Who we are
ER is a legal Partnership between individuals, formally constituted and supported by Confidentiality & Non-Disclosure Agreements, a Code of Ethic and a Research Guideline.
The Partners share a common love for thoroughbred racing and an obsession with genetics, pedigrees and breeding using QUANTITATIVE methodology . It is at this industry level that ER wishes to make a meaningful contribution.
We do contribute comment on industry issues in SA, offering opinion and analysis of systemic/broader issues affecting the industry’s progress and future. In this light we generate surveys and promote the debate of critical issues.
Why Quantitative Research
Traditional Methods of horse assessment have been very heavily qualitatively based through a physical assessment – i.e. an experienced eye looking the horse over, watching it stand, walk, trot, canter and gallop with a very basic consideration of quantitative aspects (bloodline, family performance etc). Traditional Assessment still has a very important role to play however it cannot be the only method and should rather a part of the final assessment package.
We believe that the identification of a high potential horse must start with the seeking of horses that offer a high probability of above average success, be it a potential Broodmare, a potential Sire or Progeny. Those that will be better than average and advance the racing quality into the future through performance.
Modern Technology introduces a new realm of scientific possibilities enabling fairly rapid factual analytics – i.e. run accurate and very deep research of historical fact. It also permits easy extraction and accumulation of targeted data that already exists in numerous publicly and subscriber-based platforms. It is the use of this line of research that, coupled with Traditional methods, that can bring a higher level of industry efficiency in the future.
We believe Quantitative Research (QNA) is critical as a first step to inform and guide Qualitative Analysis (QLA). It is through an intense and focused study of historical facts that ER seeks to impact and deliver an industry contribution.
Accurately consolidated and thoroughly analysed QNA uncovers historical patterns of success that logically offer a higher degree of certainty (i.e. probability). It is levels of probability (certainty) that we seek to discover and determine.
Long Term Financial decisions are made by individuals in the industry and it makes sense that those decisions be informed by reliable fact to minimise costly and ill-considered decisions. We accept that “magic” can happen, however we believe that it is an infrequent possibility that cannot be justified against the financial risk.
It is important to understand that the factors causing a high probability horse to actually realise its identified probability (i.e. potential) depends heavily on external factors that follow probability identification – i.e. the trainer, training method, care of the horse, distances & surface it gets to run, not being injury prone, feed it eats etc etc. Therefore, that identification of high probability is no guarantee of future success but only a calculated indicator to assist decision making. It is a refined/narrowed down brutal determination of potential ignoring the emotional influence factors.
Being able to determine a horse’s probability means that important breeding and/or buying decisions can be made in a far more reliable manner with a higher degree of certainty. Performance Outcome beyond Probability can never be guaranteed however, because of the factors that affect the former. QNA can only assist in determining probability and assist decisions such as acquisition of quality horses and/or identification of high quality broodmares with high potential and/or racing colts that offer high probability Stallion value and/or covers that represent high probability. It therefore provides a valuable tool to avoid/minimise poor decisions.
Our Services
We offer a comprehensive range of research services including but not restricted to the following:
- Continuous research to find genetic patterns of racing success
- Analysing Pedigree Enigmas – Sires or Broodmares that came from a “left field pedigree line”, surprised everybody and hard to identify good covers for
- Analysing a Broodmare/Broodmares to identify high potential covers
- Analysing Sales Catalogues to provide a Recommended List or Report
- Identifying Broodmare prospects from racing Mares
- Identifying Stud prospects from racing Colts