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You're the owner of a stable of 16 horses and along with five other players, who can be computer-controlled, you compete in a flat-racing season to see who can make the most money.

There are up to 16 meetings in a season with six races in each and eight classic races at the end. As the meetings occur, each player has to select a horse for each race, initially with no guide to form. The races are from five furlongs to one and a half miles and different horses will be suited to different distances and going.

While you're selecting your horses you can study the race programme for the season and also see your opponents' choices. If a horse fails to be selected for three consecutive meetings it is dropped and costs you £1,000 for every meeting it misses.

There are three types of races - minor, principal and classics - with correspondingly increasing prize money. Once at the meeting, you are given a chance to bet on one of the six horses and then the race is run. The horses walk to the line and then gallop down the course, right to left on the screen. The scale distance are accurate and the leaders will come and go, often with an exciting finish as you illogically roar your horse on.

Once the race is over, you get any prize money or betting win due you and are shown the overall status of each player. The horses also build up a form book and winnings. Finding out which horse is good over which distance and ground is vital.

P. Gripping race action.
P. Plenty of thinking and planning needed to find your best horses.
P. Multi-player action provides great excitement.
P. The computer runs a good race plan.
P. You can get utterly hooked without losing any money.

N. On the other hand, it might drag you into the real thing.