Trading Reset Advice Please

[kenfrost]

Hello everyone,

I have been trying my hand at trading for a year or so, using a combination of manual and bots with modest to minimum stakes. The results have been mixed, sometimes the "strategy" (eg trap trading, lay the drifters, 1 tick scalping, lay the "losing" horse in a 7f etc) I have used has worked for a while then stopped working.

I have not yet got anywhere near to the stage of being able to see the patterns in pre off markets, where you can subconsciously see where the market is heading (as many well seasoned traders seem to be able to do).

Therefore I think I need a complete reset, and go back to basics wrt pre off trading.

I would welcome and be grateful for your suggestions/strategies/tactics as to how to make a modest eg 50p per race in the pre off market eg

- what stake size

- races to avoid etc

As said I have tried eg basic scalping, trap trades etc. They work then, when they don't, I lose what I have made when they have worked. Clearly I am missing/not understanding something in my current approach.

Thanks

[Euler]

I think a lot of people will recognise what you're describing. It’s easy to end up trying lots of different things, especially early on, but it often leads to that frustrating cycle where something works for a bit, then stops, and you're back to square one.

I think you're absolutely right to consider a reset. Sometimes the best step forward is actually taking a step back and simplifying things.

Here are a few thoughts that might help:

Rather than switching between lots of strategies, just pick one basic approach and focus on mastering that. For example, one-tick scalping. It’s not about making big profits – it’s about learning how the market moves, when to enter, and more importantly, when to get out. Once you’re comfortable with that, you can build from there.

Smll stakes or practice mode are fine. You’re not trying to get rich at this stage – the goal is consistency, discipline, and building your market reading skills.

Skip races with poor liquidity, huge odds-on favourites, or ones that are all over the place. Stick to decent handicaps with good liquidity and a stable market. These are much easier to learn from.

It’s tempting to chase after the perfect strategy or try to predict everything – but that usually leads to frustration. Focus on execution, discipline, and learning to read one ladder well. That’s where real progress comes from.

It’s not that you’re missing something obvious – you’re just at the part of the journey where understanding is still developing. The more time you spend watching the market and sticking to one approach, the more those patterns will start to make sense.

[Euler]

As a pointer, at this time of the year you will see unraced two years olds out on the course. If they look a little twitchy the price is going to drift, but only where they are at a shorter price. Bigger prices will be less favourable, but people probably won't be backing these horses.

[kenfrost]

I think a lot of people will recognise what you're describing. It’s easy to end up trying lots of different things, especially early on, but it often leads to that frustrating cycle where something works for a bit, then stops, and you're back to square one.

I think you're absolutely right to consider a reset. Sometimes the best step forward is actually taking a step back and simplifying things.

Here are a few thoughts that might help:

Rather than switching between lots of strategies, just pick one basic approach and focus on mastering that. For example, one-tick scalping. It’s not about making big profits – it’s about learning how the market moves, when to enter, and more importantly, when to get out. Once you’re comfortable with that, you can build from there.

Smll stakes or practice mode are fine. You’re not trying to get rich at this stage – the goal is consistency, discipline, and building your market reading skills.

Skip races with poor liquidity, huge odds-on favourites, or ones that are all over the place. Stick to decent handicaps with good liquidity and a stable market. These are much easier to learn from.

It’s tempting to chase after the perfect strategy or try to predict everything – but that usually leads to frustration. Focus on execution, discipline, and learning to read one ladder well. That’s where real progress comes from.

It’s not that you’re missing something obvious – you’re just at the part of the journey where understanding is still developing. The more time you spend watching the market and sticking to one approach, the more those patterns will start to make sense.

Thanks much appreciated . As part of my reset am already focusing on one type of pre race strategy with £2 stakes.

I am also rewatching some of your academy videos, as I can now see things in them that I hadn't seen before