at all you may have.
Chris
After what has been a testing few days we now return to getting things moving again and progress.
The RMV2 is now loaded in a first working test format - basically this means it should all work but we need to run plenty of tests on it and ensure all calculations etc are being formulated correctly. The only section we are still finalising is the Stalls - ill give an update on this in my next blog.
The HRB Test set we have loaded has literally just been created now using a relatively standard approach, at launch time we will obviously have put more thought in and tested substantially for whatever we decide to include as our standard set.
Anyway, i shall not waffle on and just say thanks very much to everyone for your continued support, which is really fantastic and by working together we are gradually getting there.
Ill post soon, hope to hear from you with any feedback at all you may have.
Chris
Monday, September 6, 2010
Problems
Hi,
I had hoped to bring better news at this stage but instead im afraid i must say there have been several issues, all culminating tonight in a complete system crash.
We have had to completely restore the whole thing and unfortunately you may have lost some data saved in the last couple of days. If you have i am genuinelly and sincerely sorry.
Please contact us with any issues and we will try our best to help.
This period of development has been a particularly difficult period and all i can really say is thanks for your patience and be aware it will all be worth it.
Again my sincere apologies if you are one of those whose data has been lost. We have restored as much as we can.
The development is getting there and i guess with advancement there are sometimes disappointments on the way.
The one positive is that we got most of it back. But the stuff thats corrupted is no use to anyone.
Ill post soon. Sorry again
Chris
I had hoped to bring better news at this stage but instead im afraid i must say there have been several issues, all culminating tonight in a complete system crash.
We have had to completely restore the whole thing and unfortunately you may have lost some data saved in the last couple of days. If you have i am genuinelly and sincerely sorry.
Please contact us with any issues and we will try our best to help.
This period of development has been a particularly difficult period and all i can really say is thanks for your patience and be aware it will all be worth it.
Again my sincere apologies if you are one of those whose data has been lost. We have restored as much as we can.
The development is getting there and i guess with advancement there are sometimes disappointments on the way.
The one positive is that we got most of it back. But the stuff thats corrupted is no use to anyone.
Ill post soon. Sorry again
Chris
Thursday, August 26, 2010
RMV2 Update
Hi all,
Thanks for the feedback you have been providing on the RMV2. We have made some more amendments and tidied up the code considerably.
We will obviously continue to work on it over the next few days, so please do give your feedback during this time while amendments can still be made.
You will notice considerable amendments to the strike rate bonus areas - this is vital and a huge improvement as previously the scores being produced were very very similar in many cases - now they can be set up to really maximise your preferences.
Soon we will have a phase of actually looking at ratings in action each day, with a reasonably standard test set. That will be after we and you are happy with the basic layout and options available - so as i say please do get in touch with any comments at all.
Remember to email us or use the feedback form with all your thoughts.
Cheers
Chris
Thanks for the feedback you have been providing on the RMV2. We have made some more amendments and tidied up the code considerably.
We will obviously continue to work on it over the next few days, so please do give your feedback during this time while amendments can still be made.
You will notice considerable amendments to the strike rate bonus areas - this is vital and a huge improvement as previously the scores being produced were very very similar in many cases - now they can be set up to really maximise your preferences.
Soon we will have a phase of actually looking at ratings in action each day, with a reasonably standard test set. That will be after we and you are happy with the basic layout and options available - so as i say please do get in touch with any comments at all.
Remember to email us or use the feedback form with all your thoughts.
Cheers
Chris
Monday, August 16, 2010
Ratings MAchine V2 - Test format
The V2 Ratings Machine has been loaded to the site in test format - there is a link to it at the top right of the site. As we have tried to plaster all over it - its in test format, so dont be worrying about actual ratings created or spending ages at this point creating your preferences.
The purpose at the moment is to get feedback on the usability and functionality.
I shall be writing more in the coming days - for now ill let you make your own judgements and get in touch. Email me or Jamie and we will be glad to hear from you.
The advance cards/systems and fresh update of info addition to the site has really gone down well with most members, thanks to all who got in touch and expressed their support.
The site is coming along nicely and we are hopeful our goals for 2010 will be reached - but i must say we are really only at the tip of the iceberg and there are a huge number of improvements and new features in the pipeline. All of them have came from member feedback and there are plenty more in development. We will get through them all just as quick as we can.
As i say i shall post again soon - please do take the time to get in touch with any feedback at all you have - even if its a broken link or a mis-spelling.
By working together we truly can create a complete horse racing website - were well on the way.
The purpose at the moment is to get feedback on the usability and functionality.
I shall be writing more in the coming days - for now ill let you make your own judgements and get in touch. Email me or Jamie and we will be glad to hear from you.
The advance cards/systems and fresh update of info addition to the site has really gone down well with most members, thanks to all who got in touch and expressed their support.
