Race tactics

When two horses of equal power meet, the rider's hands usually decide it. In Padooko you ride your horse yourself, and good riding clearly improves your chances in a fair field. This guide is about reading a race from the gate to the post.

Controls

Lane changes are analog: the further you push the joystick, the more the horse drifts, and it stays where you let go. Half a ton of horse doesn't turn on a dime, so start your lane changes a little early.

The stamina tank: the real currency of a race

Every horse has an energy tank it can spend over a race. The stamina bar on screen carries two lines:

• The white line: the energy needed to reach the finish at this pace. If the bar is above it, the extra is yours to spend.
• The gold line: the energy needed to push all the way from here to the finish. It drops as the post gets closer; the moment the bar rises above it, you can push to the line.

Pushing burns the tank far faster than cruising, and easing off lets it recover. As the tank empties the horse slows down and fades in the straight. In Padooko the fastest way round is usually an even pace: a horse that pushes from start to finish arrives exhausted, and one that never spends its tank finishes with energy left over. The goal is to empty the tank right at the line.

Rule of thumb: save what's above the white line for the final 300–400 meters, and spend it there.

The rhythm ring and the urge

A horse's strides have a rhythm, and the rhythm ring shows it. Tap Urge the moment the ring's gold sector lights up and your horse gives you a short burst: for a few seconds it goes beyond even its top speed. That's the horse at its fastest.

But the urge has a price:

• A hit costs a little energy and starts a short cooldown. During the cooldown the button dims; if you tap it you'll see "Whip not ready yet" and lose nothing.
• A miss, tapping at the wrong moment, costs energy and upsets the horse.

For the energy it spends, the urge gains less ground than pushing does. So a good rider pushes with the joystick first and saves the extra tank for the urge. In the final 400 meters the urge gets stronger; that's where the whip really belongs.

How wide the rhythm window is depends on the horse's temper, its morale, its jockey and its gear. A horse in high spirits holds the rhythm more easily; a sulky one makes it harder. Some jockeys widen the window noticeably, while blinkers narrow it a little.

Running style: where is your horse comfortable?

Every horse has a running style:

• Front-runner: wants the lead the moment the gates open. Happy in front, unsettled when it's left behind.
• Stalker: sits just behind the leader, a few lengths back, and comes in the straight.
• Closer: hides at the back of the field and explodes in the final 400.

When your horse is where its style wants it, it spends less energy. Out of position, it starts to fret after a while: the tank drains faster and the rhythm suffers. Forcing a closer to the front, or holding a front-runner back, takes the horse out of its own race.

The draft

A horse running right behind another one, in roughly the same lane, is in its draft and spends less energy. The "In the draft" flag lights up. The draft is the stalker's and the closer's biggest weapon: saving energy behind a rival in the middle of the race and pulling out in the straight is a classic move. Some front-running horses get little from the draft.

Getting boxed in

If there's a slower horse in front of you and no room on either side, your horse is boxed in and "Boxed in" appears on screen. A boxed-in horse can't run at the speed it wants, and nervy horses get upset after a while. The cure is to change lanes, but think ahead: getting boxed on the rail as you turn into the straight is getting trapped at the worst possible moment. Bold horses and cool-headed jockeys cope better in traffic.

Change lanes too close to another horse and you'll bump; both horses slow for a moment and you'll see "Bumped — steady your horse."

Turns

A turn costs speed compared with a straight, and going wide costs more: the trip gets longer and the loss gets bigger. Take the turn on the inside, close to the rail, whenever you can. The "Turn" flag tells you you're in one. Some horses are natural rail huggers; others swing wide but are a touch quicker in the straight.

The gate and the start

When the gates open, a horse accelerates hardest at its slowest moment. Horses with strong acceleration, and traits like "Gate rocket," make the difference here. Over a sprint, the break is half the race; over a long trip, being a little behind early is usually no problem.

The final 400 meters

In the last 400 meters the "Final 400" flag lights up, followed by "Final 200." This is where you spend what's left in the tank:

• If you're in the draft, pull out and find daylight.
• Push with the joystick and urge on every gold moment of the rhythm ring.
• Judge it so the tank runs dry right at the finish. Go too early and you fade in the last 50 meters; go too late and you finish with energy unused.

If two horses cross the line almost together, a photo finish decides it: the judges look at the photo and the winner may be called by a nose.

Character and hidden talents

Some horses produce something extra at a particular moment of a race: at the gate, on the turn, in the draft or in the straight. When that moment comes, a word such as "Gate!", "Kick!" or "Draft!" appears above the horse. These moments are how you get to know your horse's character. Some traits are visible from birth; others are hidden and come to light as the horse runs a few races. Finding out what they are is part of the game.

Cameras

You can watch a race from four cameras:

• Follow: from behind your horse, swaying with its speed. Best for traffic and lanes.
• TV: from fixed points around the track, cutting as the leader moves on, like a broadcast. Good for reading the whole field.
• Jockey: from the horse's head, through the jockey's eyes.
• Helicopter: from above, pulling back as the field spreads out. Great for seeing drafts and gaps.

On a phone, double-tap the scene or tap the camera pill; on a computer, press C. The camera you pick is kept for your next races. At the finish a photo-finish camera takes over too.

A quick checklist

• Before the start: what's your horse's style, and does the distance suit it?
• Early on: settle where your style wants you; don't push for nothing.
• Mid-race: find a draft, save ground on the turns, don't get boxed in.
• Final 400: pull out, push, urge in rhythm, empty the tank at the line.

To put your horse in the right race, see Tracks. To choose a rider, see Jockeys.