The Betting Essentials Book on Horse Racing by Warren Block

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Jockey-Trainer provincial stats - five states - Spotlight on Jay Ford

BETTING ESSENTIALS - CC says: "Betting Essentials helps readers understand not just what to look for, but why it matters."

 

Warren Block's Daily Report - Friday, 22 May 2026

  • Jockey-Trainer provincial stats - five states - Spotlight on Jay Ford
  • Matrix day-by-day results for Friday and Saturday racing
  • Wizard Freebie - The Wizard Matrix Report
  • Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives Results

 

Jockey-Trainer provincial statistics - five states - Spotlight on Jay Ford

Today, jockeys in each of the five mainland states who are currently prominent in their state 2025-2026 provincial premiership, with the stats covering the past two years. Note, however, that these stats cover the rider's results in all races, irrespective of location.

The Jockey/Trainer combinations that are included are based on the following criteria: The Jockey/Trainer combination is listed when a jockey's record shows at least 2 wins when riding the Wizard top-rater, or at least 3 wins when riding the race favourite, or 4 wins if the runner is in the $2.00 to $5.90 odds range, for that stable. Also included are the overall percentage stats for the jockey when riding a Wizard top rater or race favourite, for any stable.

To add to this weekly insight, here is a Spotlight Profile of Jay Ford (via ChatGPT, and other sources) which makes for some interesting reading.

Jay Ford is probably best known as the partner of champion sprinter Takeover Target. His career has been based primarily in New South Wales.

Early life and racing background

Jay began his riding career in the early 2000s. He began his apprenticeship under former Canterbury trainer Rod Craig before moving to Canberra to continue his development with trainer Keith Dryden. Later he moved to Sydney where he continued his apprenticeship with trainer Kim Waugh. His first race win came at Queanbeyan in March 2001. His early progress was rapid, and he claimed the Sydney apprentice jockeys' premiership in the 2003-2004 season. skyracingworld+1 johntapp+2

Family and personal connections

There is no widely reported link to a strong family connection with racing. Instead, his strongest "familystyle" connections in racing are described in terms of his long-standing partnerships with particular trainers and horses, especially his association with Takeover Target and trainerowner Joe Janiak. racing+3

Main riding bases and circuits

Jay's career has been strongly tied to New South Wales, particularly the Sydney metropolitan area and the broader NSW provincial circuit. He has periodically travelled overseas and interstate, including to Flemington in Melbourne and to Queensland carnivals, though he has noted that interstate trips are relatively infrequent in the latter part of his career. youtube skyracingworld+3

Key trainers and partnerships

Jay's most famous association is with Queanbeyan taxi driverturnedtrainer Joe Janiak and their champion sprinter Takeover Target. Jay became the regular rider of Takeover Target, partnering him to around 20 victories, including multiple Group 1 wins in Australia and overseas. This partnership remains central to Jay's public profile.

In more recent seasons, he has formed an ongoing association with Sydney trainer Joe Pride. He is also regularly links with trainers such as Kim Waugh and Kerry Parker. skyracingworld+3

Major wins and career highlights

Jay's most important victories are closely tied to Takeover Target's remarkable career. With Joe Janiak's sprinter, he won his first Group 1 in the 2004 Salinger Stakes at Flemington, then added major sprint features including the 2006 Newmarket Handicap down the Flemington straight, a race he has recalled as a key highlight. Takeover Target and Jay also secured wins in multiple Australian states and overseas jurisdictions, including Group 1 successes in Japan and Singapore, and a famous win plus several placings at Royal Ascot in the United Kingdom. racing+1 youtube

Beyond Takeover Target, Jay has accumulated a solid Grouprace record, including classicdistance success such as the Spring Champion Stakes, where he has been associated with surprise winners like Hotel Grand and Monaco Consul at long odds. Statistics show him maintaining a steady strike rate over hundreds of rides per season, with ongoing success in metropolitan, provincial and country races across New South Wales.

Summary

Jay has a well-earned earned a reputation among trainers as a reliable jockey capable of producing strong performances on both favourites and lesser-fancied horses. Over his long and durable career he has ridden more than 1,400 winners. Racing.com

 

Matrix day-by-day results for Friday and Saturday racing

The tables show the results for the past eight weeks for the day on which racing occurred. So, today being Friday, this Matrix DOW (Day of Week) report covers the past eight Friday and Saturday results. The day-after results are included so that they are available on race-eve, rather than only on race morning.

(The daily Matrix report aims to assist subscribers contain the number of bets to manageable proportions and improve the strike rate. The report is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am each day with an update at 12 noon.)

 

Wizard Freebie - The Wizard Matrix Report

The Wizard publishes on this page one of its Wizard reports or special features, either completely or a part thereof. Today, a Wizard Matrix (First Four) Report for one meeting. The full report and all other reports for all meetings for today are available now for subscribers

The Wizard Matrix report aims to assist subscribers contain the number of bets to manageable proportions and improve the strike rate.