The site is coming along nicely and we are hopeful our goals for 2010 will be reached - but i must say we are really only at the tip of the iceberg and there are a huge number of improvements and new features in the pipeline. All of them have came from member feedback and there are plenty more in development. We will get through them all just as quick as we can.
As i say i shall post again soon - please do take the time to get in touch with any feedback at all you have - even if its a broken link or a mis-spelling.
By working together we truly can create a complete horse racing website - were well on the way.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Site Changes
Hi all,
Just to confirm a few changes to the site.
We will be adding a new feature from 10th/11th August with the introduction of advance cards. This will mean the information for the next days racing will be online at approximately 2pm each day. At the same time we will be running an update for all that days conditions (ie going changes, update of odds forecast etc.).
Therefore the new process will be of benefit to those who like the opportunity to view data for the next day earlier and also those who would benefit from an update on the days conditions just before racing commences each day.
The new process will involve 2 ever-rolling stages.
A) Approx 2pm (ideally before first race of the day) - update on all 'todays racing' plus cards for 'tomorrows racing' put on in advance format.
B) Overnight/before 8am - results put through, advance cards updated and changed to be 'todays racing'.
In addition the Ratings Machine V2 will be introduced in a test format, certain sections are still not finalised but there is no harm in users playing with what is ready and offering feedback etc. The aim now is to go live with the new version of the machine by September, but obviously this will depend on how things go.
Finally there are many more improvements, tidy-ups and new features which will be added as and when we complete them including some substantial improvements to the system builder.
If you have been in touch and we have agreed to an upgrade, please be patient, you will see your suggestions being implemented soon if you have not already. We reply to all emails so please check your junk folders etc if you do not receive a reply.
Thanks to all members for your ongoing support - the site is really getting there and a hugely significant part of that is down to members loyalty and feedback.
Chris
Just to confirm a few changes to the site.
We will be adding a new feature from 10th/11th August with the introduction of advance cards. This will mean the information for the next days racing will be online at approximately 2pm each day. At the same time we will be running an update for all that days conditions (ie going changes, update of odds forecast etc.).
Therefore the new process will be of benefit to those who like the opportunity to view data for the next day earlier and also those who would benefit from an update on the days conditions just before racing commences each day.
The new process will involve 2 ever-rolling stages.
A) Approx 2pm (ideally before first race of the day) - update on all 'todays racing' plus cards for 'tomorrows racing' put on in advance format.
B) Overnight/before 8am - results put through, advance cards updated and changed to be 'todays racing'.
In addition the Ratings Machine V2 will be introduced in a test format, certain sections are still not finalised but there is no harm in users playing with what is ready and offering feedback etc. The aim now is to go live with the new version of the machine by September, but obviously this will depend on how things go.
Finally there are many more improvements, tidy-ups and new features which will be added as and when we complete them including some substantial improvements to the system builder.
If you have been in touch and we have agreed to an upgrade, please be patient, you will see your suggestions being implemented soon if you have not already. We reply to all emails so please check your junk folders etc if you do not receive a reply.
Thanks to all members for your ongoing support - the site is really getting there and a hugely significant part of that is down to members loyalty and feedback.
Chris
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Stalls hold up
Hey
One of the things i must say as part of what we are doing here is how difficult it is to obtain decent information when creating projects such as these. Our priority is ensuring accuracy and in particular on the stalls project we are continually hitting brick walls as we try and finalise the data. Its apparent there is no consistency to where the stalls are placed.
I appreciate this is done to obtain better ground or for various other reasons but purely from a statistical point of view it is extremely important and many people just are not aware of this element.
Anyway this blog is short and sweet to say the RM V2 will be online in a test format ASAP and all the other items i mentioned in my previous blog will follow shortly thereafter. Certainly I am confident we can get it all done for end of July/start of August.
I shall write again soon when the Ratings Machine V2 is up in test format.
Chris
One of the things i must say as part of what we are doing here is how difficult it is to obtain decent information when creating projects such as these. Our priority is ensuring accuracy and in particular on the stalls project we are continually hitting brick walls as we try and finalise the data. Its apparent there is no consistency to where the stalls are placed.
I appreciate this is done to obtain better ground or for various other reasons but purely from a statistical point of view it is extremely important and many people just are not aware of this element.
Anyway this blog is short and sweet to say the RM V2 will be online in a test format ASAP and all the other items i mentioned in my previous blog will follow shortly thereafter. Certainly I am confident we can get it all done for end of July/start of August.
I shall write again soon when the Ratings Machine V2 is up in test format.
Chris
Friday, June 25, 2010
Timeframes
Hey all,
We are really delighted with how things have been going behind the scenes, we have made some fantastic progress with the Ratings Machine V2 and also some major new System Builder upgrades.
I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know some approximate timeframes for stuff actually going live.
