So we talked Abilities and Attributes so lets talk stratigeries...
Most efficient and fastest way to win is to learn the track and it's traps. Every track and trap is set to go off at the exact same time every time. So if you do the course and you get hit by a monster chances are you will get hit by it again next race unless you move or jump. Some races are longer and have more traps and water... WATER IS BAD!! So what i find to be the easiest and most effective thing to do is do the Desert track only... This might seem odd thing but i have my reasons and they are good for winning pretty much EVERYTIME which means more exp and faster ranks to faster next chocobo...
First off the Desert Race doesn't really give you any benefits compared to the ones until about 120 or 140 rankings i forget... This important benefit it will give you is at the end of the course... You will notice the traps go Red>Monster>Red back to back the computer has a HORRIBLE time trying to make these jumps and if they make the first one they hit the second one. If you hit the first one you WILL hit the monster. If you hit the monster you have only a small chance to miss the last red. Each red will drain a ton of stamina.
The trick to this jump is simple and in a second you'll learn why it's so important to learn to make... If you jump over the first red you can actually just run right through the monster without triggering it. I can only assume this is due to your chocobo still trying to get it's footing to accelerate again. This is important to note for 2 reasons one is after the second red a chest will appear, if you try to go around the monster you will miss it. Second and more important is b/c the next ranking will take out the monster and make it a third red so if you learn where to jump to not trigger the monster you will already know where to jump to not trigger the middle red. Trying to jump all 3 reds at max speed is near impossible and chances are if you hit one you will hit all...
The up side to this is there is VERY VERY high chance computer will hit almost all of these... And as you learn the track you will see where to lean and change lane for each bend.
ALSO more importantly where to jump/be for each chest which as a side note if you know a chest is suppose to be somewhere ALWAYS be in the spot or jump EVEN IF IT IS NOT THERE... Often times the chest will actually appear right as you get there and it's better to try for it and it not be there then not try for it and miss it.
Another important stratigizering is staying on the inside of turns as well as not bouncing back and forth left to right... (Watching my older brother race in aggravating as he is always switching lanes for no reason) you should always be on the inside unless avoiding a trap or going for a chest. in the much higher rankings it is important to note that the chests are on the outside of the turns which DO slow you down so you will need to decide on if the item is worth it...
Items are obviously a win or loose situation based off 75% luck and 20% strat... 5% douche baggery... Heres the skinny on it... If you are in first ALWAYS skip the Thorns let the NPCs/people behind you fight it out... If you can spare the Stamina and you are in first skip Frenzy it will drain your stamina but you dont slow down. When it comes to heavy i try to get it even if i am in first but not if the chest is out of my path. Heavy will bugger you up a little but generally you can catch back up especially since i have Choco Dash on stand by if it gets used on me at the end. When it comes to the end this is helpful because you can slow down the other person and sprint pass if you are out of stamina. Those are the 3 main ones you'll get.
If you see sprint or choco cure any kind of stuff that will boost stamina ALWAYS go for it ALWAYS.
Important stuff you want to watch out for that NPCs will nuke you with is the Chains of death... In the lower ranks it's not as bad only a few seconds but in the higher ranks it can last about 45 seconds... When you are racing races that only last 1:20... 45 seconds is life or death. This is the ONLY time i use Choco Dash not that the finish line. Also thorns if you get hammered by the thorns you just better hope you can get some stamina potion b/c you wont be finishing first...
Main strats are knowing the course, staying inside the turns, and avoid traps... Everything else is improvise... and remember you CANT win all of them...