 Click here for an explanation of the Wizard Matrix report.

 

Wizard Ratings, Raceday, Matrix, and Selectives results

We publish these full results daily so that subscribers can see the results of the Wizard's ratings options, and Report-content, and thereby formulate a selecting and betting strategy that suits them individually. The Wizard ratings should not be seen as "tips", rather as objective assessments that can be used to inform one's own judgement as to the relative chances of the runners in a race.

The full day-by-day results for Wizard (Wrat) top 4 rated runners, the Raceday Qualifier, and the Matrix (MaxR) 100 pointer, the MaxR top-two, the What-IF top-two Filtered, together with the Matrix W1+MaxR100 Selective qualifier, and the Matrix W1+*EO+MaxR100 Selective qualifier. Also included are the overall results for last week and the last four weeks. The 2024-2025 column shows the WRat results for the full racing season.

This results summary is colour coded so that it is easier for readers to track the relative performance of the Top Rated (blue) and Top-Two Rated (green) ratings options on a daily, and longer term, basis. The best overall qualifier (yellow) is highlighted. Also, the single runner options are grouped separately, as are the two-horse and multi-horse options results, again to make comparisons easier.

The following table shows this week's results of alternative options with respect to possible Matrix Selectives combinations, as well as weekly summaries. These combinations are accessible via the Wizard MATRIX report which is posted to our website between 10:30am and 10:45am each day.

 (Key: The first of the two columns for each Selective combination shows number of qualifying races and the second column shows the strike rate. Headings: RWM is Raceday,Watch,Magic,  RWM 2/3 means two or three qualifying, Rday is Raceday report qualifier , Magic is Magic report qualifier, R/M is Raceday and Magic, WR1 is Wrat 100, MR1 is MaxR 100.)

The following table shows where the winner of each race run yesterday was rated by WRat, WMod, WHcp, and WExpk and was the qualifier in the Wizard Raceday Report. (Note: The Wrat [W] winner results report on both the top rated and top-two rated winners.) The Raceday Report winners under the Top Rated column are from those races where there was only one Raceday qualifier, and under the Top 2 Rated on the rare occasions where there were two qualifiers in a race.

 Header: WMHER = WRat (W), WMod (M), WHcp (H), WExpk (E), Raceday (R).

For a full explanation of the table click: How to read the Wizard Ratings Results

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Everyrace Website

Welcome to everyrace.com, the official website for the Wizard Formguide, Superform magazine and Online Handicapping.

The Wizard provides an in-depth, comprehensive coverage (ratings, statistics, reports, and detailed race form) for all Australian and New Zealand meetings covered by Tabcorp.

As well as the Wizard ratings, statistics, reports and detailed form, Wizard users can access the Wizard rewards program, featuring the Wizard archive and Wizard Systems.

Superform subscribers receive the weekly Superform magazine (results for all meetings in Australia and New Zealand), the daily Superfax selections service, the Saturday Morning Mail service, and access to the Superform Daily handicapping system.

The Wizard is an online formguide available every day from this website. It provides form and ratings for all Australian and New Zealand meetings covered by Tabcorp.

The formguide is supplied as downloadable and printable PDF files. Buying the Wizard also gives you access to the Wizard rewards program, featuring the Wizard archive and the ability to generate individualised Wizard Systems.

The Betting Essentials Book on Horse Racing by Warren Block

Wizard

The Wizard is an online formguide available every day from this website. It provides form and ratings for all Australian and New Zealand meetings covered by Tabcorp.

The formguide is supplied as downloadable and printable PDF files. Buying the Wizard also gives you access to the Wizard rewards program, featuring the Wizard archive and the Wizard Systems.

You also have access to the Wizard Race Fields, incredibly detailed form history and statistical content live on our site (which is also optimised for mobiles)

   22/05/2026 : CANBERRA ACTON(s)
GEELONG(s)
GOLD COAST(s)
INVERELL(s)
KILCOY(s)
MT GAMBIER(s)
PAKENHAM(s)
WINGATUI(s)
   23/05/2026 : BEAUDESERT
BELMONT PARK
BROOME
DARWIN
DOOMBEN
ECHUCA
ELLERSLIE
MACKAY
MURRAY BRIDGE
NEW PLYMOUTH
NEWCASTLE
RANDWICK
SANDOWN-HILLSIDE
TOOWOOMBA
WAGGA RIVERSIDE
   24/05/2026 : BALLARAT(nr)
GUNNEDAH(nr)
HOBART(nr)
KALGOORLIE(nr)
MILDURA(nr)
NOWRA(nr)
PORT AUGUSTA(nr)
ROEBOURNE(nr)
SUNSHINE COAST(nr)
TE RAPA(nr)
Meetings being covered by the Wizard
(s) indicates that scratchings have been processed.
(nr) indicates early fields and form without any ratings.

Superform

For decades, Superform has been Australia's premier ratings, results, form analysis and race handicapping service.

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