Today is the the second in our For and Against podcast series where we get the lowdown from professional punters on how they go about winning long-term.

Nathan Snow is on the show to discuss aspects of the form such as:

Database vs. instinct and experience

On-speed vs. backmarkers

Big vs. small markets

Specialising vs. diversifying

Nathan also gives his thoughts on:

Level vs. proportionate staking

Standard bet size vs. confidence levels

Market intelligence vs market ignorance

Early vs late betting

Favourites vs long shots

Each way (or place only) vs straight out.

Static vs dynamic banks

Profit on Turnover % vs Profit only

Today’s Guest:

Nathan Snow

Dave: Good to have you back on Nathan. Last week we had Ben Krahe kick off the For and Against series and today I wanted to get you on a run through similar questions starting with doing the form. Would you describe yourself as a data guy or someone who relies more on videos and years of industry experience?

Nathan: It's more the videos and experience, but I am incorporating a bit more data here and there into what I do. Racing’s really undergone an information revolution the last sort of five, ten years and its expanding what you can find out and what's available for punters. You’d be mad not to look at different pieces but the core of what I've done hasn't changed. I just like to add little bits here and there to try and improve what I do.

Dave: How do you add little bits? Like you mentioned the data revolution, you want to stay true to what's succeeded long-term but at the same time you're constantly looking to improve. How do you incorporate that without I suppose throwing the baby out with the bathwater?

Nathan: It's more about doing what you do and keeping notes on various things that you may have used to influence your prices and cross-checking them after and seeing what adds up after a few months and what doesn't and what's worth adding little bits here and there to, and what's worth not discarding. It sort of works a bit like that.

Dave: Some of the data guys like to operate on lots of races every day, every week. What's your approach, in terms of the races that you want to focus on?

Nathan: That's why I'm more in the other sort of school. I just focus on one area and getting to know the horses and trainers and jockeys and the patterns of the tracks as much as possible. I find that helps me be in the other school of thought. It really is old school and new school, I guess. I prefer getting to know the horses and doing my form that way.

Dave: Do you still find an edge in speed maps and if so, how do you treat backmarkers versus on-speed horses?

Nathan: It's really all dependent on the map and how much pace you see and how much pace is going to be generated in the race, and which horses are going to land in the right spot. Sometimes, the backmarker, even though they're speed's going to be on if they're drawn awkwardly, they're going to have to go right back, whereas if they're drawn two or three, they can lob mid-field doing the same amount of work and that could be a big difference.

Dave: What about trainers and jockeys. I think it’s fair to say that you’ve got strong opinions on those but how do you factor that into your prices?

Nathan: Yeah, it all becomes about price premiums with trainers and jockeys. You penalise and you add and you penalise and you come up with a price. If the market is compensated as much as you feel it needs to then it’s still worth a bet. We managed to back a Kathy O’Hara winner yesterday even though you penalize a rider and the market penalizes a turn and the price is still there. They still ride winners the lesser jockeys; it’s just a matter of making sure you’re getting the right value to back them.

Dave: Obviously jockeys chop and change in terms from one start to the next but what about trainers?

Nathan: Well,