We’re big on tradition here at SkyBlueKangaroo. And I’m not just talking about Dad’s tired old joke where he trudges back up the stairs to the kids’ bedrooms on Christmas morning, to announce (again) that unfortunately Santa hasn’t been yet, and there’s no presents under the tree.

They haven’t bought that particular chestnut for three years!

Every year right before Christmas, I let you know that I’m taking the rest of the year off. Every year I tell you how much I’m looking forward to Kempton on Boxing Day.

And every year, without fail, I manage to slip in a “Best of SkyBlueKangaroo” post just before New Year, just in case you missed something juicy over the last 12 months.

Blimey! If only horse racing was as predictable as me, eh?

So here’s a selection of the best SkyBlueKangaroo posts from 2011, based upon your enthusiasm and my own bias for content that I think’s going to help you get what you want in 2012.

Please feel free to comment on, ‘Like’ or ‘Tweet’ or generally share the goodness on one, some or indeed all of these articles.

Betting With A Gun To Your Head

A nod again to tradition, as this post wasn’t actually made this year, and dates back to Christmas 2009. But it’s probably the most powerful video I’ve ever produced, and pretty much sums up what I stand for and what SkyBlueKangaroo is all about.

Guide to Jumps Racing: The Festivals

This was my first attempt at creating a podcast. So as well as reading the article, a guide to the National Hunt season ahead, you can listen as well. Look out for more audible content in 2012.

Ethical vs Hype – ethical wins by a distance!

There’s never many days go by when we’re not hearing about the latest ‘Wonder Betting System’ launched by another betting ‘guru’. This article puts forward my argument, that ethical promotion will always prevail over the incessant noise of the hype-marketers.

Auto Bet System X-IV

This article was intended simply as an indictment on the slick methods employed by some marketeers to promote their betting products. But little did I know how big and wriggly this particular can of worms was going to be. Probably the most debated post of the year.

Kills 99.9% of all known scams DEAD!

A betting systems Buyers Guide. Essential reading for anyone interested in buying betting systems online. Includes 7 due diligence steps you should take before parting with your money, where to look for the best betting systems, and how to perform a ‘spring clean’ on your email inbox.

How to pick more winners at Royal Ascot

I posted this introduction to trends analysis just before Royal Ascot back in June, and the feedback was amazing! This article alone resulted in the biggest influx to date of new members to the Horse Racing Trends service.

Success leaves clues

Propagating some of my father’s wisdom, this post was all about how we can replicate the success of others by not only listening to what they say, but also modelling what they do.

I’m Going Slightly Mad

Sound money management is one of the pillars of profitable betting, and this post introduced the topic with a tale of what must be the craziest bet ever.

Managing Your Betting Bankroll

Another post in the popular Money Management series. Did you know, for example, that even the very best race analyst with an enviable win strike rate can end up going stoney broke if they don’t also employ a suitable money management strategy?

Don’t throw good money after bad

This post is definitely not for the faint-hearted. It discusses the prickly subject of progressive staking, the often painful subject of losing runs, and reminds us all how even the experts get it wrong, and sometimes an awful lot!

Shergar and Swinburn, great memories by some distance

A Derby-winning jockey cum winning trainer has been plying his trade just down the road from me for seven years. This year I summoned the courage to ask for an interview with Walter Swinburn. This is the result; a great way to finish the year, and a real feather in my cap.

I’ll take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for 2012 — health, prosperity, and happiness — and let’s make it a sizeable dollop of each whilst we’re at it.