The Late Mail with Chris Scholtz – 24th Feb

All todays latest news, track conditions and potential winners in Melbourne and Sydney

When the dust settles after race day, it’s not just the winners we remember it’s how they got there, and how they’ll go next. On the Late Mail page, you’ll find not just the raw numbers or scratchings, but keen insights into patterns, recent results, and the little whispers that could shape tomorrow’s outcomes. Add in Racing Tips grounded in cold form, and you begin to see the full picture.

Take, for example, a mare who’s been knocking at the door in recent starts placing second, then narrowly missing in a stronger field. That sort of consistency tells you she’s not far off her peak. Pair that with a jockey change to someone with a strong track record at the course, or a barrier draw advantage those are the ticks that push a horse from “could place” to “definitely in the mix.” We filter out the noise to bring you those edges in our Horse Racing Tips.

Current tournament standings also matter. Horses running in a series of heats may show signs of fatigue, or conversely, get sharper as they roll on. In contrast, a sprinter popping up fresh may carry raw speed but lack race fitness. We reference those trajectories to calibrate where our Racing Tips lean weight.

But it’s not just print. For a more conversational take, dive into our Racing Podcasts where race previews, trainer interviews, and track-side banter bring life and depth to raw data. Hear firsthand how a jockey reads a tricky track, or how a stable manager handles unexpected rain. These audio pieces often unearth nuggets you won’t see in stats tables.

And sure, past form is never perfect horses improve, conditions change, jockeys shift. But when you combine a form-based Racing Tip approach with colour and nuance from a Racing Podcast, your perspective stretches further than just numbers. You begin to appreciate the “why” behind a horse punching above expectation, or why a favourite might let you down on the day.

So before you lock in your bets for the next meeting, revisit the Late Mail, soak in recent performances, lean on sharp Horse Racing Tips, and tune through a Racing Podcast or two. You won’t catch every surprise that’s the nature of racing but you’ll come closer to seeing them coming.