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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-AU link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>A bit like Geoffrey Hutson's approach outlined in his books.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><h1>Meet Lizzie Jelfs, the people’s punting champion that moves markets<o:p></o:p></h1><p class=gfont-body-l id=story-intro>One of the most influential voices in Sydney racing is the darling of bettors around Australia with her trusty iPhone delivering longshot winners.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=gfont-body-m>Ray Thomas</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>5 min read<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>February 27, 2021 - 9:41AM<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=sourcename>News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom</span><a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/superracing/meet-lizzie-jelfs-the-peoples-punting-champion-that-moves-markets/news-story/af9277a2cefb9dd41c55429f5fd50cf2#share-tools" id=comment-count><o:p></o:p></a></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=bylinecommentscount><u><span style='color:blue'><a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/superracing/meet-lizzie-jelfs-the-peoples-punting-champion-that-moves-markets/news-story/af9277a2cefb9dd41c55429f5fd50cf2#share-tools"><span style='color:blue'>0 comments</span></a></span></u></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=1280 height=720 style='width:13.3333in;height:7.5in' id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D70CEE.9BA99150" alt="Lizzie Jelfs and her microphone moves betting markets. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images"><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Lizzie Jelfs and her microphone moves betting markets. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images<o:p></o:p></p><p>When Lizzie Jelfs makes her pre-race selections from birdcages around Sydney racetracks, punters listen. Her opinion can have as much influence on the betting market as the biggest punters.<o:p></o:p></p><p>She studies the form, track conditions and other variables but relies more on her expert eye and encyclopaedic knowledge of each horse to find a winner — comparing the equine giants parading in front of her with hundreds of images and videos of horses stored on her phone for reference on their condition, fitness and improvement since she last clocked them.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Jelfs, who is an integral part of Sky Thoroughbred Central’s Sydney race day coverage, uses all this information to often nominate a longshot as her tip. And too often gets it right to be a fluke. <o:p></o:p></p><p>So, how does she do it?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=1024 height=768 style='width:10.6666in;height:8.0in' id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D70CEE.9BA99150" alt="Lizzie Jelfs and her keen eye rarely miss a clue in the yard. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images"><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Lizzie Jelfs and her keen eye rarely miss a clue in the yard. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images<o:p></o:p></p><p>“I profile every horse from the first time I lay eyes on them,’’ Jelfs said.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“I look at their physique, manners, their walk, everything about them so I can learn as much as I can about them from each run.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“If I haven’t seen a horse before, it can play against me. But because I know most of the Sydney horses so well, I can back myself to say if they have improved.’’<o:p></o:p></p><p>Jelfs said there are certain telltale signs she looks for in every horse before making her selections.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“Change in behaviour is a big one for me,’’ she said.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“If you see a horse that is usually quite relaxed and they are worked up before a race, then often they don’t run as well as they can.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“The physical appearance of a horse is obviously important. A trainer often says their horse is bigger and stronger this preparation. That might not make that horse any faster but it does make them easier to train.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“They recover faster from a race and they can have more work put into them so they can be fitter again.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“But the most important factor, I think, is a horse’s coat. You can see everything in their coat.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“They can still run well if they don’t have a good coat on them — but I find they are few and far between. If their coat is just a little bit off, they won’t be at their very best.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“If you have four horses at the same level, if one has their coat that has come through, that horse will invariably run better than the other three.’’<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:#17ACF0'><span style='color:black'>LIZZIE’S LOOK AT RANDWICK</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Chipping Norton Stakes</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p>“Kolding is at his peak now while Verry Elleegant and Colette could be a bit vulnerable second-up,’’ Jelfs said. “Those two mares always sprint well fresh and Verry Elleegant is bigger and stronger this time around. I’m sure she has taken quite a lot of benefit from her first-up run.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“Colette is one of the best wet-trackers I’ve seen — bar Winx. I thought Verry Elleegant was good in the wet but Colette seems to be on another level. But I’m interested in Kolding. If the track is drying, he is the one to beat.