Firstly in order to meet some commitments made to a few members we will be introducing some new categories to the Builder, this will happen hopefully this Sunday/Monday, certainly before the end of June.
In early July we shall be introducing a test format of the Ratings Machine V2, i will write more at the time but the idea is to get as much feedback as possible and see if anyone can break it.
In mid-July we will be implementing some major improvements to the System Builder including the introduction of some much sought after categories we have been gathering data on for some time. Additionally some layout improvements will be made as an optional new face for the builder. I say optional because we will not remove the screens as they are now, instead having a user specified choice.
The reason for this is because many new people simply cant comprehend how to build a system and we therefore must cater for their needs and introduce an easier layout helping them build simple systems. What can be done with the System Builder is astonishing yet the vast majority do not understand or fulfill its potential - it is our responsibility to try and change that.
The Ratings Machine V2 shall not go live till we and you are completely happy with it, however it is aimed we shall do so around the 18th July.
In amongst all this we have lots of new content and improvements to other tools plus the roll out of another new section/tool, i dont have definite timeframes but im confident most of it shall be on by end of August.
From August we have plans to introduce much needed structure to the load times to the site, this is hopefully going to include an early load with advance cards for the following day, an update once all results are in and then a refresh before racing commences each day to include updated going, odds etc.
Further developments are also in progress but i shall write about them in my next blog. Please do keep getting in touch with me and thanks for all your support.
Chris
We are really delighted with how things have been going behind the scenes, we have made some fantastic progress with the Ratings Machine V2 and also some major new System Builder upgrades.
I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know some approximate timeframes for stuff actually going live.
Firstly in order to meet some commitments made to a few members we will be introducing some new categories to the Builder, this will happen hopefully this Sunday/Monday, certainly before the end of June.
In early July we shall be introducing a test format of the Ratings Machine V2, i will write more at the time but the idea is to get as much feedback as possible and see if anyone can break it.
In mid-July we will be implementing some major improvements to the System Builder including the introduction of some much sought after categories we have been gathering data on for some time. Additionally some layout improvements will be made as an optional new face for the builder. I say optional because we will not remove the screens as they are now, instead having a user specified choice.
The reason for this is because many new people simply cant comprehend how to build a system and we therefore must cater for their needs and introduce an easier layout helping them build simple systems. What can be done with the System Builder is astonishing yet the vast majority do not understand or fulfill its potential - it is our responsibility to try and change that.
The Ratings Machine V2 shall not go live till we and you are completely happy with it, however it is aimed we shall do so around the 18th July.
In amongst all this we have lots of new content and improvements to other tools plus the roll out of another new section/tool, i dont have definite timeframes but im confident most of it shall be on by end of August.
From August we have plans to introduce much needed structure to the load times to the site, this is hopefully going to include an early load with advance cards for the following day, an update once all results are in and then a refresh before racing commences each day to include updated going, odds etc.
Further developments are also in progress but i shall write about them in my next blog. Please do keep getting in touch with me and thanks for all your support.
Chris
Friday, June 4, 2010
Progress and the Derby
We are starting to really make some headway now and have seen quite a lot of improvements go on, although its fair to say we arent even halfway there yet.
The new tools have some great feedback coming and please do keep it coming as by fine-tuning them the benefits are felt by all.
The Stat Attack tool was based on a suggestion made by one of our long-standing members so again if you have an idea of a tool you think would be helpful, no matter how outlandish it may seem, please do give me a shout and tell me - at the worst if its not possible we can look at it and maybe figure out another way.
Plenty more cleaning up and optimisation is required, this will all hopefully come to a head this month and next with some major improvements all over the place, some more new additions and finally the launch of the Ratings Machine V2 which i must say is really coming along great.
We will put up a trial version first and let members play with it and see what feedback we get.
Its obviously a big weekend with the Derby and all the talk has mainly been about the Coolmore horses and of course the removal of the big antepost favourite St Nicholas Abbey and the choice to send a couple over to France for their equivalent. Im not really an antepost betting man but feel for those affected, however thats surely the nature and risk of the type of bet being placed and those who are whining claiming its more than bad luck are barking up the wrong tree.
The other major news i think is Kieran Fallon taking the ride on Al Zir, this is just another indication of the respect his riding abilities are regarded in throughout the world. He is without a shadow of a doubt my favourite flat jockey and i am still often left aghast at some of the rides he gives.
Overall i dont think this is the best Derby we shall see, but i hope to be proved wrong. One positive is i believe its really quite a wide open affair and their will be value about. Mind you, Jan Vermeer has a fantastic chance but i dont like the price much.
The new tools have some great feedback coming and please do keep it coming as by fine-tuning them the benefits are felt by all.
The Stat Attack tool was based on a suggestion made by one of our long-standing members so again if you have an idea of a tool you think would be helpful, no matter how outlandish it may seem, please do give me a shout and tell me - at the worst if its not possible we can look at it and maybe figure out another way.
