Jack of all trades and master of none.
That's the quote which no gambler can afford to be tagged. However, it is one that most ignore to their detriment. The best of the best at any given talent stick to one subject.
Why?
Because there simply isn't enough time to do everything and there really isn't any need or logic to cast your net too far (so to speak). Would you want your thoroughbred horse trained by someone who specialised in Shetland ponies? Each to their own but I would be more accepting of a dedicated expert rather than a part-time lover.
It's the same with finding your niche within horse racing. To put it bluntly, if you don't specialise then you are very unlikely to win. This specialism doesn't have to be within one area (although it is advisable) because you may have a couple of areas you consider yourself an aficionado.
You need to put in the time and effort to set yourself apart from the crowd and look at people around you and say to yourself: ''Within in my niche I know more than you!''. That's not being bigheaded – it's just a fact. A point you are proud to detail and talk about. If someone asks you a question in your niche you can explain it with knowledge, experience, and facts. You know more than the bloke down the road and that is the reason you make your betting pay.
I have honed my skills within two-year-old for over 30 years.
I tell people I am an authority and know more than just about anyone in the country.
And I can tell you this – it is a fact.
When you understand your subject matter you are confident in your thoughts and you can work to a higher level. When I studied with the Open University reading Psychology for a Hons Degree I went into every exam feeling confident. I knew I would pass the exam. That was a guarantee. How did I know? Because I had worked tirelessly to understand the subject and revised to a point that I simply knew what I needed. Whether I would achieve a distinction was another matter but I knew I would get a high-grade pass without any problem.
I proved the point every year and my exam grades were actually higher than my tutor-marked assignments.
To do well at horse racing, you need to enjoy your subject matter. If it is hard work or you lack motivation then you will fail miserably. The biggest problem with following horse racing is that it sets the pace. You either keep up or fall behind. It is akin to being stuck on a conveyor belt.
You may be lucky and find a niche or way of working which isn't dictated to by the racing calendar. That is a good thing although I think you will still feel the pressure of needing the discipline to work in an efficient manner.
So if you want to be an expert within your niche then you need to work hard. They say it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert. However, that is to a level that I would have to put in speech marks. In truth, it takes years to understand and then you carry on learning.
It is startling how few gamblers appreciate you need to learn something to be better than your opposition. We live in a competitive world and the only way you survive is by being better. Herbert Spencer coined the phrase ''Survival of the fittest''. See how knowledge proves its power because you may be under the misapprehension that it was a quote from Charles Darwin. (It wasn't).
With a little bit of work, you will look at friends and foe with a knowing smile.
You know more.