Curious where everyone lands on this once you've been around the game a while. For me, the biggest shift was stopping the random "that one looks due" stuff and getting a lot pickier about setup. I care more about map, tempo and whether the track is gonna suit than I do about a flashy last-start finish. Plenty of punters still get sucked in by a horse flying home into a crawl and then back it next start like it's a moral... sometimes it's just a replay trap.
I usually start with the class of the race, then work through barrier, likely position in running, jockey intent and whether the price is actually worth the risk. If something needs everything to go right and it's still getting backed like crazy, I normally let it go. Happy to miss a winner if the number's gone. That's saved me more coin than trying to be the hero every arvo.
Also reckon a lot of people underrate track pattern, especially at the smaller meetings. You can do all the form you want, but if they're swooping all day or leaders are pinching lengths at the bend, you've gotta adjust quick. Same with stable moves and gear changes — some matter heaps, some are just noise and punters talk themselves into them.
So what's the first thing you blokes and sheilas look for now? Not the beginner stuff, more the thing that actually improved your strike rate once you got serious. Sectionals? Early market? Breeding on wet tracks? Keen to hear what others lean on, especially from anyone who follows the provincials closely.