MEET BELLA ANDERSON

From an early age, Bella Anderson knew her passion for horses wasn’t just a phase some young girls go through. More than a passing interest, this was the seeds of a future career being planted.

Toy horses may have lined her room, but it was trips to the races with her father that lit the inner fire in Anderson, who spent those days near the mounting yard, and her weekends riding horses whenever she could. 

“I grew up looking at Lizzie Jelfs and admiring her in the mounting yard thinking, oh my God, she has the most incredible job,” she said. 

Anderson recalls. “When Racing.com rang and asked if I’d ever considered being a mounting yard analyst, it was surreal. I’d literally dreamed of that my whole life.”

That call changed everything. Within weeks, she had moved to Melbourne, stepping into her dream role at an age when most are still wondering what to do with their lives. “It was emotional, overwhelming, but just the most incredible experience. Your dream comes true at such a young age—it meant the world.”

Like most in the racing industry, the passion started in the family, albeit this wasn’t the traditional path that many have walked.

Her father was a passionate punter, her grandfather a casual owner, but it was Bella who couldn’t stay away. Her dad taught her the basics—what to look for in a thoroughbred, how to pick up small cues in behaviour and condition—and she refined that craft by simply spending time in the yard, watching, learning, and trusting her instincts.

In the early days she began posting her mounting yard notes and parade picks on Twitter. The response was immediate. Engagement grew, followers arrived, and her voice soon carried her into the professional ranks. Despite stepping into the TV spotlight, Bella has never abandoned her “old school” methods. To this day she still handwrites her notes, logging every detail into a custom-built database that now holds years of observations on hundreds of horses.

“I’ve got a terrible memory,” she says with a laugh. “So having this system is crucial. I can look back and see what I thought of a horse two years ago, on debut, or even last start. It means I can see patterns, track improvement, and make sharper calls in the yard.”

For someone whose job is to make calls in front of thousands of punters, Anderson admits she has battled self-belief. “I’ve always been anxious by nature. The hardest part has been learning to trust myself and block out the outside noise. Trainers have opinions, punters have opinions, the media has opinions—but my role is very specific. I’m there to assess how a horse is parading that day, in that moment. That’s my edge.”

It’s a mantra she repeats to herself each raceday: trust the process, trust the eye, and back your opinion. “You’re not always going to be right. That’s racing. But the more you trust what you’re seeing, the stronger your work becomes. You don’t second-guess. You don’t overthink. You just call it.”

So much goes into form, and Mounting Yard analysis is often an overlooked yet crucial factor.  Sweat patterns, muscle definition, coat condition, even how a horse handles heat or cold all tell a story. “A bit of sweat on a hot day? Fine. A horse sweating in winter for the first time in its career? Alarm bells. That’s the type of thing I pick up that a form guide never will.”

This detail feeds directly into her Betfair Late Mail, where punters can receive a notification straight to their phone with Anderson’s recommended back or lay for the day. “Short-priced favourites under $2 are always interesting. At that price they need to be parading perfectly. If there’s any knock—fitness, behaviour, condition—they’re vulnerable. That’s where the lay edge comes in for Betfair customers.”

She’s equally selective with her lays. “Something has to win the race. So, if I’m against the favourite, I need to know what can beat it—whether it’s the second or third elect, or even a roughie. It’s about respecting the market but knowing when your eye says, not today.”

What excites her most about working with Betfair is the alignment of values. “I feel like Betfair is genuinely on the punter’s side. They want people to win. That’s why I love doing my yard mail—it’s not about selling tips, it’s about giving real information that helps punters make better calls. That’s what I want too.”

From dreaming of horses as a little girl, to admiring Lizzie Jelfs in the mounting yard, to now delivering expert yard mail on the Betfair Exchange, Bella Anderson has carved out her own lane in the industry. And in doing so, she’s helping punters see what she sees—one parade at a time.