In this article, Tom Charlton shares his experience and perspective on the growing importance of data in racehorse training. He explains how the Equimetre simplifies performance tracking and enhances strategic decision-making. For Tom Charlton and John O’Shea, integrating this tool has been a game-changer, making data analysis both accessible and efficient.
Discover how Equimetre allows them to see beyond what meets the eye and adds a new dimension to his work in their ongoing pursuit of excellence and innovation.
Can you introduce yourself?
I’m Tom Charlton, and I’m part of a training partnership with John O’Shea in Sydney.
How long have you and John been working with data, and why did you choose to use it?
We’ve been working with data for the past couple of years, and it has become an increasingly important part of what we do. As technology continues to evolve and improve, it’s truly revolutionizing the industry. We’ve found it fascinating to uncover insights about horses that might not be visible to the naked eye. Data provides an additional layer to our training capabilities, helping us refine our approach and make more informed decisions.
Can you tell us more about how you and your team handle data collection and analysis?
The process is quite straightforward. In the morning, the staff in the stable easily fit the devices during track work. The data is then downloaded, and later in the day, our team or the data analysis team reviews it. They provide John and myself with feedback and insights on the morning’s work, helping us refine our approach.
What do you like about working with Arioneo?
The level of detail is remarkable—covering speeds, recoveries, stride lengths, and stride frequencies—and having all this information centralized in one portal has been a game-changer. For someone like me, who isn’t particularly tech-savvy, the system is straightforward to use, making the data easy to understand and interpret. It’s a high-quality tool that delivers a wealth of information in a clear and accessible format.
Training racehorses is like solving a complex puzzle, and the data we receive from Arioneo provides another critical piece to help us put it all together. It enhances our understanding of a horse’s stride lengths, speeds, the distances it’s best suited for, its recoveries, and how it’s adapting to its workload. This insight helps us decide whether a horse needs more time before advancing to more intense work, such as a trial or a race, or if it’s progressing faster than we initially expected.
How do you see the future of data in horse racing? Do you have any advice for a trainer starting their data journey?
The Equimetre system continuously provides valuable insights that allow us to refine our approach for each horse. It’s a tool that is constantly evolving and becoming an increasingly vital part of training resources and horse racing as a whole. As our ability to interpret the data improves with experience and as more horses go through the process, I believe it will continue revolutionizing training methods across the industry.
For those new to using data, my advice would be to take advantage of the support available. The team at Arioneo has been incredibly helpful, offering detailed explanations while keeping things simple and easy to understand. Working with them has been an invaluable introduction to the world of data, especially for someone like me who isn’t naturally tech-savvy. Over the past couple of years, it’s proven to be a fantastic addition to our training program.
Keywords: Tom, Arioneo, Equimetre, data, horses, analytics, horse racing, revolutionize, speed, recovery, stride lengths
Photo: @oshea_charltonracing instagram