Plenty more cleaning up and optimisation is required, this will all hopefully come to a head this month and next with some major improvements all over the place, some more new additions and finally the launch of the Ratings Machine V2 which i must say is really coming along great.
We will put up a trial version first and let members play with it and see what feedback we get.
Its obviously a big weekend with the Derby and all the talk has mainly been about the Coolmore horses and of course the removal of the big antepost favourite St Nicholas Abbey and the choice to send a couple over to France for their equivalent. Im not really an antepost betting man but feel for those affected, however thats surely the nature and risk of the type of bet being placed and those who are whining claiming its more than bad luck are barking up the wrong tree.
The other major news i think is Kieran Fallon taking the ride on Al Zir, this is just another indication of the respect his riding abilities are regarded in throughout the world. He is without a shadow of a doubt my favourite flat jockey and i am still often left aghast at some of the rides he gives.
Overall i dont think this is the best Derby we shall see, but i hope to be proved wrong. One positive is i believe its really quite a wide open affair and their will be value about. Mind you, Jan Vermeer has a fantastic chance but i dont like the price much.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Getting there
We are slowly but surely getting there, although its still a working progress.
Ive put up the statistics page which now works in a far more efficient manner, although its still only got a few categories and will grow over the coming months. All feedback will be gratefully received.
Speaking of feedback, we have had lots, some positive and some negative - the point really is, it all helps. The feedback is what helps us continue to grow. So dont be afraid to just say whatever your thinking. Also if ive said we will do something and its not yet done, dont despair, it just means were working on it.
We have done most of the SEO work on existing pages now and its a case of continuing to improve and spot areas we could do better in.
Im very hopeful the next couple of months will be extremely rewarding for our loyal members, thanks again for all your support.
Ive put up the statistics page which now works in a far more efficient manner, although its still only got a few categories and will grow over the coming months. All feedback will be gratefully received.
Speaking of feedback, we have had lots, some positive and some negative - the point really is, it all helps. The feedback is what helps us continue to grow. So dont be afraid to just say whatever your thinking. Also if ive said we will do something and its not yet done, dont despair, it just means were working on it.
We have done most of the SEO work on existing pages now and its a case of continuing to improve and spot areas we could do better in.
Im very hopeful the next couple of months will be extremely rewarding for our loyal members, thanks again for all your support.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Continued Improvements
A quick ramble to say the improvements are going to keep continuing over the next couple of months at quite a rapid pace. We have many things half-done or close to completion and are tidying up areas also as we go.
Your feedback is invaluable and i would urge that you continue to contact us with your thoughts.
Not everything is possible of course but at the very least we will add it to our wish list.
I wont go into too much detail about whats coming as ive disappointed myself before and found its not as close as i think!
What i will say is that the Statistics section should be online within a week or so and is a massive improvement on what we had previously. It is also a fantastic learning tool for the System Builder.
I will stay true to my word and be posting more regular blogs and tweets as soon as we get through this period of sustained improvements and growth, its really important for now we utilise all our time on making the site easier to use and more appealing to new customers, plus ensuring existing members have the functionality they desire.
Your feedback is invaluable and i would urge that you continue to contact us with your thoughts.
Not everything is possible of course but at the very least we will add it to our wish list.
I wont go into too much detail about whats coming as ive disappointed myself before and found its not as close as i think!
What i will say is that the Statistics section should be online within a week or so and is a massive improvement on what we had previously. It is also a fantastic learning tool for the System Builder.
I will stay true to my word and be posting more regular blogs and tweets as soon as we get through this period of sustained improvements and growth, its really important for now we utilise all our time on making the site easier to use and more appealing to new customers, plus ensuring existing members have the functionality they desire.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Security
We have worked overnight and all day today adding additional security measures to the site and will be further improving these as part of a forthcoming major upgrade.
Im really grateful for all members support and also the excellent suggestions which, keep coming in.
On the note of gratitude its worth mentioning the guys at Flatstats who have been most co-operative, which deserves credit as in this world its rare when people do unselfish things.
The collateral form tool needs to be made a little more user friendly and we will be continuing the development in the coming days. i will write another blog soon with details of proposed date for upgrade.
Punchestown has served up so many stories this week but its been some period for Mullins, id say its beyond his wildest dreams.
Also, if anyone has any comments on any new tools which may be useful, please do let me know and we will add to our future improvements.
Im really grateful for all members support and also the excellent suggestions which, keep coming in.
On the note of gratitude its worth mentioning the guys at Flatstats who have been most co-operative, which deserves credit as in this world its rare when people do unselfish things.
The collateral form tool needs to be made a little more user friendly and we will be continuing the development in the coming days. i will write another blog soon with details of proposed date for upgrade.
Punchestown has served up so many stories this week but its been some period for Mullins, id say its beyond his wildest dreams.
