Handicapping 101: Weighing up criteria:S

When weighing up our selections, we all know what the important stuff is right? Speed rating, merit rating, draw, jockey, trainer, weight carried etc etc etc. But what is the most important? How do we give each variable weightings? Can we prioritize them by importance? Please draw up your list of most important criteria from the most important to the least important to help me prioritize...

I would say maybe...

1 Horses Merit Rating
2 Jockey Ability
3 Trainer ability
4 Draw

any thoughts....

I try and stay away from merit rated race and prefer to back in plated races as if the handicapper has done his job correctly your best rated horse should win, obviously if distance suited and not returning from a long break. If I do get involved in merit rated races I like to look for horses who's MR has plummeted over it's last 5 or 6 runs as it has probably dropped a couple of divisions and ready to be competitve again.

UD, I think your order is pretty spot on there.

I'm a big component of the draw, always have been and always will be! Certain horses cannot win at certain tracks from certain draws. I do like big drops in MR, or horses who have returned to previous winning marks after sky rocketing. The last thing I look at is trainers. They have to be REALLY out of form for me to take note of them!

1. Attitude
2. Bet
3. Selection criteria...certainly personal, and none are wrong, which is not the same as 1. + 2. which can be wrong!

Like that TommyH, especially your comments about the draw and trainers 'form'.
Do not think that there are set parameters, for selection criteria, that can apply to every race, (do believe in a systematic approach though).
Over 1450m at VS the draw is significant, subject to the running styles of those enetered, whilst over VS 1600m the draw is not that significant.
The benefit of 'knowing' trainers current form is as you said... is to have an indication what NOT to include just as much as what can be included.
One has to decide on ones own 'order of merit' for all selection criteria at each distance at each course, when you get it right...things change! That keeps us guessing and excited about the game.