KEY POINTS:
If you want to increase your odds of backing a winner during Auckland Cup week you may need to get up close and personal with the horses.
Because that is how the experts decide whether a horse is a winner or just another money muncher.
Auckland Cup Week starts at Alexandra Park tonight, with nine race meetings in eight days, ranging from three days at Ellerslie to a picnic harness racing meeting on the grass at Pukekohe Park on Tuesday.
But regardless of the stake of the race or size of the crowd the rules for picking the right horse are the same.
When the Herald spoke to some of the best judges in the racing industry the same words kept coming up: balance, athleticism and an intelligent eye. And big nostrils don't hurt either.
"You want a horse who looks like an athlete, in much the way human athletes do," said two-time Olympic equestrian champion and Wellington Cup-winning trainer Mark Todd.
"You want them to look balanced and well proportioned.
"And big nostrils are good. After all, that is where the air gets in."
New Zealand's biggest spender at the yearling sales, David Ellis, said a horse should have a strong girth area.
"You want that to be nice and deep because that is where the heart and lungs are."
Ellis also likes a healthy eye as well as a relaxed demeanour. "You want a horse who wants to be at the races and isn't upset by being there."
That attitude is shared by bloodstock agent Paul Moroney, who has bought, syndicated and owned champion horses.
"Unless it is a very hot day you don't want to be backing horses who are sweating up around their neck, girth or between their hind legs.
"That is often a sign they are not ready, either mentally or physically for what they have to do."
New Zealand's leading bloodstock auctioneer and Trackside presenter Steve Davis said key factors remain the same throughout a horse's life.
"What I look for on raceday is a horse that looks bright in its coat, which means it is healthy and fit. And also good muscle mass with just the right amount of vein showing."