Also, if anyone has any comments on any new tools which may be useful, please do let me know and we will add to our future improvements.
Hacking issue
This evening i was contacted by FlatStats (another horse racing database service) informing me that HorseRaceBase had been subject to a hack in January of this year.
One minute later this site also posted a message on their forum advising people of the same thing, this was followed by someone describing our site as suspicious.
Before speaking on the hack issue, let me state categorically HRB is certainly not suspicious. I created it personally and thanks to your support it keeps growing (to the point now where clearly someone views us as worth targetting). Every single thing we do comes after discussion with members and the nature of the site is completely based around honesty and integrity. I am confident enough in my relationship with members to believe this will shine through.
I appreciate fully if you have read anything else before visiting HRB the hacking sounds bad and would immediately apologise to anyone who was alarmed and also to those who may have received junk email, which being completely honest may obviously have arisen as a result of this.
The only information held in the HorseRaceBase members account is your login, password and email address. Nothing else. We do suggest in our help guide that all members change their password regularly but i know myself, this is something we all very rarely get round to. Please do so now. There is a link on your homepage once logged in.
Feel free as always to email me if you have any concerns at all. We shall be taking every step possible to ensure this doesnt happen again and along with several upgrades and new features will be implementing additional security checks at each point (behind the scenes) very soon.
Again my apologies for this issue and thanks for your ongoing support.
One minute later this site also posted a message on their forum advising people of the same thing, this was followed by someone describing our site as suspicious.
Before speaking on the hack issue, let me state categorically HRB is certainly not suspicious. I created it personally and thanks to your support it keeps growing (to the point now where clearly someone views us as worth targetting). Every single thing we do comes after discussion with members and the nature of the site is completely based around honesty and integrity. I am confident enough in my relationship with members to believe this will shine through.
I appreciate fully if you have read anything else before visiting HRB the hacking sounds bad and would immediately apologise to anyone who was alarmed and also to those who may have received junk email, which being completely honest may obviously have arisen as a result of this.
The only information held in the HorseRaceBase members account is your login, password and email address. Nothing else. We do suggest in our help guide that all members change their password regularly but i know myself, this is something we all very rarely get round to. Please do so now. There is a link on your homepage once logged in.
Feel free as always to email me if you have any concerns at all. We shall be taking every step possible to ensure this doesnt happen again and along with several upgrades and new features will be implementing additional security checks at each point (behind the scenes) very soon.
Again my apologies for this issue and thanks for your ongoing support.
Friday, April 2, 2010
SEO Lessons
Sometimes its actually quite a relief when you realise your mistakes. I know now after some serious studying on the search engine optimization side of things that I have made plenty in terms of the design of the layout etc on the site.
You see, i started this all out as a hobby and it gradually grew until i took it on full time, initially all i thought about was putting up tools etc and unfortunately i was a little naive in terms of my thinking people would just come. Ive always known word of mouth was pretty much our only way of attracting new customers (as things were) but ultimately that barely covers the bills (because only a few people telling a few others still doesnt make lots of people!) and obviously to succeed long-term (which we shall) a much broader audience must be reached.
So a complete redesign of a lot of things (annoying things in all honesty!) has been carried out and a much more structured and sensible approach will be introduced shortly.
Im aware of sites doing overhauls in the past (one rather famously) and making a total balls of it and in fact driving people away, so i will certainly not be going down this route. Basically all that will change are positive things and at the same time we will introduce some new tools etc that have been in the pipeline for a while.
Much of the work is merging pages together, avoiding duplication of keyword phrases and introducing appropriate title tags and (and other mundane dull aspects that are seemingly all important).
The massive positive really is the reputation of the site, we have always done things by the book and that does show. So with the improvements to come we will take another huge step towards where we want to be.
Much of that really is down to the fact the tools on the site are excellent and with your feedback we keep improving them, if we could just get a few more people to come and try them we would be in business! We shall get there!
In other news but a large part of what ive been doing, i will be setting up another loyalty bonus for existing members, most of you have been around for a while and really we are so grateful of your support.
The Ratings Machine V2 project is moving along nicely and we are genuinelly excited (how sad is that!?!) about its introduction hopefully within next few months.
You see, i started this all out as a hobby and it gradually grew until i took it on full time, initially all i thought about was putting up tools etc and unfortunately i was a little naive in terms of my thinking people would just come. Ive always known word of mouth was pretty much our only way of attracting new customers (as things were) but ultimately that barely covers the bills (because only a few people telling a few others still doesnt make lots of people!) and obviously to succeed long-term (which we shall) a much broader audience must be reached.
So a complete redesign of a lot of things (annoying things in all honesty!) has been carried out and a much more structured and sensible approach will be introduced shortly.