<o:p></o:p></p><p><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Liverpool City Cup</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p>“I’m looking forward to seeing Criaderas, he’s a really nice horse.’’<o:p></o:p></p><p>Jelfs hails from Oxford in England and although she doesn’t come from a racing family, she had a love of horses from a young age and rode at the same pony club as leading Sydney jockey Rachel King.<o:p></o:p></p><p>But although Jelfs had ambitions of becoming a jockey, she was unable to follow her dream for an unusual reason — she was too small!<o:p></o:p></p><p>“When I started working at the stables of Charlie Egerton at Lambourn, I only weighed 45kg,’’ she said.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“Charlie trained jumpers and he couldn’t give me a go as I just wasn’t big enough.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“I wanted to be a jockey but Charlie was saying it is not the right life for me.’’<o:p></o:p></p><p>It was also difficult for female jockeys to break into English racing at the time — this was the reason King eventually moved to Sydney — so Jelfs decided to go on a working holiday to Australia nearly two decades ago and never left.<o:p></o:p></p><p>She joined the stables of Hall of Fame trainer David Hayes, where she rode work at Flemington before eventually taking over his Sydney satellite stable at Randwick.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“David was a great teacher,’’ Jelfs said. “With his set-up in those days, horses would often come from Adelaide to Melbourne and you would have to learn them by sight.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“After 17 years working for David, I think it has ‘prepped’ me for this job.’’<o:p></o:p></p><p>It was Hayes who also saw an opportunity for Jelfs to work in the media and recommended she apply for a presenter’s role in Melbourne.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=1024 height=768 style='width:10.6666in;height:8.0in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D70CEE.9BA99150" alt="Lizzie Jelfs with Husson Lightning at the Gold Coast in 2007. Picture: Peter Wallis"><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Lizzie Jelfs with Husson Lightning at the Gold Coast in 2007. Picture: Peter Wallis<o:p></o:p></p><p>Jelfs was on air two weeks later and this led her to eventually joining Sky Racing in Sydney.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“I love it,’’ Jelfs said. “I can get my racing fix every day.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“I love being able to impart my knowledge and maybe soften the broadcast a bit. It is still very focused on punting and I also bring that punting element, but I do try to highlight the athletes in this sport.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“The jockeys are amazing, the track riders, and trainers, but for me what has got me into racing is my love of the thoroughbred.’’<o:p></o:p></p><p>Sydney’s autumn carnival has its unofficial start at Royal Randwick today with the return of Group 1 racing including the $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes, which means more punters and race fans will be tuning into Channel 528 for the live coverage — and Jelfs’s mounting yard selections.<o:p></o:p></p><p>She started work on today’s Randwick meeting when nominations came out last Monday, then began her serious form study when the final fields and barrier draws were announced on Wednesday. It’s her weekly ritual.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Jelfs has developed a deserved reputation for regularly finding longshot winners but doesn’t let the pressure and expectation to find the shock selection cloud her judgment.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“The only pressure I feel is to give the best information possible because I’m very aware that people are betting,’’ Jelfs said.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“If I am giving people information, I want it to be the right information. Authenticity is important.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“I used to get some backlash on Twitter, but I feel I have been accepted more now as people understand I’m trying to give information to them.’’<o:p></o:p></p><p><b>WHAT MAKES LIZZIE SO GOOD</b><o:p></o:p></p><p>Andrew Georgiou – TAB<o:p></o:p></p><p>“You only have to look at when she does give her selection as the Pick of the Yard, more often than not that horse will firm straight away. There are punters out there who are listening and waiting for her selections — she is the people’s champion.’’<o:p></o:p></p><p>Ron Dufficy – Sky Thoroughbred Central form expert<o:p></o:p></p><p>“If a horse is resuming from a spell, you would be amazed at the data Lizzie on her phone about that horse. I was asking about Verry Elleegant before she resumed and Lizzie had images of the mare from last year and at trials to point out the physical changes. Lizzie is a horsewoman but she knows her form.’’<o:p></o:p></p><h4>More Coverage<o:p></o:p></h4><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/superracing/randwick-tips-ray-thomas-and-ron-dufficys-best-bets-and-analysis/news-story/af3af7eac7bed1969d92eec7e7e387f9">Ray and Duff: Superstar mare’s Verry best to come </a><a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/superracing/top-jockey-jamie-kah-hailed-as-australian-racings-new-queen-locker-room/news-story/2cf14f385332c2de1ad438e2d0f71f5a">Australia’s new queen of the racetrack </a><o:p></o:p></p><p>Greg Radley – Sky Thoroughbred Central host<o:p></o:p></p><p>“I think what makes Lizzie so good is her delivery. She speaks the language of punters, whether they are experienced or inexperienced. Her grasp of individual horses is quite incredible.’’<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>