Ante-post Tips Today

Ante-Post Horse Racing Tips

Our ante-post tips focus on future races where our tipsters think the current price is worth taking before the market moves. When a tip goes live, you'll get the horse, the price and the reasoning behind it, so you can decide for yourself whether it's worth getting on.

Best Ante-Post Tips This Week

Our ante-post tips come from the ABC racing team, with Dave Revers covering most of the big races and festivals through the season. It isn't just about finding the likeliest winner. The price has to make sense too.

A horse might have a great chance, but if it's already too short weeks or months out, there's not much point taking on the extra ante-post risk. On the flip side, a bigger-priced horse gets interesting if we think it's more likely to line up and run well than the market suggests.

Each-Way Ante-Post Tips

You can back ante-post picks each-way too, as long as the market offers each-way terms.

An each-way bet splits your stake in two: half on the horse to win and half on it to place. So even if your pick doesn't win, you'll still get something back if it finishes within the bookie's place terms. It's a handy way to play bigger-priced horses in the major races, where there are often several realistic contenders.

Just remember the non-runner rule still applies. If your horse doesn't run, you'll lose both halves of the stake unless you took the bet with Non-Runner No Bet. For the full lowdown on how each-way works, check out our Each-Way Betting Tips.

How We Build Our Ante-Post Tips

Our Tipster Panel

Dave is our resident racing expert, with a real soft spot for the jumps. He spent more than 10 years at the Racing Post, including time as a racing analyst, breaking down races and picking out horses to follow next time out.

That makes ante-post a natural fit. A good ante-post bet means working out where a horse is heading next and whether its price reflects its chances, which is exactly what Dave did for a living.

What We Look For in an Ante-Post Bet

There's more to a good ante-post bet than picking the winner. We look at a horse's recent form, its likely target, whether the course and distance suit, its preferred ground, previous runs and how much improvement could still be to come.

We also look hard at the market. If we think a horse could shorten a lot before race day, taking the early price makes sense. If there are doubts over whether it'll run, whether conditions will suit or which race it'll end up in, even a big price might not be big enough.

How We Use Racing Data

Ante-post works a bit differently from our daily tips, because the final field could still be weeks or months away. That means there isn't always a full list of runners to put through our Racing Ratings and Racing Hit Rates tools.

So our ante-post analysis leans more on previous runs, race targets, conditions, how a horse is progressing and the price on offer. As the race gets closer and the field takes shape, the same data behind our daily racing tips helps build a fuller picture of every runner's chances.

What Is Ante-Post Betting?

Ante-post betting just means backing a horse before the final declarations for a race. That can be days, weeks or even months before the race is run.

The big draw is the price. If you get in early, you can often take much bigger odds than you'd find on race day, especially if the horse runs well in the meantime and shortens in the market. The catch is that if your horse doesn't make the final field, you'll usually lose your stake. A non-runner closer to race day normally gets voided. With ante-post, it's generally a loser.

So it all comes down to one question: is the bigger price worth the risk of your horse not turning up?

Why Are Ante-Post Odds Often Bigger?

Put simply, there's more uncertainty. A horse might have several runs before its big target, conditions can change and there's no guarantee it even makes the line-up. Bookmakers price all of that in, which is why you'll often see bigger odds weeks or months out.

If the horse runs well in the meantime, or it becomes clear it's heading for the race, that price can tumble.

That's what ante-post punters are after: taking a price early that looks huge by the time race day comes round.

Ante-Post Betting vs Non-Runner No Bet

Standard ante-post betting and Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB) aren't the same thing. A normal ante-post bet is "all-in, run or not". If your horse doesn't take part, the bet is settled as a loser.

NRNB takes that risk away. If your horse doesn't run, the bet is void and you get your stake back. The catch is that NRNB prices are often shorter than the early ante-post odds, because the bookie is taking on the non-runner risk instead of you.

Terms vary between bookmakers, so always check which market you're betting into.

What Happens if an Ante-Post Horse Doesn't Run?

With a standard ante-post bet, you'll usually lose your stake if your horse doesn't run. It's the biggest difference between ante-post and betting on the day. The exception is when the bookie offers Non-Runner No Bet, so check the terms before you get on.

It's also a big part of why ante-post prices can look so much better than what's on offer nearer the race.

Racing Festivals & Major Ante-Post Events We Cover

We cover ante-post betting for the biggest meetings and races in the British and Irish calendar. That includes the Cheltenham Festival, Grand National, Royal Ascot, 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas, plus the other major flat and jumps races through the season.

Our ante-post coverage usually kicks off once the markets have settled and there's enough to go on for our tipsters to spot a price worth taking.

Ante-Post Betting FAQs

What does ante-post mean in horse racing?

It means backing a horse before the final declarations for a race. These markets can open weeks or even months before the race, so you can take an early price.

What happens if my ante-post horse doesn't run?

With a standard ante-post bet, you'll usually lose your stake. If you bet with Non-Runner No Bet, the bet is void and you get your stake back.

What is Non-Runner No Bet?

It means you get your stake back if your horse doesn't run. It takes away one of the main risks of ante-post betting, but the odds are often shorter than the early ante-post prices.

Can you place an ante-post bet each-way?

Yes, many ante-post markets offer each-way betting. Your stake is split between the horse winning and placing, so you can still get a return if it doesn't win.

Do Rule 4 deductions apply to ante-post bets?

Standard ante-post bets aren't normally hit by Rule 4 deductions when another horse is withdrawn, because non-runners are already part of the risk. Bookie rules can vary, so it's always worth checking.

Are Andy's Bet Club ante-post tips free?

Yes. All the ante-post tips on this page are free, including the selections and the reasoning behind them.

How often are ante-post tips updated?

We add ante-post tips whenever our racing team spots a future race and a price worth backing. There won't be a new pick every day. New bets go up as markets, entries and race targets develop.

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