Im aware of sites doing overhauls in the past (one rather famously) and making a total balls of it and in fact driving people away, so i will certainly not be going down this route. Basically all that will change are positive things and at the same time we will introduce some new tools etc that have been in the pipeline for a while.
Much of the work is merging pages together, avoiding duplication of keyword phrases and introducing appropriate title tags and (and other mundane dull aspects that are seemingly all important).
The massive positive really is the reputation of the site, we have always done things by the book and that does show. So with the improvements to come we will take another huge step towards where we want to be.
Much of that really is down to the fact the tools on the site are excellent and with your feedback we keep improving them, if we could just get a few more people to come and try them we would be in business! We shall get there!
In other news but a large part of what ive been doing, i will be setting up another loyalty bonus for existing members, most of you have been around for a while and really we are so grateful of your support.
The Ratings Machine V2 project is moving along nicely and we are genuinelly excited (how sad is that!?!) about its introduction hopefully within next few months.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The Bookies Festival
Well thats that, the festival is over and the real winner was no doubt the bookies. Saying that though any horse racing fan although disappointed with some of the outcomes can not be anything other than delighted with the action we saw.
It was literally one cracking race after another. From a punting perspective with so many high profile losers it came down to getting a few higher priced ones up and you would probably be up. I got lucky on a couple of outsiders so it wasnt too bad for me personally.
I was at Cheltenham for Gold Cup day and although its packed and going to the loo or buying a pint is an ordeal its a day id recommend to anyone. Absolutely fantastic spectacle and experience.
With all the hype on Denman and Kauto it was of course Imperial Commander who ended up winning and it must be said quite convincingly. The sighs and groans, oohs and aahs from the crowd as the horses jumped round were really something that stick with you. Everyone there was living every moment. Kautos fall brought tears to the eyes of a guy near me, who then proceeded to just sit down and look in disbelief. It was weird.
Personally my betting does not increase just because its Cheltenham, i view everything as equal and its either a betting opportunity or its not - just because its high profile doesnt mean you should change your approach and risk going broke!
The site is moving along ok. We're still working ridiculous hours on some ongoing projects but we are making some nice progress. Over the next few months you will see a number of new features, improvements and a new styling to help navigation and presentation.
The feedback form has worked well and plenty of you have suggested things, many of which we have added already and others in progress.
It was literally one cracking race after another. From a punting perspective with so many high profile losers it came down to getting a few higher priced ones up and you would probably be up. I got lucky on a couple of outsiders so it wasnt too bad for me personally.
I was at Cheltenham for Gold Cup day and although its packed and going to the loo or buying a pint is an ordeal its a day id recommend to anyone. Absolutely fantastic spectacle and experience.
With all the hype on Denman and Kauto it was of course Imperial Commander who ended up winning and it must be said quite convincingly. The sighs and groans, oohs and aahs from the crowd as the horses jumped round were really something that stick with you. Everyone there was living every moment. Kautos fall brought tears to the eyes of a guy near me, who then proceeded to just sit down and look in disbelief. It was weird.
Personally my betting does not increase just because its Cheltenham, i view everything as equal and its either a betting opportunity or its not - just because its high profile doesnt mean you should change your approach and risk going broke!
The site is moving along ok. We're still working ridiculous hours on some ongoing projects but we are making some nice progress. Over the next few months you will see a number of new features, improvements and a new styling to help navigation and presentation.
The feedback form has worked well and plenty of you have suggested things, many of which we have added already and others in progress.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Onwards and upwards
A pretty boring few days if im honest as it feels like all i was doing was transferring files, waiting, testing, reloading, testing again and so on.
But its now done and we have successfully added 19 new categories to the builder as well as improving the options on another couple.
The placings categories now allow you to specify 'No Prev Run' which was a common member request and can be useful in queries. We also extened the distance beaten and distance won ranges for more flexibility.
The new categories include 1 year form stats for jockeys and trainers, statistics on horse performance in National Hunt Handicap sphere and some nice new criteria ranges such as the position in Prize Money won, Decimal Points ahead of next runner and position of age in the race for each horse (ie youngest, oldest etc).
All in all, were delighted to have this done as it means we can begin to move along many other issues which have been on hold.
Of course Cheltenham is on the way and this causes great excitement to all of us involved with horse racing. The focus in all the papers is on Denman v Kauto and its great for horse racing as even my family members with no interest in horse racing are all of a sudden asking questions.
As ive always said, racing needs these types of characters and stories to really highlight the good side of the sport. That said, im still a little disappointed more hasnt been done to really maximise the potential of getting horse racing on the front pages, although i see Harry Findlay and Clive Smith were out and about doing there bit which is a nice touch.
From a horseracebase perspective, there is much we need to do and it really is onwards and upwards from now. I will keep you all up to date in this blog with developments etc, im going to try and write at least a couple of times a week.
But its now done and we have successfully added 19 new categories to the builder as well as improving the options on another couple.
