Barny, there is/was a bookies' saying directed to those punters who make their selections solely based on mechanical systems "you can have your system, and after a year you can still have your system...but I'll have your money".

This is not surprising because of the bookies' take-out.

However, if the very same selections were bet on Betfair or even some of the special features that some agencies now offer, then the results could be different.

From 14/11 I've been testing a mechanical Place system betting on the NSW TAB the fave or what I think could end up being the fave, because it seems the top end of the market might just favor Place over Win betting. So far there have been 190 selections for 161 placegetters and slightly better than a 10% POT. I only have results from 14/12 to 31/12 for Win betting, it is showing a loss of 3.23% yet over the same period the Place results is a profit of 6.89%. December is a notorious month for not winning, and Place betting broke even for that month, and Win betting a loss of 13% from the period 14/12 to 31/12.

Also I think I might have identified a weakness in the U.K. market with Place laying, but I have stopped for the time being because of the inconvenience. The results after 263 races is a profit of $50.73 from $5 bets.

Even a total of 190 races here in Oz for my Place system is nowhere near enough to draw any conclusions, but its possible to come up with a profitable mechanical system, particularly if a strength/weakness can be identified. And then reverse engineer, capitilise, whatever, on it.

Don't give up with mechanical systems because we never know what we might discover if we persevere.