The placings categories now allow you to specify 'No Prev Run' which was a common member request and can be useful in queries. We also extened the distance beaten and distance won ranges for more flexibility.
The new categories include 1 year form stats for jockeys and trainers, statistics on horse performance in National Hunt Handicap sphere and some nice new criteria ranges such as the position in Prize Money won, Decimal Points ahead of next runner and position of age in the race for each horse (ie youngest, oldest etc).
All in all, were delighted to have this done as it means we can begin to move along many other issues which have been on hold.
Of course Cheltenham is on the way and this causes great excitement to all of us involved with horse racing. The focus in all the papers is on Denman v Kauto and its great for horse racing as even my family members with no interest in horse racing are all of a sudden asking questions.
As ive always said, racing needs these types of characters and stories to really highlight the good side of the sport. That said, im still a little disappointed more hasnt been done to really maximise the potential of getting horse racing on the front pages, although i see Harry Findlay and Clive Smith were out and about doing there bit which is a nice touch.
From a horseracebase perspective, there is much we need to do and it really is onwards and upwards from now. I will keep you all up to date in this blog with developments etc, im going to try and write at least a couple of times a week.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
A quick waffle
Its been another frustrating few days because of the weather, with several horse racing meetings having to be abandoned as a result of frost, snow and general awful conditions.
Ive often wondered what the horse racing board take into account when they consider rescheduling bigger races, for example at Doncaster recently the Mares Hurdle and the Lightning Novices were saved but the Sky Bet Chase was not. I asked the knowledgable people on the racing forum and received a great link to the following blog by Ruth Quinn, Director of Racing at the Horse Racing Authority. http://www.britishhorseracing.com/goracing/blogs/racing.asp
On to HorseRaceBase news, with the first mini System Builder upgrade done, we are now focusing on the major upgrade, which is moving along very nicely indeed. I reckon it will hopefully go ahead in the next few days, possibly Sunday but ideally before. Once thats done there are a whole host of further upgrades to start processing for the site.
Ive decided to use this blog as a way of listing the improvements as they go on. So when we do anything in any way significant ill list it on here.
Ideally i want to be writing the blog every day or at least every couple, with more insight into racing each day, the tools i use personally and discussion on the talking points at the time. But its important to concentrate fully for now on the pending issues with the site.
One very important feature to be added soon, will be the Speed element. Its something we are commonly questioned about, in terms of when it will be ready. To combat previous issues we had, we will now have standard times, adjusted times and a HRB speed rating, created by comparing times to standard and performing a calculation based on several different factors. People can then use whatever they want, if they are interested in Speed.
Ive often wondered what the horse racing board take into account when they consider rescheduling bigger races, for example at Doncaster recently the Mares Hurdle and the Lightning Novices were saved but the Sky Bet Chase was not. I asked the knowledgable people on the racing forum and received a great link to the following blog by Ruth Quinn, Director of Racing at the Horse Racing Authority. http://www.britishhorseracing.com/goracing/blogs/racing.asp
On to HorseRaceBase news, with the first mini System Builder upgrade done, we are now focusing on the major upgrade, which is moving along very nicely indeed. I reckon it will hopefully go ahead in the next few days, possibly Sunday but ideally before. Once thats done there are a whole host of further upgrades to start processing for the site.
Ive decided to use this blog as a way of listing the improvements as they go on. So when we do anything in any way significant ill list it on here.
Ideally i want to be writing the blog every day or at least every couple, with more insight into racing each day, the tools i use personally and discussion on the talking points at the time. But its important to concentrate fully for now on the pending issues with the site.
One very important feature to be added soon, will be the Speed element. Its something we are commonly questioned about, in terms of when it will be ready. To combat previous issues we had, we will now have standard times, adjusted times and a HRB speed rating, created by comparing times to standard and performing a calculation based on several different factors. People can then use whatever they want, if they are interested in Speed.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Racing vs SEO websites
Since we started HorseRaceBase it has grown considerably in terms of features offered, this is because our focus has always been on responding to user requests, adding new features and improving on the existing horse racing tools.
One area i have to admit i have not focused enough on is the SEO (search engine optimization), but in the past few months, we have been trying much harder. Its a strange and sobering realisation when you stick 'horse racing systems' as an example into google and cant find your own website. Obviously this isnt good enough and we must do all we can to improve.
There are two sides to this of course, the first is that patience is a strong virtue of mine and im thankful thats the case, because there is nothing that can be done overnight. In fact it takes many months for any SEO activities to start to take effect. One great disappointment ive had is with the hiring of an expert. Im still in negotiations to do so but most seem to just waffle on about the same old things promising first page rankings etc!
This is very similar to horse racing websites in some ways. It seems the norm is to simply keep on promising endless winners and flash giant profit figures across the screen.
It seems for every one of these racing sites promising yachts and mansions, there is an SEO company promising they can make you number one on google for any phrase of your choosing.
Clearly the similarity of the two is this - just as the phoney racing site may well give you a few days profit, the dodgy SEO crowd will possibly get you ranked top for a few days thanks to whatever tactics they adopt. But after a very short space of time reality will hit in and as the bookies get the better of you on one side of the fence, Google & Yahoo will be adjusting their algorithms to sort out the dodgy methods on the other.
So in one losing scenario your broke, in the other your website is banished from the search engines. Both are fair outcomes in my opinion for the lazy 'seek the quick buck ' attitude.
Our own approach to horse racing has always been to be completely honest - ie - its not easy and you will have to put your own work in, but our tools will certainly be a huge benefit. Im looking for an SEO company who are doing the same!
One area i have to admit i have not focused enough on is the SEO (search engine optimization), but in the past few months, we have been trying much harder. Its a strange and sobering realisation when you stick 'horse racing systems' as an example into google and cant find your own website. Obviously this isnt good enough and we must do all we can to improve.
There are two sides to this of course, the first is that patience is a strong virtue of mine and im thankful thats the case, because there is nothing that can be done overnight. In fact it takes many months for any SEO activities to start to take effect. One great disappointment ive had is with the hiring of an expert. Im still in negotiations to do so but most seem to just waffle on about the same old things promising first page rankings etc!
This is very similar to horse racing websites in some ways. It seems the norm is to simply keep on promising endless winners and flash giant profit figures across the screen.
It seems for every one of these racing sites promising yachts and mansions, there is an SEO company promising they can make you number one on google for any phrase of your choosing.
Clearly the similarity of the two is this - just as the phoney racing site may well give you a few days profit, the dodgy SEO crowd will possibly get you ranked top for a few days thanks to whatever tactics they adopt. But after a very short space of time reality will hit in and as the bookies get the better of you on one side of the fence, Google & Yahoo will be adjusting their algorithms to sort out the dodgy methods on the other.
So in one losing scenario your broke, in the other your website is banished from the search engines. Both are fair outcomes in my opinion for the lazy 'seek the quick buck ' attitude.
Our own approach to horse racing has always been to be completely honest - ie - its not easy and you will have to put your own work in, but our tools will certainly be a huge benefit. Im looking for an SEO company who are doing the same!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Information overload!
For the past couple of weeks we have been working round the clock on getting some new information ready for the system builder. It will hopefully be passed across after horse racing has finished this evening.
Its been pretty hectic and at times it feels like the endless spreadsheet and database checking etc is starting to take over. When i close my eyes at night i see lines of data! Nonetheless it will be worth it and will give some more horse racing categories to breakdown (requested by users).
Still ongoing are the Speed and Stall data projects. Both of these will be rolled out soon.
The stalls in particular are really frustrating - just when you think you are getting there, something new crops up and as its all about accuracy, you often find its two steps forward and eight steps back!
For example at many of the tracks sometimes stalls are placed in the centre for 5 furlong races, other times they are attached to the rail - whats irritating is that when your backdating and gathering this data, often it feels like it was just whatever suited at the time!
It will be great once ready though as all the horse track stall analysis i have came across is incorrectly collated, using a numerical sort and then showing results. This is of no use at all if on some days the stalls went from high numbers on the inside and then at other times low numbers!
Like all the projects we undertake its getting the older data and verifying it thats the main issue, keeping it up to date is far easier (thankfully!).
An example of this was the stallion data. It took us ages but now we just update for each time a new horse runs and its working out really well with some great information easily at hand to perform statistical breakdowns on.
Thats all for now - back to spreadsheet lands for me now!
Its been pretty hectic and at times it feels like the endless spreadsheet and database checking etc is starting to take over. When i close my eyes at night i see lines of data! Nonetheless it will be worth it and will give some more horse racing categories to breakdown (requested by users).
Still ongoing are the Speed and Stall data projects. Both of these will be rolled out soon.
The stalls in particular are really frustrating - just when you think you are getting there, something new crops up and as its all about accuracy, you often find its two steps forward and eight steps back!
For example at many of the tracks sometimes stalls are placed in the centre for 5 furlong races, other times they are attached to the rail - whats irritating is that when your backdating and gathering this data, often it feels like it was just whatever suited at the time!
It will be great once ready though as all the horse track stall analysis i have came across is incorrectly collated, using a numerical sort and then showing results. This is of no use at all if on some days the stalls went from high numbers on the inside and then at other times low numbers!
Like all the projects we undertake its getting the older data and verifying it thats the main issue, keeping it up to date is far easier (thankfully!).
An example of this was the stallion data. It took us ages but now we just update for each time a new horse runs and its working out really well with some great information easily at hand to perform statistical breakdowns on.
Thats all for now - back to spreadsheet lands for me now!
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